Every year, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) takes their cost of ownership estimates for vehicles they’ve reviewed and amortizes them over five years to choose winners in each market segment and overall manufacturer winners. These cost-to-own lists are some of the most-referenced in the industry.
As KBB puts it: “While depreciation (or loss of value) and fuel costs may be the greatest expense incurred in owning a vehicle, there are other factors that can have a significant impact on a consumer’s budget. Available on Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com for new models, 5-Year Cost to Own information takes into consideration depreciation, expected fuel costs, finance and insurance fees, maintenance and repair costs, and state fees.”
The 2015 KBB 5-year Cost to Own award for brand went to Subaru and for luxury brand was given to Lincoln. Here are the list winners by segment:
| Subcompact Car: Chevrolet Spark | Compact Car: Toyota Corolla |
| Sporty Compact Car: Honda Civic Si | Midsize Car: Mazda Mazda6 |
| Full-size Car: Chevrolet Impala | Entry-level Luxury Car: Buick Verano |
| High-end Luxury Car: Lexus LS | Sports Car: Mazda MX-5 Miata |
| High-performance Car: Ford Mustang GT | Hybrid/Alt Energy Car: Toyota Prius c |
| Plug-in Vehicle: Chevrolet Spark EV | Hybrid SUV/Crossver: Toyota Highlander Hybrid |
| Compact SUV/Crossover: Jeep Patriot | Midsize SUV/Crossover: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited |
| Full-size SUV/Crossover: Ford Explorer | Luxury Compact SUV/Crossover: Buick Encore |
| Luxury Midsize SUV/Crossover: Lincoln MKX | Luxury Full-size SUV/Crossover: Buick Enclave |
| Midsize Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab | Full-size Pickup Truck: GMC Sierra 1500 Regular Cab |
The KBB list can be seen here.
