US Consumer Edition · May 2026
VIN lookup Sign in
The Car File
True cost of ownership
Free VIN check
Independent · Consumer-first · Not a dealership

Know the real cost
before you buy the car.

True Cost Files show the best years, worst years, repair pain, insurance shock, recalls, owner complaints and estimated monthly cost — for every popular US car.

POPULAR: Hyundai Palisade Mazda CX-9 Subaru Outback Nissan Murano Kia Telluride
337
Car files
628
Recalls tracked
0
Owner reports
$2.1k
Avg saved / buyer
Most viewed
Sample True Cost File
2023 Hyundai Palisade
Mid-size SUV · Updated May 2026
B
True monthly cost $888 – $1393
Repair Pain Index ● High
Insurance Shock ● Medium
Resale Strength ● Strong
Open full file →
NHTSA recall data
Updated daily from federal records
Owner-submitted bills
0 verified reports
Six-cost monthly model
Payment, insurance, fuel, maintenance, repair, depreciation
Years to inspect, flagged
Cautious wording, evidence-backed
01 · Browse

Most-searched car files

All 337 files →
B
Mid-size SUV
Hyundai Palisade
True cost / mo $888–$1393
Repair pain ● High
A−
Mid-size SUV
Mazda CX-9
True cost / mo $856–$1357
Repair pain ● Low
B+
Wagon
Subaru Outback
True cost / mo $706–$1148
Repair pain ● Low–Medium
A−
Mid-size SUV
Nissan Murano
True cost / mo $860–$1364
Repair pain ● Low
B
Mid-size SUV
Kia Telluride
True cost / mo $883–$1400
Repair pain ● High
B−
Mid-size SUV
Jeep Grand Cherokee
True cost / mo $917–$1454
Repair pain ● High
B
Mid-size SUV
Ford Edge
True cost / mo $876–$1381
Repair pain ● Medium
B+
Compact SUV
Hyundai Kona
True cost / mo $661–$1081
Repair pain ● Low–Medium
02 · Smart used buys

Best used cars by true cost

Ranked by total monthly ownership cost, not just sticker price.

01
HR-V
2017 Honda HR-V
Compact SUV
$484 / mo
true cost
Low–Medium 02
Rogue
2017 Nissan Rogue
Compact SUV
$488 / mo
true cost
High 03
Equi…
2017 Chevrolet Equinox
Compact SUV
$493 / mo
true cost
Medium 04
Enco…
2017 Buick Encore
Compact SUV
$496 / mo
true cost
Medium 05
Tucs…
2017 Hyundai Tucson
Compact SUV
$497 / mo
true cost
High
See full ranking →
03 · Buyer warning

Cars with the highest repair pain

Frequent complaints, costly fixes or recall-heavy histories.

01
Tahoe
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
Full-size SUV
Severe 02
Edge
2017 Ford Edge
Mid-size SUV
Severe 03
Expe…
2019 Ford Expedition
Full-size SUV
Severe 04
Yukon
2021 GMC Yukon
Full-size SUV
Severe 05
Expe…
2018 Ford Expedition
Full-size SUV
Severe
Avoiding these can save $4,000–$12,000 in surprise repairs.
04 · Insurance

Insurance shock rankings

Models that surprise buyers at quote time.

Chevrolet Tahoe $223/mo
Ford Expedition $218/mo
GMC Yukon $218/mo
Ford Expedition $216/mo
Chevrolet Suburban $214/mo
Chevrolet Tahoe $214/mo
Estimate insurance cost →

Estimates based on US averages. Your quote may vary by state and history.

05 · Buyer caution

Model years to inspect carefully

Higher complaint signals in these years.

  • 2019
    Toyota RAV4
    Higher complaint signal led by fuel/propulsion and engine reports; verify recalls, service history, transmission …
06 · Fresh data

Latest recalls

From NHTSA · NHTSA data synced 1 d ago

Critical
POWER TRAIN
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power tr…
Campaign 26V290000 · 7 May 2026
Critical
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Ch…
Campaign 26V289000 · 7 May 2026
Critical
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, a…
Campaign 26V204000 · 31 Mar 2026
Critical
SEAT BELTS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator veh…
Campaign 26V159000 · 17 Mar 2026
VIN recall lookup →
07 · Head to head

Compare popular cars

True monthly cost, repair pain, insurance, resale — side by side.

Tucs…
vs
Spor…
Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sportage
Shared platform, different brands. The differences are smaller than buyers thin…
High…
vs
Pilot
Toyota Highlander vs Honda Pilot
Three-row family SUV decision. Both reliable; different reputations on resale a…
CR-V
vs
CX-5
Honda CR-V vs Mazda CX-5
Family comfort vs driving enjoyment. Both excellent compact SUVs.
RAV4
vs
Outb…
Toyota RAV4 vs Subaru Outback
AWD wagon-SUV showdown. The Outback is standard AWD; the RAV4 is more refined.
RAV4
vs
CX-5
Toyota RAV4 vs Mazda CX-5
Reliability vs drive feel. Similar price, similar cost, different vibes.
RAV4
vs
CR-V
Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V
The most-searched used SUV showdown. Comparable cost and reliability — differen…
08 · From real owners

Recent owner reports

Repair bills, insurance premiums and dealer quotes submitted by US owners. Reviewed before publishing.

No verified owner reports yet. Be the first.
Help other buyers

Got a repair bill, dealer quote or insurance shock?

Submit it. We review every report and roll the data into our True Cost Files. Real owners save other owners thousands.

  • ✓Anonymous if you prefer
  • ✓Reviewed before publishing
  • ✓Get a free personalized cost report in return
Submit a report →