SUVs vs Estate: Which Costs the Most to Maintain?
Ellie Dyer-Brown, 12 days ago
5 min read
- Cost
- Maintenance
- Car ownership
- Review
FixMyCar discusses whether SUVs or estate cars are cheaper to maintain.
SUVs are an increasingly popular choice for motorists, but with a bigger car often comes higher repair and maintenance prices. With this in mind, it's worth considering whether estate cars, which are similarly spacious and stylish, might be cheaper to maintain, making them a better option if you want to save money.
Contents
BMW X5 vs 3 Series
The BMW X5 is regarded as one of the best SUVs on the market, with a shining five-star review from WhatCar?, and the 3 Series Touring is a similarly impressive estate car. Let's see how they compare for average maintenance costs.
X5 - £500.84
3 Series - £475.75
A difference of £25.09 sits between the X5 and the 3 Series, making the estate car option slightly cheaper.
Skoda Karoq vs Superb
The Skoda Karoq is a top-notch SUV that majors in comfort and practicality, and the Superb estate car is equally impressive thanks to its reasonable pricing, classy styling and cavernous interior.
Karoq - £509.87
Superb - £496.61
Once again, the estate car comes out on top - although, crucially, it's £13.46 more expensive than the Karoq for a full service.
Mercedes GLE vs E Class
The GLE's air suspension makes it feel like you're driving on clouds, and with a stunning interior, there's a lot to like about this SUV. It's a similar story when you consider the E Class estate car, which is as refined and classy as you'd expect from a Mercedes.
GLE - £512.50
E Class - £503.97
An £8.53 price difference separates the GLE and the E Class.
Volkswagen Tiguan vs Passat
If you're looking for a family car, the Tiguan is a solid choice, although it's more pricey than some rival SUVs. But it's also worth considering the VW Passat estate car, which has a range of competent engine options and plenty of high-tech equipment.
Tiguan - £490.01
Passat - £477.32
The difference in price between these models is slim - just over £12 - but the Passat is cheaper in every category except for an interim service, securing another win for estate cars.
SUV vs estate
The average annual maintenance cost for the SUV models included in this guide is £500.13 - £8.54 more than the average for the estate cars, which is £491.59. So, if you want to save money on car maintenance, choosing an estate model might be the best option, though there's very little in it.
How we worked it out
All prices in this guide are averages based on quotes from the FixMyCar platform in 2024.
To determine whether SUVs or estate cars are cheaper to maintain, we focused on models from four popular car manufacturers: BMW, Skoda, Mercedes and Volkswagen. Each car's annual cost of maintenance is calculated using average prices from the following categories:
Whether you're researching maintenance prices for a new car or looking to repair an existing one, FixMyCar can help you find the right garage at the right price.
If you found this guide helpful, you might also like:
Written by Ellie
Ellie is FixMyCar's Content Writer. She has over three years of experience writing about cars and regularly collaborates with automotive experts to provide trustworthy advice for drivers in a language they understand. Her work has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, iNews, The Daily Express and The Sun. She has a BA in English literature and an MA in creative writing from Durham University. Outside of work, Ellie follows F1 and eagerly awaits Ferrari's next era of dominance in the sport. She drives a Suzuki Swift.