Which cars are the most reliable and inexpensive to maintain in Russia?

Buying a vehicle is a serious expense even for a very wealthy person. What can we say about ordinary Russians who have denied themselves everything for several years in order to drive a car or pay off interest on a car loan.

Therefore, I want to buy such a car so that it is as cheap as possible to maintain and at the same time is distinguished by reliability.

Criteria of reliability and low cost of service

Various rating agencies regularly list cars in different categories. On our site Vodi.su you can also find different ratings: The best cars, the best budget crossovers and SUVs.

When compiling the rating, the following factors are taken into account:

• auto manufacturer;
• average consumption of fuel and lubricants;
• estimated service life, maximum possible mileage;
• How long and how long does the warranty cover?
• specifications;
• reliability.

However, everything is not as clear as it seems. Judge for yourself: today our VAZs are the most affordable cars on the Russian market, prices on average fluctuate between 300-500 thousand rubles. Spare parts can also be easily purchased and are relatively inexpensive. At the same time, German or Japanese cars will cost you 2-3 times more, and they will break down 2-3 times less often. That is, if you add up all the costs of repairs, then the difference will not be so significant.

Reliable and inexpensive foreign cars in Russia

In 2015, a rating was compiled, which indicated the amount required to service a car with a mileage of more than 150 thousand kilometers.

The situation is as follows:

1. Citroen C3 - about 46 thousand rubles will have to be spent on its maintenance per year;
2. Fiat Grande Punto - 48 thousand;
3. Ford Focus - 48;
4. Peugeot 206 - 52 thousand;
5. Peugeot 308 - almost 57 thousand.

Next on the list are: Peugeot 407 (60 thousand), Ford Fiesta (60,4 thousand), Citroen C4 (61 thousand), Skoda Fabia (almost 65 thousand), Mazda 3 (65 rubles).

Please note that we are talking about cars with an impressive mileage of more than 150 thousand kilometers. That is, you can safely choose any of these cars, since much less expenses are required for a new vehicle, not counting, of course, refueling with gasoline, registration of OSAGO and CASCO, payment of transport tax, which we wrote about on Vodi.su.

Also in this rating were listed the most expensive brands in terms of maintenance:

• Mitsubishi;
• Honda;
• Mercedes-Benz;
• BMW;
• Audi;
• Infinite;
• Land Rover.

The list of the most expensive includes elite models whose manufacturers are located far from Russia, such as Cadillac, Bentley and others. Indeed, all those brands that are on the list of the most reliable and affordable to maintain are produced in Russia, so it will not be difficult for you to find any spare parts and consumables for them. In addition, today the service is quite well established.

The most reliable budget cars

There are other ratings in which cars are analyzed by class. The most affordable for Russians today is the B-class, which includes compact sedans, hatchbacks and crossovers.

According to many polls, the model is recognized as really popular and extremely reliable. Renault Logan and its modifications or exact copies: Dacia Logan, Lada Largus.

Why Logan?

Many factors can be cited:

• optimal combination of price and quality;
• produced in Russia;
• no problem finding spare parts;
• moderate fuel consumption;
• pretty rich equipment for a budget car.

It is not for nothing that many taxi drivers go to Renault Logan, and not any car can withstand such intensive use.

The second place in terms of reliability and low cost of maintenance was deservedly taken by Niva 4х4. It is worth saying that the West also agrees with this opinion, where Niva is considered almost a tank that can go anywhere. This model is even included in the TopGear list as one of the legendary and best-selling cars.

Of course, the Niva is no different in terms of fuel economy. In addition, in terms of ride comfort, it is unlikely to compare with the same Logan, not to mention more expensive cars. But they also release it specifically for a certain contingent of motorists.

The third place, oddly enough, was taken by a Chinese car - Geely emgrand 7. Even the European EURO NCAP rated the reliability and safety of this model, giving it 4 stars out of five. At a budget price, this is a very good indicator.

In general, the Chinese auto industry has taken a grand step forward. However, this rating was compiled without taking into account the mileage of the car. Thus, any new Chinese car looks quite excellent and surprises with its characteristics. But when 100 thousand mileage appears on the speedometer, breakdowns begin to declare themselves loudly. It is not always easy to get spare parts, especially if it turns out that this model has been discontinued.

Fourth place in the ranking was taken by such a popular model as Mitsubishi Lancer, which has a lot of positive characteristics:

• fits into the budget segment at prices of 650 thousand - 1 million (modification of the Lancer EVO will cost about 2,5 million rubles);
• economical fuel consumption of about 7 liters in the combined cycle;
• powerful engines 143 hp;
• good equipment;
• high level of security.

The Lancer quickly became popular, especially among individual entrepreneurs and active people, since this car, although it belongs to the budget class, looks quite prestigious.

Fifth place was shared by two models: Kia Sportage and Toyota Corolla. Of course, due to the recent rise in price, these models cannot be called budget. However, Toyota Corolla has been holding the palm in terms of sales worldwide for a long time precisely due to the excellent combination of price and quality. Kia Sportage is an elegant crossover with good performance, which is inexpensive to maintain.

Ratings for past years

In 2014, the places were distributed as follows:

• Nissan Qashqai is a crossover that is much cheaper than other cars of the same class, feels great off-road and consumes little fuel;
• Citroen C5 1.6 HDi VTX is a pretty solid sedan with good technical characteristics, ideal for both city and highway driving;
• Mini Clubman 1.6 Cooper D is an expensive model, but all its advantages cover this drawback: a solid body, moderate fuel consumption, good equipment, comfort;
• Daewoo Matiz is a popular model, cheap and reliable, a compact hatchback for the city;
• Renault Logan is a universally recognized fact.

Machine Tips

Of course, it is interesting to read the ratings, but what if you choose a car for yourself for specific needs? There is a simple solution - refer to the lists that make up the service station. So, one of the publications analyzed data on various service stations and came to the following conclusions.

With a run of 100-150 thousand, the maintenance of such B-class models is the most expensive:

• Hyundai Getz;
• Toyota Yaris;
• Mitsubishi Colt;
• Nissan Micra;
• Chevrolet Aveo.

The models listed above are much cheaper. Opel Corsa, Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio are also inexpensive to repair.

If we talk about C-class cars, then give preference to: Volkswagen Golf, Opel Astra, Nissan Almera. The cheapest are the same Renault Logan, as well as Daewoo Nexia and Ford Focus.

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