Car maintenance cost comparison - Honda Accord vs Audi RS 3 vs Lexus IS 350: which has lower 5-year maintenance estimates for a 2026 model-year selection?
2026 Honda Accord has the lowest reported 5-year maintenance estimate at $1,680.00, $1,075.00 below the next-lowest option. All alternatives: 2026 Honda Accord: $1,680.00; 2026 Audi RS 3: $4,935.00; 2026 Lexus IS 350: $2,755.00. This is a numerical ordering of the source estimates. The shared year selects model-level dataset coverage, not year-specific observations. This decision assumes lowest model-level maintenance estimate for the shared model year and maintenance period; excludes other ownership costs.
What does this comparison answer?
The buyer question is: Honda Accord vs Audi RS 3 vs Lexus IS 350: which has lower 5-year maintenance estimates for a 2026 model-year selection? The comparison applies the same model year and maintenance period to every option. Each column has a separate public API request receipt. The responses may be HTTP cache hits, so a request today does not establish newly collected source data. Make and model are the alternatives being compared. Compare the estimates for the selected period, lowest first: 2026 Honda Accord $1,680.00; 2026 Lexus IS 350 $2,755.00; 2026 Audi RS 3 $4,935.00.
How to use the decision
The winner row compares maintenance alone, and 2026 Honda Accord has the lowest estimate at $1,680.00. Purchase price, financing, fuel, insurance and depreciation are excluded. A lower maintenance estimate does not establish a lower total ownership cost. The longer-period values are annual-multiple projections without an inflation forecast or a guarantee about future repairs.
How the sources were read
Source update dates: 2026 Honda Accord: 2026-02-05 22:04:21; 2026 Audi RS 3: 2026-03-16 05:51:58; 2026 Lexus IS 350: 2026-03-16 05:51:46. Source timestamps carry no timezone. Cache ages and fetch times describe retrieval, not source collection. Data label: sample size UNAVAILABLE. The ranking is a numerical ordering of the source's estimates. Model-level records describe the model, not an individual used car or the selected model year.
More vehicle cost comparisons and DriveDecision provide the next steps for a broader buying decision.
Change the shared inputs
Open this comparison in the maintenance calculator. Change the alternatives or shared inputs there to request a new comparison.
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Calculation data
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| model Year | 2026 |
| maintenance Period Years | 5 |
| Measure | 2026 Honda Accord | 2026 Audi RS 3 | 2026 Lexus IS 350 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Honda Accord: annual maintenance estimate (USD) | 336.00 | 987.00 | 551.00 |
| 2026 Honda Accord: five-year maintenance projection (USD) | 1,680.00 | 4,935.00 | 2,755.00 |
| 2026 Honda Accord: ten-year maintenance projection (USD) | 3,360.00 | 9,870.00 | 5,510.00 |
| Distance from winning value (USD) | 0.00 | 3,255.00 | 1,075.00 |
| Decision | Winning value | Alternative value | Alternative value |
Winner: 2026 Honda Accord. Objective: minimize. Margin to next option: 1,075.00 USD. Assumption: Lowest model-level maintenance estimate for the shared model year and maintenance period; excludes other ownership costs.
- winner
- honda-accord
- metric
- fiveYear
Source and assumptions
- These are model-level maintenance estimates from the named dataset, not current repair quotes or a year-specific inspection.
- Five-year and ten-year totals are annual-multiple projections (annual estimate times five and ten), not observed multi-year bills; these totals do not forecast inflation or changes with vehicle age.
- Acquisition, financing, insurance, fuel, depreciation and registration are excluded. Individual condition, trim, driving and local labor rates can change actual costs.
- Fetched-at time records this request, not a dataset refresh. Source update times come from the dataset; a timezone is not supplied. HTTP cache status may be unavailable in the browser.
2026 Honda Accord. Data layer: DriveDecision maintenance dataset. Source: yourmechanic. Vintage: 2026-02-05 22:04:21. Sample size: UNAVAILABLE.
Fetched: 2026-11-04T19:13:59.033Z
Source updated: 2026-02-05 22:04:21
Cache: HTTP HIT, age 12s; API cached=false
Response SHA-256
0199a30f599ea5e99293061be06075a4af5eb6c22330dffd317763efd450a26d2026 Audi RS 3. Data layer: DriveDecision maintenance dataset. Source: calculated. Vintage: 2026-03-16 05:51:58. Sample size: UNAVAILABLE.
Fetched: 2026-11-04T19:13:59.511Z
Source updated: 2026-03-16 05:51:58
Cache: HTTP unreported; API cached=false
Response SHA-256
b5a7708ac9e3a7c6896cacce3d5ef3efb5452ebb1d2af1e663d8dcb7ade172352026 Lexus IS 350. Data layer: DriveDecision maintenance dataset. Source: calculated. Vintage: 2026-03-16 05:51:46. Sample size: UNAVAILABLE.
Fetched: 2026-11-04T19:13:59.892Z
Source updated: 2026-03-16 05:51:46
Cache: HTTP unreported; API cached=false
Response SHA-256
3dddbbe9dc4fb12b7dfccd10b2d58133ca5d2f75746fcf1d3971582808283dddQuestions about this comparison
Which option has the lowest maintenance estimate?
2026 Honda Accord has the lowest reported 5-year maintenance estimate at $1,680.00, $1,075.00 below the next-lowest option. All alternatives: 2026 Honda Accord: $1,680.00; 2026 Audi RS 3: $4,935.00; 2026 Lexus IS 350: $2,755.00. This is a numerical ordering of the source estimates. The shared year selects model-level dataset coverage, not year-specific observations. This decision assumes lowest model-level maintenance estimate for the shared model year and maintenance period; excludes other ownership costs.
How much does each alternative cost above the lowest estimate?
2026 Honda Accord: $0.00 above the lowest estimate for the selected period. 2026 Audi RS 3: $3,255.00 above the lowest estimate for the selected period. 2026 Lexus IS 350: $1,075.00 above the lowest estimate for the selected period.
Do these estimates use the same scenario for every vehicle?
Every option uses model year 2026 and maintenance period 5 year(s). Only the vehicle make and model change. The figures are model-level estimates; the selected year identifies the applicable dataset rather than a separate measured model year.
What data supports the comparison, and how large is its sample?
2026 Honda Accord: DriveDecision maintenance dataset, source yourmechanic, updated 2026-02-05 22:04:21; sample size UNAVAILABLE. 2026 Audi RS 3: DriveDecision maintenance dataset, source calculated, updated 2026-03-16 05:51:58; sample size UNAVAILABLE. 2026 Lexus IS 350: DriveDecision maintenance dataset, source calculated, updated 2026-03-16 05:51:46; sample size UNAVAILABLE.