00:58 14-01-2026

ADAC 2025 ranking: EVs lead on ownership costs

ADAC’s 2025 ranking crowns EVs for ownership efficiency: 7 of the top 10 are electric. Hyundai Inster leads, Dacia Spring is cost king, premiums fall behind.

ADAC has wrapped up 2025 and unveiled its annual ranking of cars with the best overall ownership efficiency. For the first time, electric models dominate so convincingly: seven of them landed in the top ten, pushing combustion-engine cars to the sidelines. Lower servicing costs, reduced taxes and strong residual values have given EVs a new edge.

Electric cars take over the ranking

In 2024, the first EV only appeared in 17th place. A year later, everything looks different. The Hyundai Inster leads the chart, combining an attractive price, low running costs and high residual value. MINI Cooper E takes second thanks to an especially balanced mix of technical score and total ownership costs.

The top ten also includes the Dacia Spring, KIA EV3, MINI Aceman, Renault 5 E-Tech and Skoda Elroq. The latter achieved the best technical score in the entire list — 1.6 points — outpacing even the overall leaders.

How ADAC calculates efficiency

ADAC’s methodology covers a five-year ownership cycle: depreciation, taxes, insurance, servicing and running costs. In this framework, EVs show particular strength because they:

• benefit from lower tax rates;
• are cheaper to maintain;
• lose value more slowly;
• deliver steadily improving energy efficiency.

The Dacia Spring emerged as the outright cost champion with a score of 1.4, thanks to minimal purchase and running expenses.

Who ADAC considers outsiders

Out of 100 analyzed models, none received the top very good mark. Only 32 earned good, 63 were rated satisfactory, and 5 were judged fair. Premium brands fared worst: high servicing bills and accelerated depreciation make them economically vulnerable.

ADAC notes that Chinese models are not included due to a lack of reliable cost data, yet the broader takeaway is clear: EVs are becoming more cost-effective and more technologically advanced, while combustion cars are rapidly losing ground.

The 2025 ADAC ranking captures a turning point: the electric segment is not just growing — it is claiming the summit of cost efficiency. Hyundai Inster, MINI E and the other front-runners set a new market benchmark, where low ownership costs matter more than the engine type. The shift reads less like a blip and more like a new baseline for buyers weighing long-term value.