The published cost data does not support a verified top-ten ranking of 2025 midsize SUVs by maintenance cost. The sources that exist measure different things, cover different model years, and run over different time horizons, so placing ten vehicles in order would combine numbers that cannot be compared. What you can do is read each figure correctly, see which vehicles have model-specific estimates, and build a like-for-like comparison yourself. This article explains each number and how to use it.
What the available cost figures say
Five figures are published for midsize SUVs or their models. All are U.S. vehicle costs. Each one answers a different question.
| Figure | Source and date | What it measures | Vehicles and model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| $410 per year | CarEdge, 2025 Toyota Highlander model page, accessed 2026 | Annual maintenance estimate for the first five years of new ownership | 2025 Toyota Highlander only |
| $573 per year | RepairPal, 2026 ratings page, accessed 2026 | Average annual cost of unscheduled repairs and maintenance | Midsize SUVs as a category; dataset covers 2010–2019 model years |
| $489 per year | RepairPal, 2026 ratings page, accessed 2026 | Annual repair cost, shown in RepairPal’s top-ten reliability list | Toyota Highlander; 2010–2019 model years |
| $607 per year | RepairPal, 2026 ratings page, accessed 2026 | Annual repair cost, shown in RepairPal’s top-ten reliability list | Subaru Outback; 2010–2019 model years |
| $6,224 (Highlander), $7,881 (Pilot), $8,633 (Outback) over ten years | CarEdge, current model maintenance pages, accessed 2026 | Ten-year maintenance-and-repair projections for each model | Current models; model year not stated on the pages reviewed |
The 2025 Highlander figure is the only one tied to a 2025 model. The RepairPal numbers describe older vehicles, and the CarEdge ten-year projections describe current models without a stated model year. None of the five provides cost data for ten 2025 midsize SUVs on a shared basis.
Why these figures cannot be ranked together
A ranking needs one cost definition, one time horizon, and one set of model years for every vehicle. The published figures fail on each of the three points.
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The cost definition differs
RepairPal’s annual figures cover unscheduled repairs and maintenance. CarEdge’s 2025 Highlander figure is a maintenance estimate. A vehicle with a low unscheduled-repair average could still carry a high scheduled-service bill, and the reverse is also possible. Comparing a repair average with a maintenance projection tells you about two different kinds of spending.
The time horizon differs
The $410 figure covers the first five years of new ownership. The CarEdge ten-year projections run for a decade. RepairPal’s $573, $489, and $607 are annual averages drawn from older vehicles. Multiplying or dividing these figures to make them match would create numbers that neither source publishes.
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The model years differ
RepairPal’s dataset covers 2010–2019 model years. A 2025 model may have different parts, service intervals, and warranty coverage, so an older-vehicle average should not be read as a 2025 new-vehicle estimate. The $573 figure is a category average, and it does not describe any single 2025 SUV.
The sources are not a complete set
CarEdge’s model pages cover individual vehicles, and RepairPal’s top-ten list covers reliability rather than cost alone. A How-To Geek roundup carried by Yahoo and dated June 28, 2025 gives ten-year figures for a wide set of SUVs, including electric models, but it does not produce a midsize-only ranking. It offers useful context but does not fill the gap.
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What RepairPal’s reliability list actually measures
RepairPal’s top-ten midsize-SUV list is a reliability ranking. RepairPal defines its rating this way: “The Reliability Rating by RepairPal is a measurement of vehicle dependability based on the cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance.” That definition means cost is one input among three. A vehicle can rank well on reliability while still costing more to maintain than a vehicle ranked lower, and the reverse is true as well. The published statement is RepairPal’s own description of its method, and the page does not independently verify each cost estimate.
What CarEdge’s model estimates show
CarEdge says its calculator analyzes almost 300 vehicle models and presents prospective maintenance and repair outlooks for each one. It also notes that maintenance costs and the probability of a major repair rise as a vehicle ages. That pattern matters for any ownership plan. A five-year estimate for a new vehicle will understate costs in years six through ten, and a ten-year total will include repairs that a five-year figure leaves out. Use the horizon that matches how long you expect to keep the vehicle.
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How to build a like-for-like comparison
If you are choosing between midsize SUVs, you can produce a valid comparison with the following steps.
- Fix one horizon. Pick five years or ten years and use it for every vehicle on your shortlist. If you plan to keep the vehicle longer than your horizon, extend the estimate rather than comparing a short-term figure with a long-term one.
- Use the exact model year you would buy. A 2025 model and a 2019 model are not interchangeable. Check each candidate’s model-year page, and do not use a 2010–2019 average as a stand-in for a current model.
- Separate scheduled maintenance from unscheduled repairs. Record the two as separate columns. The owner’s manual lists the scheduled service intervals for each model year, which lets you estimate routine costs independently of breakdown risk.
- Add a reliability check. Look at RepairPal’s reliability rating for the model years you would consider, and read its definition so you know it blends cost, frequency, and severity.
- Account for age. Check whether the estimate assumes the vehicle stays under warranty. Costs and the chance of a major repair rise over time, so a vehicle with a strong first five years can still become expensive in years six to ten.
- Compare only figures with matching definitions. If one vehicle has a five-year maintenance estimate and another has a ten-year repair average, you do not yet have a comparison.
Reading the specific vehicles
- Toyota Highlander. CarEdge estimates $410 per year for a 2025 Highlander over five years of new ownership, and RepairPal lists $489 per year for Highlander repairs across 2010–2019 model years. Those figures describe different periods and different cost types, so the Highlander’s cost position cannot be read from either alone.
- Subaru Outback. RepairPal lists $607 per year for Outback repairs in 2010–2019 model years, and CarEdge projects $8,633 in maintenance and repair over ten years for the current model. The two are not the same measure.
- Honda Pilot. CarEdge projects $7,881 over ten years for the current Pilot. No comparable annual figure for the Pilot appears in the published sources reviewed for this article.
These are individual examples. They do not make a complete ranking, and a vehicle that appears in one source is not necessarily ranked against the others.
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What to check before you buy
- The model year and trim you intend to buy, not the category or a prior generation.
- Whether a cost estimate covers scheduled service, unscheduled repairs, or both.
- The time horizon, and whether it matches your plan to keep the vehicle.
- Whether the source is U.S.-specific, since the figures reviewed cover U.S. vehicles.
- Whether tires, brakes, and fluids are included, because these wear items often fall outside basic maintenance estimates.
Until a single source publishes a consistent, model-year-specific cost table for the ten midsize SUVs you are considering, treat any ranking that puts them in order as an estimate built from mismatched data.
Quick Recap
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