New or used, the biggest expense most people see with their vehicles is depreciation. That's because unless you're buying a classic or collectible car, your vehicle will be worth less when you sell it than when you bought it. It's understandable, especially if you rack up miles and the vehicle experiences wear or tear as it ages.
However, not all vehicles depreciate in equal amounts or at the same rate. Some vehicles hold their value better because they are popular models that people want or are inexpensive to maintain. In other cases, people's perception of the quality of the brand contributes to cars with good resale value. Sometimes it's both.
To find the 20 cars with the best resale values, we turned to data compiled by CarEdge.com. We compared each model's typical price against its resale value after five years and picked the models that depreciated the least amount in that time. The list reads like a "who's who" of the most popular models available today, but it also contains a few surprises.
20. Toyota RAV4
- Price When New: $35,135
- Resale Value After Five Years: $27,757
- Five-Year Depreciation: 21.0 Percent
The RAV4 is one of the most popular small SUVs on the road today. It works well as a suburban assault vehicle, tackling the challenges of daily commuting, family hauling, and trips to the hardware store. It’s also frugal, with good gas mileage and a low cost of ownership, including a higher-than-average resale value.
19. Toyota Highlander
- Price When New: $45,959
- Resale Value After Five Years: $36,496
- Five-Year Depreciation: 20.6 Percent
As the RAV4’s bigger sibling, the Highlander offers many of the same features and strengths. It’s a competent, smooth-riding vehicle and is adept at surmounting the challenges of suburbia. All models are well equipped with a host of standard safety features and hold their values well.
18. Ram ProMaster
- Price When New: $49,662
- Resale Value After Five Years: $39,456
- Five-Year Depreciation: 20.6 Percent
The Ram ProMaster cargo van comes in various sizes with different lengths and roof heights to meet a variety of commercial needs. It’s as practical as a box on wheels, with good payload and tow ratings giving it plenty of flexibility as a work vehicle.
17. Chevrolet Express
- Price When New: $48,772
- Resale Value After Five Years: $39,218
- Five-Year Depreciation: 19.6 Percent
Like the Ram ProMaster, the full-size Chevrolet Express comes in a variety of styles, sizes, and passenger capacities, primarily for commercial and livery use. It’s a tried and true work vehicle that has remained largely unchanged for more than 20 years. But while it may be dated, it still gets the job done.
16. Toyota 4Runner
- Price When New: $55,260
- Resale Value After Five Years: $44,562
- Five-Year Depreciation: 19.4 Percent
The midsize two-row Toyota 4Runner is an old-school, rear/four-wheel-drive, truck-based SUV that can climb rocks with the best off-roaders. Rides like this have become rare in the crossover era, which we’d assume helps bolster its resale value.
15. Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Price When New: $34,688
- Resale Value After Five Years: $27,976
- Five-Year Depreciation: 19.4 Percent
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is the best-selling roadster of all time and one of the most enjoyable cars to drive on twisty roads. Often used as a second or even a third car, it’s easy to find clean examples with low mileage.
14. Ford F-350 Super Duty
- Price When New: $83,445
- Resale Value After Five Years: $67,449
- Five-Year Depreciation: 19.2 Percent
The heavy-duty Ford F-350 is like a life-sized Tonka Truck. It’s huge, powerful, and boldly styled, and it offers dual rear wheels for extreme towing abilities. It’s also expensive but holds its own in the pre-owned market among those who require its impressive capabilities.
13. Subaru Impreza
- Price When New: $26,775
- Resale Value After Five Years: $21,668
- Five-Year Depreciation: 19.0 Percent
The Subaru Impreza’s expected resale value is only a percentage point lower than its SUV equivalent, the Crosstrek. It also comes standard with all-wheel drive and offers a wider model line that includes compact sedans and wagons.
12. Subaru Crosstrek
- Price When New: $33,660
- Resale Value After Five Years: $27,601
- Five-Year Depreciation: 18.0 Percent
The Subaru Crosstrek is closely related to the brand’s Impreza wagon, adding body cladding and higher ground clearance to garner a more SUV-like look and feel. Unlike most of its competitors, the Crosstrek comes standard with all-wheel drive, which adds to its appeal, especially in snowy northern regions.
11. Chevrolet Corvette
- Price When New: $103,298
- Resale Value After Five Years: $84,704
- Five-Year Depreciation: 18.0 Percent
The Corvette has long been known as “America’s sports car,” and especially in its current mid-engine iteration, it exists as a bargain-priced alternative to exotic European coupes and convertibles. CarEdge.com says the venerable ‘Vette actually holds onto higher percentages of its original value better as time goes on, which speaks highly of its ongoing popularity among enthusiasts and casual fans alike.
10. Chevrolet Colorado
- Price When New: $44,708
- Resale Value After Five Years: $36,777
- Five-Year Depreciation: 17.7 Percent
The Chevy Colorado midsize pickup is mechanically related to the GMC Canyon, though it features brand-specific exterior and interior treatments. For many, it suffices as a cheaper and more maneuverable alternative to a full-size truck.
The Cheapest And Most Expensive Cars To Maintain:
9. Honda CR-V
- Price When New: $39,960
- Resale Value After Five Years: $32,907
- Five-Year Depreciation: 17.7 Percent
The compact Honda CR-V crossover SUV has long been a top seller for its overall excellence and its reputation for reliability. It’s also roomier and more practical than the typical small sedan, which contributes to its popularity.
8. Ford F-250 Super Duty
- Price When New: $75,411
- Resale Value After Five Years: $62,448
- Five-Year Depreciation: 17.2 Percent
The Ford F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. That includes the heavy-duty F-250, which now comes in multiple trims, including the off-road Tremor model. The bigger F-Series holds its value even better than the standard F-150.
7. Toyota Prius
- Price When New: $32,992
- Resale Value After Five Years: $27,350
- Five-Year Depreciation: 17.1 Percent
The gas/electric hybrid Prius hatchback remains one of the most fuel-efficient rides on the road, with an impressive EPA rating of 58 miles per gallon city and 53 highway. That helps makes it a money-saver both at the gas pump and down the road in terms of higher resale values.
6. Volkswagen Jetta
- Price When New: $26,752
- Resale Value After Five Years: $22,274
- Five-Year Depreciation: 16.7 Percent
The Volkswagen Jetta remains a far more affordable way to drive a bona fide German-engineered sedan than choosing a same-size model from the likes of Audi, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz. It’s sufficiently roomier than the typical compact car and depreciates at a lower rate than its luxury-brand alternatives.
5. Chevrolet Camaro
- Price When New: $48,225
- Resale Value After Five Years: $40,253
- Five-Year Depreciation: 16.5 Percent
This classic sports car is available in coupe and convertible body styles, with various degrees of performance to suit most tastes and budgets. Red-hot internal combustion cars like this could become scarce in the future, which might help prop up the Chevy Camaro’s long-term value among future enthusiasts.
4. GMC Canyon
- Price When New: $45,975
- Resale Value After Five Years: $38,412
- Five-Year Depreciation: 16.5 Percent
The midsize GMC Canyon is a more affordable alternative to a larger and costlier full-size pickup truck, but it remains a worthy and versatile choice with a five-year deprecation of just 16.5 percent.
3. Honda Civic
- Price When New: $28,992
- Resale Value After Five Years: $24,353
- Five-Year Depreciation: 16.0 Percent
The Honda Civic line encompasses sedans and hatchbacks in trims that run the gamut from mild to wild. Its well-earned reputation for reliability helps this compact car retain its value admirably over the years.
2. Kia Rio
- Price When New: $23,105
- Resale Value After Five Years: $19,595
- Five-Year Depreciation: 15.2 Percent
Inexpensive small cars are rarely en vogue but are always in demand by people looking for efficient, affordable transportation. In the compact class, the Kia Rio stands out with its long list of features and even longer warranty, which helps it maintain a surprisingly high resale value.
1. Porsche 911
- Price When New: $210,554
- Resale Value After Five Years: $178,971
- Five-Year Depreciation: 15.0 Percent
New or used, the Porsche 911 is one of the greatest sports cars of all time. Thanks to its loyal fan base, racing heritage, and iconic status, it retains 85 percent of its value after five years. It doesn’t hurt that Porsche frequently releases special edition models, which could even become valuable collector cars in the future.
Cars With The Best Resale Value
20. Toyota RAV4
19. Toyota Highlander
18. Ram ProMaster
17. Chevrolet Express
16. Toyota 4Runner
15. Mazda MX-5 Miata
14. Ford F-350 Super Duty
13. Subaru Impreza
12. Subaru Crosstrek
11. Chevrolet Corvette
10. Chevrolet Colorado
9. Honda CR-V
8. Ford F-250 Super Duty
7. Toyota Prius
6. Volkswagen Jetta
5. Chevrolet Camaro
4. GMC Canyon
3. Honda Civic
2. Kia Rio
1. Porsche 911
Source: CarEdge