Autoblog

Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards

John Neff — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST

We report on a lot of awards, some of which are given out based on more solid criteria than others. This one, the Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own awards, seems like one that new car shoppers should pay attention to.

The cost of a car goes far beyond what you pay for the actual metal, leather and rubber at the point of purchase. Fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs, and the cost of fees from the state and financing will all weigh on your wallet while you own the car. That's not even taking into account the biggest cost: depreciation, or the amount of money you lose based on what your car is worth years from now versus the day you bought it.

KBB tracks these sorts of things, and they've compiled a list of winners for 2013 models. On the brand level, Mazda and Lexus earn the 5-Year Cost to Own award for having the lowest overall projected five-year totals (though, curiously, we note that Mazda and Lexus each had only one segment winner). There are lots of winners for all the various segments, so we'll just pick out a few surprising ones to share and you can view the rest here.

Many vehicles that aren't generally considered competitive in their segments still do well from a cost-to-own perspective. The Jeep Patriot, for instance, won the Compact SUV/Crossover segment, while the Mitsubishi Outlander scores for the midsize SUV/Crossover group. For hybrids, the Honda Insight costs the least over five years, while the admittedly small segment of pure electric vehicles is lead by the Chevrolet Volt. What's the least expensive 2013 model year sports car to own? The Ford Mustang, while the Mustang GT also nabs honors in the High Performance Car segment. Like we said, you can check out the full list here, and even look any car that you're interested in owning to see how much you can expect to pay after the sale.

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Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Fit tops Japanese-dominated Consumer Reports best new car values

Noah Joseph — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Honda

Looking for the best value in a new car? Better make it Japanese, according to Consumer Reports. The go-to buyer's guide has just finished compiling its list of the best values in the new-car market, and an overwhelming proportion of them hail from the Land of the Rising Sun.

CR took some 200 different vehicles into account, catalogued them into eleven categories and picked the best values based on the outcome of their own road tests, their reliability ratings and overall ownership costs (including depreciation) over a five-year term. The resulting 48 best values included 34 picks from Japanese automakers, six European, five American and three South Korean.

At the very top of the list sits the Honda Fit, which not only ranked as the best value in its category, but the best value overall. Consumer Reports concludes that, even discounting the Fit from your shopping list, the small car category still represents the best value no matter which model you choose. Case in point: The Chevrolet Cruze, which was ranked as the worst value in the small car category, still ranked above average overall. Follow the jump for the full press release.

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Honda Fit tops Japanese-dominated Consumer Reports best new car values originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Long-Term Thinking: "Cost to Own" mindset grabs hold?

Sebastian Blanco — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:51:00 EST

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

So many things are changing in the new automotive reality, it's hard to know where to start. Everything from the kind of hose we connect to our cars (liquid filled? electric?) to the sounds the vehicles make is different now than it used to be. What else needs to change? How about how we think about the costs to own and operate a car.

Naturally, it's always been possible to estimate this cost, but NADAguides.com has just released a "Cost To Own" calculator for new cars, so you can factor in fuel prices in your region into the cost of the car. It's entirely useful. For example, to own a 2010 Prius in Michigan for five years will cost an estimated $33,232. On top of the cost of the car, NADA tells us that the car's depreciation will make up 39 percent of the ownership costs, while fuel equals just 12 percent. A pie chart of the cost breakdown is pictured at right.

On a similar thread, Edmunds recommends a shift away from MPG and towards a cost-of-energy window sticker on a new car. With all of those electric plugs being added to cars, MPG is becoming less valuable and relevant to our understanding how much it costs to get around. Two quick examples: per month, Edmunds estimates it'll cost $53.55 to drive the forthcoming Chevrolet Volt, but $66.78 to operate a Prius. Check out their chart here, and remember that according to a recent study, more efficient vehicles can (and often do) cost less.

[Source: NADAguides.com, Edmunds]

Continue reading Long-Term Thinking: "Cost to Own" mindset grabs hold?

Long-Term Thinking: "Cost to Own" mindset grabs hold? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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