Top 5 Cheapest Luxury Cars to Own: 2016 Edition

Owning a car has more costs than just your monthly payment.

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) has released its list of the cheapest cars to own for the first five years. To determine the 5-Year Cost to Own, KBB includes out-of-pocket expenses like fuel, insurance, repairs, maintenance, state fees and vehicle depreciation.

Just because two vehicles are priced the same doesn’t mean they will cost the same to own over time. Check out the top 5 cheapest luxury cars to own for the first five years below.

5. Acura RLX

The 2016 Acura RLX is priced from $55,390 including destination and comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and up to 272 pound-feet of torque. In standard trim, it returns 20 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway for a 24-mpg combined rating. There is also a Sport Hybrid model available with SH-AWD, returning 28 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway for 20-mpg combined.

The Acura RLX has a 5-Year Cost to Own of $59,841 with the following breakdown:

Fuel: $8,521
Insurance: $7,630
Financing: $2,639
State Fees: $3,733
Maintenance: $2,389
Repairs: $3,158
Depreciation: $31,771

4. Mercedes-Benz SLK250

The Mercedes-Benz SLK has been replaced by the SLC, so the 5-Year Cost to Own could be a bit different for the new model. But those who can get their hands on the older SLK can look to save some money compared to other luxury cars.

As for the new Mercedes-Benz SLC300, it features a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 241 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque with a starting price of $48,875. There is also a high-performance AMG variant with a 3.0-liter biturbo V6 engine providing 362 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. That model starts from $61,225.

The Mercedes-Benz SLK250 has a 5-Year Cost to Own of $58,756 with the following breakdown:

Fuel: $7,922
Insurance: $5,980
Financing: $2,552
State Fees: $3,597
Maintenance: $4,358
Repairs: $2,860
Depreciation: $31,487

3. Lincoln MKS

Available in two flavors, the 2016 Lincoln MKS comes standard with a 3.7-liter V6 engine with 304 hp and 279 lb-ft of torque. That model returns 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway with all-wheel drive, while the front-wheel-drive model is good for 17-mpg city, 26-mpg highway. Also available is the Lincoln MKS EcoBoost with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine dishing out 365 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. That model is available only with all-wheel drive and returns 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The Lincoln MKS is priced from $39,935.

The Lincoln MKS has a 5-Year Cost to Own of $55,947 with the following breakdown:

Fuel: $9,129
Insurance: $6,725
Financing: $2,344
State Fees: $3,312
Maintenance: $2,083
Repairs: $3,410
Depreciation: $28,944

2. Audi TT

Got a burning desire to own a luxury sports coupe? The Audi TT is not only stylish and fun to drive, but it’s one of the cheapest luxury cars to own over the first five years. Under the hood of the Audi TT is a 2.0-liter TFSI engine with 220 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It’s also fuel efficient, returning 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Pricing for the Audi TT starts at $43,825.

The Audi TT has a 5-Year Cost to Own of $54,408 with the following breakdown:

Fuel: $8,013
Insurance: $6,105
Financing: $2,400
State Fees: $3,383
Maintenance: $4,280
Repairs: $4,284
Depreciation: $25,943

1. Volvo S80 T5

And the cheapest luxury car to own for the first five years is the Volvo S80 T5. Sporting 240 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, the Volvo S80 T5 features a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The sedan is good for 25 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. With a starting price of $44,390, the Volvo S80 T5 is also competitively priced within the segment.

The Volvo S80 T5 has a 5-Year Cost to Own of $53,324 with the following breakdown: