For buyers comparing brands, dealership service costs and complimentary maintenance programs can make a real difference. The gap is not always linked to vehicle price alone, either.
The figures come from nearly 40 long-term test vehicles driven over 40,000 miles during the past seven years. The totals include only manufacturer-recommended scheduled maintenance, excluding tires, brakes, and unscheduled repairs.
Porsche Led The Expensive Side, While Bmw Cost Nothing
The 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 was the most expensive vehicle listed by Car and Driver, with $3,200 in scheduled maintenance costs. That total came despite the first service visit being complimentary.
The Cayman required scheduled visits every 10,000 miles, with spark plugs included at 30,000 miles. Its flat-six engine and six-speed manual transmission stood out, but the dealer bills were high.
The 2019 Porsche Cayenne also landed among the most expensive vehicles, totaling $2,677 across three paid scheduled visits after its first free service. By contrast, the 2022 BMW M3 cost $0 because BMW’s complimentary scheduled maintenance covered service for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles.
SUVs And Trucks Showed Big Differences
The 2024 Mazda CX-90 cost $1,593 to maintain, more than several other three-row SUVs tested. The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander totaled $938, the 2020 Kia Telluride reached $728, and the 2019 Subaru Ascent came in at $821.
Among pickups, the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid cost $1,413. A costly 30,000-mile service included air filter replacements, an oil change, a tire rotation, differential fluid changes, and transfer-case oil replacement.
The 2019 Ram 1500 was much cheaper at $425. The 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid also stayed relatively low, with four scheduled stops totaling $593, even without complimentary maintenance.
Hybrids, EVs, And Mainstream Models Kept Costs Lower
The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid totaled $476 across three scheduled service visits, including oil changes, tire rotations, and filter replacements. The 2022 Honda Civic Si was even lower at $383, while the 2019 Civic Type R cost $369 for service.
Electric vehicles showed another pattern. The 2024 Kia EV9 cost $355 to maintain, helped by the absence of engine oil changes. The Rivian R1T totaled $405, and the Tesla Model 3 reached $432. The BMW i4 cost $0 because of BMW’s included-maintenance program.
The lowest figure belonged to the 2021 Hyundai Sonata at $96. Most of its scheduled visits were covered by Hyundai’s complimentary maintenance plan at the time, though Hyundai ended that coverage starting with the 2026 model year.
