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15 Vehicles With Best and Worst Resale Value

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When purchasing a car, you know you are sinking a ton of money into a depreciating asset. This means that the car is going to be worth less tomorrow than what it was worth today. We’re smart and obviously want to waste as little money as we can as consumers, especially if it is as a percentage of a massive purchase like a car. 

The best way to maximize your resale value is to avoid buying cars that are within their first 5 years of life, because the depreciation is steeper here. Buy as old as you feel comfortable, to save your hard earned money. The older the better, in my opinion. Just make sure the car checks out mechanically and is a safe ride.

The other best way to ensure resale value is to buy a brand that holds its value well. Brands like Jeep, Subaru, Porsche, Toyota, Lexus and Honda all tend to have a higher resale value than their competitors. These vehicles hold their value better than most, but that’s not to say that they don’t depreciate as well. 

In contrast, brands like Volvo, Chrysler , Land Rover, and Acura tend to have a really low resale value making them money pits for car owners who frequently buy and sell their cars.  Some of these vehicles will depreciate in value up to 61% in the first five years. 

RankModel5 Year Residual Value
1Toyota Tacoma77.24%
2Toyota 4Runner72.43%
3GMC Sierra 150072.11%
4Jeep Wrangler71.72%
5Chevrolet Silverado 150069.64%
6Chevrolet Corvette68.79%
7Ford F-15067.88%
8Toyota RAV467.62%
9Toyota Highlander67.15%
10Dodge Challenger67.00%
11Subaru BRZ66.68%
12GMC Canyon66.32%
13Toyota Corolla66.19%
14Ford Mustang66.10%
15Honda Civic65.50%

A Brief Lesson On Resale Value

Whether or not you are leasing, buying or financing your vehicle you want to know what the resale value is going to be and make a smart decision accordingly. Even when you are leasing a vehicle you end up paying for the depreciation of the car. In fact, when you lease a vehicle, a large portion of what you are paying for is the depreciation because you have the vehicle in its first few years of life. Keep in mind that this is where the depreciation is the steepest.

You’ll want to know the resale value on cars you are deciding on regardless of if you intend to:

  • Lease
  • Purchase outright
  • Finance through

Resale value on a vehicle is simply how much it will be worth when you sell it. The resale value of a vehicle is determined by supply and demand, not how much you paid for the vehicle new. How much someone is willing to pay for your car in 5 or 10 years can really impact how much money you lose on your car purchase.


How To Get The Ultimate Resale Value For Your Car

If you want to lessen the depreciation slope, meaning lose as little money on your investment in a car as possible, buy used and buy older. Vehicles are getting well over 150,000 miles these days. Brands like Toyota, Honda and Lexus will run forever. The best way to lose the least amount of money over the years on a car is to buy a car that has almost completely depreciated anyways. 

I bought my Honda SUV with over 180,000 miles on it. It cost me less than $4,000 dollars to purchase the car. I’ve put about 20,000 miles on it and it is still worth around $3,5000 more than two years later. I’ve put a standard maintenance fund to use to keep the car running and had to make a few repairs that cost me around $500. I don’t have a car payment every month and when the time comes that my car actually breaks, I’m not that worried about it because I didn’t sink my life savings into a car!

The bottom line: buy used and maintain your resale  value

Factors That Effect Resale Value

However, basic economic principles play a huge factor in terms of resale value. If there are more cars on the market say of the body type minivan, and not a lot of people who are in the market for one, then you can expect most minivans to command a lower price. It is basic supply and demand. The more sought after something is the more people are willing to pay for that something.

  • Supply and demand
  • In some cases special edition vehicles will command a higher resale value for the right buyer

Cars with the Best Resale Value

The vehicles listed in the chart below are the cars that hold their value the best over a 5 year period. The Toyota Tacoma will be the top car on this list and is a great example of how much money you will end up retaining by making a smart purchase. If you go with the base model of the Tacoma truck, you would be spending $26,400. The car would still be worth $20391 in 5 years time.  

By contrast A Kia Cadenza has a starting price of $37,850. After 5 years, according to this data, the vehicle will be worth $16,396 in 5 years! Just 43% of what it was valued at 5 years prior. This really goes to show you that considering resale value when buying a car will make a big difference for your future finances.   

RankModel5 Year Residual Value
1Toyota Tacoma77.24%
2Toyota 4Runner72.43%
3GMC Sierra 150072.11%
4Jeep Wrangler71.72%
5Chevrolet Silverado 150069.64%
6Chevrolet Corvette68.79%
7Ford F-15067.88%
8Toyota RAV467.62%
9Toyota Highlander67.15%
10Dodge Challenger67.00%
11Subaru BRZ66.68%
12GMC Canyon66.32%
13Toyota Corolla66.19%
14Ford Mustang66.10%
15Honda Civic65.50%
16Chevrolet Camaro64.86%
17Honda Fit64.82%
18Toyota Land Cruiser64.64%
19Toyota Highlander Hybrid64.35%
20Toyota Tundra63.54%
21Nissan GT-R63.31%
22Subaru Impreza63.25%
23Honda CR-V63.19%
24Chevrolet Tahoe62.48%
25Kia Soul62.00%
26Toyota Prius61.62%
27Dodge Durango61.48%
28Chevrolet Colorado61.37%
29Nissan Frontier61.25%
30Honda Pilot61.21%
31Subaru Outback60.64%
32Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD60.29%
33Mazda CX-960.27%
34Subaru Forester60.19%
35Ford F-450 Super Duty60.16%
36Mazda 359.82%
37Honda Accord59.60%
38Nissan 370Z59.59%
39Mazda MX-5 Miata59.46%
40Honda Odyssey59.17%
41Volkswagen Jetta59.13%
42Hyundai Tucson59.12%
43Ford F-250 Super Duty58.63%
44GMC Yukon58.51%
45Subaru Legacy58.48%
46Toyota Yaris58.18%
47Ford F-350 Super Duty57.97%
48Volkswagen Tiguan57.95%
49Ram 250057.71%
50Toyota Sienna57.53%
51Mazda CX-557.53%
52Toyota Sequoia57.47%
53Chevrolet Suburban57.45%
54Hyundai Veloster57.41%
55Kia Forte57.17%
56Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD57.00%
57Volkswagen Golf56.70%
58Dodge Charger56.61%
59Nissan Versa56.47%
60Chevrolet Malibu56.47%
61Toyota Camry Hybrid56.40%
62Mazda 656.33%
63Ram Promaster Cargo Van56.31%
64Kia Rio56.12%
65Chevrolet Impala56.08%
66Volkswagen Passat56.08%
67Nissan Murano55.90%
68Toyota Avalon55.65%
69Ram 150055.36%
70GMC Terrain55.29%
71Kia Optima55.21%
72Toyota Camry55.19%
73Hyundai Elantra55.01%
74Ford Edge54.59%
75GMC Yukon XL54.48%
76GMC Sierra 2500HD54.47%
77Chevrolet Equinox54.34%
78Mitsubishi Outlander Sport54.07%
79Jeep Compass54.07%
80Ram 350053.87%
81Chevrolet Spark53.39%
82Nissan Rogue52.67%
83Hyundai Accent52.63%
84Nissan Maxima52.36%
85Nissan Sentra51.95%
86Hyundai Elantra GT51.85%
87GMC Acadia51.16%
88Kia Sportage50.98%
89Ford Fusion50.89%
90Jeep Grand Cherokee50.65%
91Ford Expedition50.58%
92Ford Explorer50.54%
93Ford Escape50.36%
94Mitsubishi Outlander50.32%
95Toyota Avalon Hybrid50.31%
96Chevrolet Express50.20%
97Buick Encore49.91%
98Chevrolet Traverse49.60%
99Jeep Cherokee48.70%
100Buick Enclave48.66%
101Hyundai Sonata48.50%
102FIAT 500L48.29%
103Chrysler 30048.22%
104Nissan Altima48.05%
105Ford Transit Connect47.35%

The 15 Vehicles With The Worst Resale Value

These statistics were valued from a span of data taken over a 5 year period. A Kia Cadenza has a starting price of $37,850. After 5 years, according to this data, the vehicle will be worth $16,396 in 5 years! Just 43% of what it was valued at 5 years prior. This really goes to show you that considering resale value when buying a car will make a big difference for your future finances.   Here are the vehicles with the worst resale value. Some of these vehicles are hybrids or electric cars which are incredibly expensive to fix or replace crucial parts like the battery. Others are just vehicles that people don’t tend to want to buy used.

RankModel5 Year Residual Value
118Ford Fusion Energi39.43%
117Nissan LEAF42.97%
116Kia Cadenza43.32%
115GMC Sierra 3500HD43.69%
114Kia Sedona43.98%
113Hyundai Santa Fe45.04%
112Nissan NV20045.35%
111Dodge Grand Caravan46.08%
110Ford Fusion Hybrid46.35%
109Dodge Journey46.79%
108Chevrolet Sonic46.98%
107Kia Sorento47.16%
106Nissan Pathfinder47.30%
105Ford Transit Connect47.35%
104Nissan Altima48.05%
103Chrysler 30048.22%
102FIAT 500L48.29%
101Hyundai Sonata48.50%
100Buick Enclave48.66%
99Jeep Cherokee48.70%
98Chevrolet Traverse49.60%
97Buick Encore49.91%
96Chevrolet Express50.20%
95Toyota Avalon Hybrid50.31%
94Mitsubishi Outlander50.32%
93Ford Escape50.36%

Brands Ranked Resale Value

Buying a brand that will hold its value is important too. Brands like Toyota, Honda, and Subaru produce cars with a cult like following. That’s why a Honda SUV from 2004 with close to 2,000 miles on it is still worth almost $4,000. These brands tend to be the most reliable which is why they hold their value so well.

RankBrand5 Year Resale Value
1Honda62.25%
2Toyota62.22%
3Subaru62.16%
4GMC59.64%
5Mazda58.68%
6Chevrolet58.45%
7Volkswagen57.47%
8Jeep56.29%
9Dodge55.59%
10Ram55.36%
11Nissan53.40%
12Hyundai52.79%
13Ford52.41%
14Mitsubishi52.19%
15Kia51.99%
16Buick49.28%
17FIAT48.29%
18Chrysler48.22%

Luxury Cars with the Best Resale Value

If you are in the market for a luxury car, you’re going to be spending more, which makes it even more crucial to make a smart decision when it comes to resale value. Brands like Porsche, Lexus, Audi and Cadillac tend to have the best resale value, but some models are better than others! Check out this list of luxury vehicles to see what holds its value and what won’t.

RankModel5 Year Residual Value
1Porsche 91168.50%
2Lexus ES 35063.83%
3Lexus RX 35062.57%
4Lexus GS 35061.31%
5Lexus LX 57060.06%
6Audi TTS58.59%
7Audi S457.93%
8BMW M557.64%
9Lexus IS 35057.17%
10Lexus RX 450h56.50%
11Audi S656.40%
12Audi A555.01%
13Audi TT54.99%
14Cadillac Escalade54.91%
15BMW Z454.69%
16Acura RDX54.39%
17Lincoln MKZ53.63%
18Mercedes-Benz G-Class53.61%
19Audi A353.28%
20INFINITI Q5053.03%
21BMW X652.96%
22Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class52.55%
23Audi A452.46%
24Mercedes-Benz E-Class52.44%
25BMW X152.41%
26Lexus GX 46052.33%
27Porsche Macan52.02%
28Tesla Model S51.77%
29BMW 2 Series51.57%
30Audi Q551.40%
31Mercedes-Benz Sprinter51.08%
32Audi S850.37%
33Cadillac Escalade ESV50.32%
34BMW X6 M50.30%
35Mercedes-Benz C-Class49.23%
36INFINITI QX6048.97%
37BMW X348.77%
38BMW 3 Series48.62%
39BMW i848.58%
40Acura MDX48.43%
41Volvo XC9048.32%
42Jaguar F-TYPE48.30%
43Audi SQ548.27%
44Land Rover Range Rover Evoque48.22%
45INFINITI QX5048.09%
46Acura ILX47.87%
47Land Rover Range Rover Sport47.64%
48Lexus ES 300h47.17%
49BMW 4 Series47.14%
50Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class47.09%
51Porsche Cayenne46.84%
52Audi A746.71%
53Audi S546.69%
54Mercedes-Benz S-Class46.62%
55Audi A646.56%
56Volvo XC6046.32%
57Volvo S6046.31%
58BMW 5 Series45.44%
59BMW X545.28%
60Lincoln Navigator44.90%
61Land Rover Range Rover42.70%
62Mercedes-Benz SL-Class42.58%
63INFINITI QX8042.46%
64Jaguar XF42.10%
65BMW 7 Series40.69%
66Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class40.32%
67Porsche Panamera40.27%
68Audi A839.30%
69Acura RLX39.06%
70BMW i335.74%

Luxury Brands with the Best Resale Value

Buying a brand with high resale value is important when protecting how much liability you put on yourself when purchasing a car. Remember that cars are not assets! They are depreciating assets that do no hold their value. Making a smart decision can help mitigate the money you lose when you buy a vehicle.

RankBrand5 Year Resale Value
1Lexus57.62%
2Cadillac52.61%
3Porsche51.91%
4Tesla51.77%
5Audi51.72%
6Lincoln49.27%
7BMW48.56%
8INFINITI48.14%
9Mercedes-Benz48.05%
10Acura47.44%
11Volvo46.98%
12Land Rover46.19%
13Jaguar45.20%

All data was provided by our friends at CarEdge.com

Buying Used To Keep Depreciation Low? Make Sure You Get A Warranty To Help With Your Repairs

Car repairs can be absurdly expensive, and you can expect those unexpected repairs before too long no matter what vehicle you drive. 

If you have to replace the transmission in your car  it could cost you more than $5,000 

Depending on your vehicle it could cost you up to $10,000 to replace the engine block.

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Protect My Car is a vehicle service contract provider, also referred to as extended car warranty provider, with multiple coverage plans for new and used vehicles with low to higher mileage to help meet your needs and budget. Protect My Car customers work directly with the company for customer service, claims administration and contract financing. No middleman or the need for third-party approval. All Protect My Car Plans include best-in-class claims and customer support, 24/7 roadside assistance, free oil changes and tire rotations and the exclusive PMC Rewards Plan, providing daily deals, giveaways, coupons, and thousands of ways to save money every day. Protect My Car has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Disclaimer: By submitting this form I am giving Protect My Car consent to contact me with info and offers by email and/or telephone which may include artificial or pre-recorded/pre-selected calls and/or text messages, delivered via automated technology at the telephone number(s) provided above even if I am on a corporate, state or national Do Not Call Registry. I understand that consent to such contact is not a condition of purchase. For SMS messaging text stop to stop. Msg and data rates may apply. Max 10 messages per month. The Protect My Car privacy policy governs our data collection policy. Protect My Car does not offer or sell Vehicle Service Contracts in AK, CA, HI, MO, OK, or WA.

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