CarOnPhone Car Blog Cars with Lowest Maintenance Costs in India in 2025
CarOnPhone Car Blog Cars with Lowest Maintenance Costs in India in 2025

Cars with Lowest Maintenance Costs in India in 2025

Dr. Supreena Narayanan

06 Jun 2025, 05:52 PM

Cars with Lowest Maintenance Costs in India in 2025
Lowest Brand-Wise Car Maintenance Cost in India: A Comprehensive Comparison helps save money. Owning a car does not only mean how much you pay for the vehicle, but in a price-sensitive market like India, the price of ownership is much more than the initial sticker price. Things like fuel economy and maintenance costs considerably affect the ownership experience.

Methodology

The maintenance costs vary depending on multiple factors such as —
  • Specific model: Different models of a brand have different maintenance schedules and costs for parts. 
  • Example: The more the car is used (higher mileage and more torrid conditions) the more its wear and tear. 
  • Place: Costs for labor in service centers may vary from city to city. 
  • Service Practices: Following the service schedule recommended by the manufacturer are key in keeping the costs associated with the vehicle as low as possible over the years. 
  • Price Changes due to Inflation: The price of parts and labor is not what they were when they were adapted.  
While there are many important variables for a car shopper to consider, for this comparison, we will concentrate solely on the average estimated maintenance costs for the initial years of ownership, a timeframe in which most car buyers are likely to at least hope to keep a new vehicle. You can find budget-friendly options in Lowest Brand-Wise Car Maintenance Cost in India: A Comprehensive Comparison.

Brand-Wise Analysis

Here are some of the well-known car manufacturers in the country and the approximate maintenance costs:

Maruti Suzuki

India is known for high ownership and service costs, but not Maruti Suzuki. There are various reasons for this, a few of which are as follows:
  • High Localization: Maruti Suzuki localizes most of its parts, which results in economical spare part pricing. 
  • Longer Service and Support Network: With multiple service centers available across the country, you are more likely to find a car more accessible with labor cost being low. 
  • Dependable Engineering: For a brand like Maruti Suzuki, the mechanicals are mostly simple, such that the engines too are known to be trouble-free, ensuring fewer breakdowns and easier maintenance. 
  • Average Maintenance Cost per Year: ₹15,000 – ₹27,000 for entry-level hatchbacks such as the Alto K10 and Wagon R appear to be at the lower end of the spectrum, whereas more complex models such as the Swift and Dzire appear to be closer to the middle of the range. 
  • What this means: As the company that occupies most of the spots on the list of the cheapest cars to maintain in India, Maruti Suzuki is eyeing budget buyers, and for good reason. 

Renault

Renault has a lesser market share and also a lesser line-up; however, it has also been touted for particular models as offering competitive maintenance costs, or at least their entry-level models. Many owners rely on Lowest Brand-Wise Car Maintenance Cost in India: A Comprehensive Comparison.
  • Affordability: The Kwid is built to be inexpensive (even during upkeep). 
  • Increased localization: If you have been closely following Renault in India, you would know that the automaker has gradually increased the localization content in India, thereby controlling its spare part prices. 
  • Average Maintenance Cost per Year: ₹12,500 – ₹20,000 is the low maintenance costs of the Renault Kwid has made it inexpensive, that too when being driven by all the other cars of Renault Line up.  
  • What this means: Buyers looking for affordable cars to maintain, particularly in the entry-level segment, should consider Renault as a brand, with the Renault Kwid emerging as a low-maintenance-cost car. 

Hyundai

Hyundai is the second-largest passenger vehicle manufacturer in India with a host of offerings across all segments. Hyundai has made an effort to keep maintenance costs reasonable and competitive, though never necessarily the rock-bottom cost.
  • Good service: Having a presence across the country. 
  • Competitive Pricing: The plan here is more or less competitive pricing in almost all segments, so after-sales service is, to an extent, competitive pricing as well. 
  • What this means: Hyundai hits the sweet spot of features, performance, and relatively low cost of care, making it accessible to a wide swath of average consumers. They can make the cost predictability even better by bundling their services. 

Tata Motors

Tata Motors has been working on enhancing after-sales solutions while keeping the cost of maintenance competitive, especially for its popular models.
  • More Localization: Tata’s increasing focus on localization helps it control costs much like Maruti. 
  • Enhanced Service Initiatives: Tata Motors has been focusing on the improvement of its service network and customer satisfaction. 
  • Average Maintenance Cost per Year: ₹23,000-₹28,000 is what to expect with models like the Tiago and Punch maintaining a more affordable maintenance position in the overall scheme. 
  • What this means: Tata Motors is now pushing out affordable maintenance cars, especially in the hatchback and compact SUV segment. 

Toyota

Toyota has a well-deserved international reputation for reliability and durability. Irrespective of this, its cars are usually solid and its maintenance isn’t exorbitant in India (though it does cost a bit more than say a Maruti or a Hyundai), but still is at reasonable levels for the competition.
  • Emphasizing Longevity: Toyota builds its cars to last, so you may be less likely to pay for any large repairs down the road. 
  • Positioning: Toyota is comparatively a more premium brand in India, so at times, this reflects in the service and part prices. 
  • Average Cost of Maintenance per Year: ₹17,000 — ₹35,000 is the price range from the Glanza to the Fortuner. 
  • What this means: Although certain Toyotas like the Glanza can be cost-effective to maintain, the company’s higher-end models, mostly SUVs, have a hard time keeping up with some mass-market brands on the maintenance bill front. That said, their reliability could come to balance this out in the long run in that they’re less likely to have major issues. 

Other Brands

  • Honda: Possibly marginally costlier than Maruti or Hyundai in terms of maintenance, but still costs fairly little. Take, for example, the Honda Amaze, which one source estimates would cost around ₹5,600 annually just for service. 
  • Nissan: Certain models like that Nissan Magnite have been competitively priced in terms of cost of maintenance at ₹3,200 per annum. 
  • Mahindra: Maintenance costs vary widely according to the model, and many of its rugged-type SUVs could bear heavy maintenance. 
Keep in mind that other brands such as Honda, Nissan, and Mahindra also have their cost structure for maintenance.

Cars with Lowest Maintenance Costs in India (2025)

Final Word

Considering the given data points and overall perception of the market up to May 2025, Maruti Suzuki and, in the case of specific vehicles, the Kwid prove to be the most economical in terms of car maintenance by brand for entry-level and mass-market segments in India.  
Behind them are Hyundai and Tata Motors, which offer good value for features as well. Toyota is generally a brand you can trust to keep running well, but some Toyotas, particularly in the premium SUV ranks, may be a bit expensive to maintain.
Here are the key factors to consider when making your car buying decision:
  • Note the model: Maintenance charges can vary widely even within a make. Refer to the suggested service schedule document and its costs from the manufacturer. This is commonly available from most manufacturers. 
  • Owner reviews: Observing other individuals who experience actual daily mileages can provide some of the best information on service and repair experiences. 
  • Consider your anticipated use: Higher mileage, of course, means more maintenance costs. 
With the help of the factors above and the brand-wise comparison we provide from CarOnPhone, you can pick and choose the right car for you, which falls under your budget, not only in terms of its price but is also easy to settle the maintenance amounts during its ownership among Indian Buyers.

Further Read:

Why Should You Rotate Car Tires Regularly? The Complete Guide

Budget 2025 and Cars: How India’s Latest Budget is Shaping the Car Industry

Why is Tata Punch Leading the Market?

Tags:

hyundai lowest maintenance cars mahindra maruti suzuki renault

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