Top 10 TCO: Compact Crossovers

Compact crossovers (also called compact SUVs) are known for their high ride height, good visibility, and room for supplies, combined with respectable fuel economy and great residual value retention. It’s no wonder they’re the most popular segment for fleets running passenger vehicles.

With this in mind, we set out to discover the compact crossover models with the lowest total cost of ownership. To do so, we asked the lifecycle cost experts at Vincentric to crunch the numbers on compact crossover models for the 2024 model year.

Adjusted Invoice
Make	Model	Series	Adjusted Invoice	Fuel	Maintenance	Depreciation	TCO
Chevrolet	Trax	1LS	19,666	12,826	10,552	13,770	55,557
Buick	Envista	Preferred	21,594	12,826	13,148	14,723	59,694
Volkswagen	Taos	S	23,035	12,100	11,900	17,680	60,882
Buick	Envista	Sport Touring	23,232	12,826	13,148	15,311	60,772
Mitsubishi	Outlander Sport	S	23,423	14,877	12,424	18,934	66,756
Subaru	Crosstrek	Base	23,826	12,679	10,093	10,480	52,366
Chevrolet	Equinox	LS	25,376	13,530	13,717	19,183	67,060
Subaru	Forester	2.5i	25,490	13,115	10,599	13,880	57,269
Jeep	Compass	Sport	25,680	13,852	11,535	15,166	60,410
Mitsubishi	Eclipse Cross	ES	26,024	14,506	10,848	21,528	68,435

Source: Vincentric

The analysis covers a total of 230 configurations for these 36 models:

• Buick Envista
• Buick Envision
• Chevrolet Trax
• Chevrolet Equinox
• Chevrolet Equinox EV
• Ford Escape
• Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid
• Ford Bronco
• Ford Bronco Sport
• Ford Mustang Mach-E
• GMC Terrain
• Honda CR-V
• Hyundai Tucson
• Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid
• Hyundai Ioniq 5
• Jeep Compass
• Kia Sportage
• Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid
• Kia EV6
• Mazda CX-5
• Mazda CX-50
• Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
• Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
• Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid
• Mitsubishi Outlander
• Nissan Rogue
• Nissan Ariya
• Subaru Crosstrek
• Subaru Forester
• Subaru Solterra
• Toyota RAV4
• Toyota RAV4 Prime
• Toyota bZ4X
• Volkswagen Taos
• Volkswagen Tiguan
• Volkswagen ID.4

Depreciation
Make	Model	Series	Adjusted Invoice	Fuel	Maintenance	Depreciation	TCO
Subaru	Crosstrek	Base	23,826	12,679	10,093	10,480	52,366
Toyota	RAV4	LE	26,624	12,493	12,923	13,721	59,560
Chevrolet	Trax	1LS	19,666	12,826	10,552	13,770	55,557
Subaru	Forester	2.5i	25,490	13,115	10,599	13,880	57,269
Buick	Envista	Preferred	21,594	12,826	13,148	14,723	59,694
Jeep	Compass	Sport	25,680	13,852	11,535	15,166	60,410
Ford	Bronco	Big Bend	38,152	18,696	13,116	15,359	72,169
Nissan	Rogue	S	26,276	11,533	9,997	17,528	59,857
Volkswagen	Taos	S	23,035	12,100	11,900	17,680	60,882
Mitsubishi	Outlander Sport	S	23,423	14,877	12,424	18,934	66,756

Source: Vincentric

These vehicle configurations include internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid, battery-electric (BEV), and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) models. To achieve the rankings, we analyzed all configurations and powertrains and chose the best TCO within a model’s series, and then ranked the next best model.

To arrive at overall TCO, Vincentric calculated its standard eight cost elements: depreciation, financing, fees and taxes, fuel, insurance, maintenance, repairs, and opportunity cost over a five-year period at 20,000 miles a year.

The analysis ranks the 10 models with the lowest expenses in these categories: adjusted invoice (invoice minus fleet incentives), depreciation, fuel, maintenance, and overall TCO.

We present the data ranked in four ways: by lowest adjusted invoice, depreciation, and overall TCO. We then broke out models that have ICE, BEV, and PHEV versions (or close proximity) and compared their ownership costs.

Overall TCO
Make	Model	Series	Adjusted Invoice	Fuel	Maintenance	Depreciation	TCO
Subaru	Crosstrek	Base	23,826	12,679	10,093	10,480	52,366
Chevrolet	Trax	1LS	19,666	12,826	10,552	13,770	55,557
Subaru	Forester	2.5i	25,490	13,115	10,599	13,880	57,269
Toyota	RAV4	LE	26,624	12,493	12,923	13,721	59,560
Buick	Envista	Preferred	21,594	12,826	13,148	14,723	59,694
Nissan	Rogue	S	26,276	11,533	9,997	17,528	59,857
Jeep	Compass	Sport	25,680	13,852	11,535	15,166	60,410
Volkswagen	Taos	S	23,035	12,100	11,900	17,680	60,882
Hyundai	Tucson	SE	26,400	13,579	10,160	19,476	63,084
Jeep	Compass	Latitude	29,688	13,852	11,535	17,274	63,729

Source: Vincentric

Compact Crossover TCO Observations

Sorting and evaluating the data in various ways, here’s what we found:

• When calculating TCO that includes each model’s trim levels, Subaru models (Crosstrek and Forester) took five of the top 10 spots in the overall TCO category. Chevrolet Trax took the other five.
• When calculating TCO that includes each model’s trim levels, Chevrolet Trax occupies five of the top ten spots in the adjusted invoice category.
• One could acquire two Subaru Crosstrek Base models (the lowest overall TCO) for the price of a single Kia EV6 GT, which has the highest TCO of any of the 36 models.
• The highest trim levels/most luxurious configurations uniformly had the highest adjusted invoice, highest depreciation, and worst overall TCO.
• When measured against battery-electric (BEV) models, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) took six of the Top 10 spots.
• No BEV or PHEV bested its comparable ICE model in overall TCO, though PHEVs were uniformly closer in TCO than pure BEVs.
• PHEVs balance medium initial costs, lower fuel/power expenses than their ICE counterparts, and better depreciation compared to BEV models that add up to a combined lower TCO.
• Five Subaru Crosstrek trim levels took the top five spots in the depreciation category, followed by the Toyota RAV4 and Chevrolet Trax, which took the six to 10 spots.
• Of the five cost factors calculated, maintenance had the least variability. 
• In terms of overall TCO by brand, Subaru scored eight models in the top 25. Chevrolet was next with five on the strength of the Chevrolet Trax.
• The Chevrolet Trax 1LS has the lowest adjusted invoice of any compact crossover at $19,666, while the highest is the Ford Bronco Heritage Limited Edition, which costs $67,246.

TCO Comparisons, BEV, PHEV, ICE Models
Make	Model	Series	Adjusted Invoice	Fuel	Maintenance	Depreciation	TCO
Chevrolet	Equinox	LS	25,376	13,530	13,717	19,183	67,060
Chevrolet	Equinox EV	2LT	41,900	5,095	10,116	35,232	78,652
Ford	Escape	Base 1.5L	27,160	12,679	11,548	19,742	64,828
Ford	Escape	Plug-In Hybrid	38,880	6,750	9,354	26,362	66,158
Ford	Mustang Mach-E	Select	39,195	5,290	8,866	32,085	71,867
Hyundai	Tucson	SE	26,400	13,579	10,160	19,476	63,084
Hyundai	Tucson Plug-In Hybrid	SEL	37,408	8,466	9,121	26,209	66,737
Hyundai	Ioniq 5	SE Standard Range	41,382	4,900	8,584	38,042	76,423
Kia	Sportage	LX	26,375	13,366	12,236	18,441	64,057
Kia	Sportage Plug-In Hybrid	X-Line	38,997	8,125	9,490	25,663	66,907
Kia	EV6	Light	41,748	4,570	8,370	35,973	73,817
Mitsubishi	Outlander	ES	28,055	14,081	11,266	23,037	70,345
Mitsubishi	Outlander Plug-In Hybrid	ES	40,271	10,401	10,357	34,253	80,408
Nissan	Rogue	S	26,276	11,533	9,997	17,528	59,857
Nissan	Ariya	Engage	39,590	5,420	8,304	29,125	67,989
Subaru	Crosstrek	Base	23,826	12,679	10,093	10,480	52,366
Subaru	Solterra	Premium	43,268	5,330	7,635	34,425	73,838
Toyota	RAV4	LE	26,624	12,493	12,923	13,721	59,560
Toyota	RAV4 PRIME	SE	40,834	6,834	12,034	20,631	63,937
Toyota	bZ4X	XLE	40,916	4,605	10,553	33,703	74,170
Volkswagen	Taos	S	23,035	12,100	11,900	17,680	60,882
Volkswagen	ID.4	Standard	38,146	5,095	7,961	30,721	67,536

Source: Vincentric