8 Lexus Models With The Lowest Maintenance Costs

Lexus makes some of the most economical and reliable luxury cars on the market and thanks to high reliability, complicated mechanical issues tend to be few and far between. This makes the Toyota-owned luxury brand one of the least expensive to run. According to CarEdge, Lexus is second only to Tesla in terms of luxury brands with the lowest maintenance expenses over a 10-year period, with a maintenance cost of $6,875. RepairPal's maintenance data works out quite a bit cheaper than that even, with the average Lexus repair cost coming in at $551 per annum.

So to help you understand the maintenance costs associated with the different Lexus models, we've compiled eight of the cheapest Lexus models to maintain, based on available data on RepairPal. This list takes into account both the discontinued and current Lexus models you can still buy brand-new to help you to better understand the longer-term costs of potentially owning the vehicle you're considering. That's whether you're searching the used car market or want something brand spanking new within Lexus' existing lineup.

If you're shopping for a Lexus SUV with a more low-cost maintenance cost than the RX, then your hunt might lead you to the hybrid Lexus RX 450h, which, according to RepairPal data, is a bit cheaper to maintain than the RX at $540. The RX 450h is efficient to boot, with an EPA-estimated 30 mpg of combined city-highway fuel economy for the 2022 model, which should further save you money in running costs.

But there's even greater savings to be had with the Lexus RX 400h, given its cheaper annual average repair cost of $398. The only major downside to that model is its age. Sold stateside between the 2006 and 2008 model years, the RX 400h was the first Lexus hybrid model and the first-ever luxury hybrid SUV in the world. It came with a 3.3-liter V6 engine that combined with electric motors to produce 268 horses and 212 lb-ft of torque, yet achieved an EPA-rated 31 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

The Lexus ES 300h is yet another hybrid Lexus model that offers strong savings from low maintenance costs. RepairPal estimates the luxury midsize hybrid car's annual maintenance cost is $524, which represents a savings of $27 compared to the Lexus average. CarEdge evaluation, on the other hand, suggest you'll need to plan on about $5,850 in ES 300h repairs and maintenance over a 10-year period, and that there's very little chance (15.13%) the car will require expensive-to-repair maintenance during this period.

As well as being one of the most cost-effective Lexus vehicles to maintain, the 2025 Lexus ES 300h has an affordable purchase price, of $44,615. This undercuts the 2025 Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan by around $17,835 and is about $12,485 cheaper than a 2025 Genesis G80, which begins at $57,100 (MSRP). Of course, that's even before you consider how efficient the Lexus ES 300h really is. The Lexus ES 300h is good for 43 mpg city, 44 mpg highway, and 44 mpg combined, which is way more return than a gasoline Genesis G80 (25 mpg combined) or Mercedes-Benz E350 (28 mpg combined) can deliver.

In general, the Lexus ES is the gas-powered luxury vehicle with the cheapest maintenance cost, according to CarEdge data, with the ES 350 estimated to cost about $5,570 over 10 years. Even better, data from RepairPal indicates it is possible to end up paying a lot less in maintenance, at $468 per annum. In addition, the luxury midsize sedan is well-equipped, excellent value, given the $43,215 starting msrp of the 2025 Lexus ES. That amount nets you a generously equipped vehicle with everything from 17-inch alloy wheels to LED headlamps, a power moonroof, power front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10-speaker audio system, as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Performance is good, too. The current-generation Lexus has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that puts out 302 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque, sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. And with that, the 2025 Lexus ES 350 could sprint to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds on its way to a manufacturer-estimated top speed of 131 mph. As for fuel economy, Lexus says you get 26 mpg combined with the ES 350.

Lexus hasn't made much of a commitment in fully redesigning the IS lineup since the third generation model debuted for 2014, but those old bones can be a draw for customers who prefer good old, time-proven underpinnings. There's potential for low-running costs too, given the IS 300's $428 annual maintenance cost, according to RepairPal. The vehicle, which has been around since the 2018 model year when Lexus swapped the IS200t name for IS 300 and currently sits as the entry-level IS model, has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 241 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

That reasonable amount of power goes hand-in-hand with the IS 300's amazingly nimble handling, an upscale interior, and comfortable front seats. Plus, many standard features such as 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, proximity keyless entry, power front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a 10-speaker audio system. 

The Lexus ES 250 is equipped similarly to and carries the same sticker price as the base ES 350, but ups its appeal even further with a significantly cheaper average annual maintenance cost of $393. Plus, a standard all-wheel drive system, which the ES 350 lacks. However, the ES 250 is severely down on power versus the 350, however. Its 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine generates 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, allowing the midsize luxury car to dash to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 131 mph. 

In terms of fuel economy, the ES 250 is slightly more efficient than the ES 350, given its 28 mpg of combined city-highway fuel economy. It is also slightly taller dimensionally, with 57.1 inches of height versus 56.9 inches for the ES 350. Besides that, the two luxury sedans are similar in their external dimensions. Both have 113.0 inches of wheelbase, 195.9 inches of length, and 73.4 inches of width.

The CT 200h is one of the most reliable Lexus models ever built. It becomes even more appealing once you factor in its reasonable average annual maintenance cost, which RepairPal says would amount to around $386 per year on average. The luxury hatchback is based on the same Toyota New MC platform used by the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Matrix, and Scion tC, which all have an excellent reliability record. Like those models, it performed greatly in reliability surveys and has mostly proven unproblematic for owners, according to feedback on Reddit. 

It is also a formidable contender for the cheapest Lexus car to run, given its incredible fuel efficiency, low maintenance and repair costs, and affordable purchase price — it has a KBB fair purchase price of between $8,395 and $16,907 for a used model (the CT was discontinued by Lexus following the 2017 model year). Under the hood, the Lexus CT200h got the same gasoline-electric powertrain as the third-generation Toyota Prius, only here, there's 134 total horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque on tap, along with a combined city-highway fuel economy of 42 mpg. 

Similar to the CT200h above, the Lexus HS 250h, the brand's first small hybrid car, was built off Toyota's New MC platform, which also underpinned the third Prius generation, first-generation Lexus NX, third-generation Toyota RAV4, and so many others. It also has an affordable maintenance cost, which RepairPal puts at $361. Sadly, the Lexus HS 250h's time on the market was short-lived, as it was only available from 2010 through the 2012 model years. Upon its introduction, the Lexus HS failed to persuade U.S. consumers to abandon favorite hybrid models like the Toyota Prius, partly because of its higher starting price of $37,905 — versus $24,760 for the Prius.

In addition, experts insinuate the HS' well-publicized safety recalls likely also scared people out of owning the hybrid-only luxury car, after it became part of recalls for brake defects, suspension issues, and possible fuel leakage in the event of a rear-end collision. Whatever the reason, the HS 250h did fail to catch on with consumers, and the persistent lack of interest forced Lexus to discontinue it following the 2012 model year. The HS 250h isn't all bad news, though, as positive reviews of the car can be found online on sites like Edmunds, with owners praising it for being very reliable, luxurious, and economical.

With an average annual maintenance cost of "only" $327 — according to RepairPal — the Lexus NX 300h is the cheapest Lexus model to maintain. The benefit of hybrid Lexus models such as the NX 300h is that the hybrid technology reduces stress on the engine and transmission, since it allows the conventional gas engine to shut off when idling and under low-load situations. Not to mention, the brake pads tend to last much longer than conventional gas-fuelled vehicles due to the regenerative braking system. The NX 300h also offers other goodies such as a standard all-wheel drive system, synthetic leather upholstery, power front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, a Wi-Fi hotspot, as well as an eight-speaker audio system.

With respect to performance, the Lexus NX 300h has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that combines with electric motors for 194 total horsepower, which makes its way to all fours via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). According to the EPA, that combination is good enough to deliver 30 mpg on the highway, 33 mpg in the city, and 31 mpg of combined city-highway fuel economy.