Last updated April 2024
Last updated April 2024
Which new cars hold their value the best? Well, in this article I’m going to tell you. I’ve used information from the car valuation company, CAP. They use loads of data to predict exactly how much a new car is worth when it gets older. I’ve used this data to compile a list of the cars from each major manufacturer that depreciates the least. Basically, I’ve ranked them based on how much they’re going to be worth as a percentage of their original purchase price when they’re three years old and they’ve done 40,000 kilometers because this matches most car finance terms, which is how most people buy their cars.
The BMW M2 is the baby M car, but it’s also one of the best. It looks great and it’s fabulous to drive, and it holds its value really well too. An M2 will still be worth 53.7% of its original $57,000 purchase price after three years. That means you’ve only lost $26,000, or about 46% of its original cost. I know it sounds like quite a lot, but that’s good for a new car, especially if you compare it to the worst depreciating car on sale. That’s the Fiat Tipo, which loses an insane 70.3% of its original recommended retail price in just three years. That’s why the M2 looks like an OK investment as far as cars go.
Some petrol heads were up in arms when Jaguar started building SUVs, but it turns out that the F-Pace SUV holds its value better than any other Jaguar you can buy. After three years, it’s still worth 53.9% of its original $50,000 purchase price, so you’ll only lose 46% of what you paid for it, or about $24,000 when you come to sell.
The Cupra brand recently split from Seat, and the Formentor is its first all new car that isn’t based on a Seat. If you buy one of these sporty SUVs, it’ll still be worth 54.1% of its original price after three years. This means that if you get one for a little over $33,000 new, you’ll only lose about $16,000 when you sell it. Basically, it’s dropped in value by just 46%.
The Nissan that depreciates the least is one of the oldest cars it makes. It’s the GT-R. This supercar slayer has been around since 2007, but a 3-year-old model will still be worth 54.3% of its $106,000 asking price. So, if you sell your GT-R after three years, you’ll lose $50,000, which is about 46% of what you originally paid for it.
I thought that Jimny would hold its value better than any other Suzuki, but the slowest depreciating Suzuki is the brand-new Swace. This car is basically a Toyota Corolla touring sport with a different badge and a 3-year-old model will still be worth 54.7% of its original purchase price, so if you buy one now for around $33,000, you’ll lose 45% of your investment when you sell it on, which is about $15,000.
The Mustang is the most exciting new Ford you can buy, and it also holds its value really well too. A 3-year-old car will still be worth 54.8% of its original purchase price, so if you buy one now for a little over $55,000 and sell it in three years’ time, you’ll lose out on around $25,000, which is only 45% of what you paid for it originally.
Next is the Megane Rs, which holds its value better than any other new Renault. A three-year-old Megane Rs will still be worth 54.9% of its original purchase price. This means that when you buy a new one for around $41,000, it’ll only drop in value by about $18,500, or 45% of its original price when you sell it after three years.
I thought massive luxury cars were supposed to drop in value like crazy, but the Bentley Bentayga performs really well in terms of depreciation. This super luxurious SUV is still worth 56% of its original $165,000 purchase price after three years, so when you sell it, you do lose out on $74,000 though, but that’s still 44% of the original purchase price.
Mazdas are usually reliable and good to drive, so no wonder they hold their value well. And the CX30 is the best of the Mazdas. This small SUV is still worth 56.3% of its $28,000 asking price after three years, so if you buy one, you’ll only lose out on about $12,000 when you come to sell it, which is about 44% of the car’s original purchase price.
The Volvo XC40 is one of the best small SUVs you can buy, which is probably why it doesn’t depreciate as much as other Volvos. After three years, it’ll still be worth 56.7% of its original purchase price. If you buy a new one for a little over $31,000, you’ll only have to knock off about $13,500, or 43% of its original purchase price when you sell it.
The Volkswagen that holds its value the best is the California, that’s right – the campervan. You’ll need $68,000 at least to get your hands on a new one, and it’ll still be worth 56.9% of this purchase price after three years. That means you’ll only lose about $30,000, which is 43% of the car’s original cost.
Some limited-edition cars hold their value well, like the McLaren 765LT. McLaren is only going to build 765 of them, as the name suggests, and they’ll still be worth 57.1% of their original $345,000 purchase price after three years. So, if you get one and decide to sell it, it’ll be worth about $148,000 less, which is 43%.
Next up is Mercedes and the model which holds its value the best is the G Class. These tough off-roaders are still worth 57.8% of their $125,000 purchase price after three years. That means you’ll lose about $53,000 when you sell it, but as a percentage, that’s only about 42% of the original cost.
Secondhand Ferraris have a reputation for plummeting in value, but the 812 Superfast bucks this trend. This V12 supercar holds on to an impressive 57.9% of its $324,000 purchase price after three years. So, if you’re lucky enough to be able to buy one now, you can expect it to drop in value by around $137,000, or 42% of its original value when you come to sell it.
Next up we have Honda Jazz. This hybrid is economical and practical, and it holds its value well. After three years it still is worth 58% of its original purchase price. That means you can buy a new one for about $24,000, and you’ll only lose about $10,000 when you sell it, which is 42%.
Polestar used to tune Volvos, but now it builds its own cars, and the one that holds its value the best is the Polestar 2. This electric SUV will be worth 58.2% of its initial $61,000 asking price. Thus, you can rest easy knowing you’ll only lose out on about $26,000 or around 42% when you come to sell it.
I didn’t expect Aston Martin to be so high on my list, but it turns out the DBX SUV holds its value well and is better than other Astons. After three years, it will still be worth 58.3% of its initial $195,000 recommended retail price. So, if you buy one now and sell it three years later, you’ll only be out of pocket by about $81,000, or 42% of the original price.
The Model 3 is Tesla’s best-selling car, and it holds its value better than the model S or the model X. They’ll still be worth 59.6% of its original $53,000 recommended retail price after three years, so when you come to sell it, you’ll only have to drop the price by around $22,000. That’s 40% of the original cost, which makes it the best performing electric car on sale in terms of depreciation.
The Prius is one of the most popular cars Toyota makes, and it holds its value well too. A new Prius will still be worth 59.7% of its original $31,000 after three years, which means a secondhand Prius will go for around $12,000. That’s about 40% less than a brand-new model.
Lamborghini made its name with flashy supercars, but it’s the Urus SUV that holds its value better than any other Lamborghini. One of these starts from around $197,000 and it’ll still be worth 60% of this original purchase price. After three years, its value will only drop by about 30%, or $79,000.
Amazingly, the Urus isn’t the best mega posh SUV when it comes to secondhand prices. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is even better. It’s still worth 60.1% of its original price after three years. This means a $335,000 Cullinan will drop in value by 40%; after three years, that’s $135,000.
The Alpine A110 is a cracking little sports car and it’s not just a pretty face, it’s a shrewd bite too because the three-year old model is still worth 61.1% of its original purchase price. You can get a new one for around $60,000 and it will only drop in value by about $23,000 after three years. That’s only 39% less than the brand-new model.
The third place on my list goes to the Audi RSQ3. This sport SUV has a brilliant vice-cylinder engine and goes like the clappers, and you won’t just enjoy driving it, you might enjoy selling it too because after three years it would still be worth 63% of what you pay for it. If you get a new one for around $65,000, you’ll only lose about $24,000 when you come to sell it. That’s 37% of the original price.
Land Rovers doesn’t have the best reliability record, but the new Defender claws back some points when it comes to depreciation. This brand-new SUV will set you back from around $54,000 and it’ll still be worth 63.1% of that after three years when you come to sell it, so it’ll only drop in price by around 37%, so that’s $20,000.
Some Porsches are super collectible, especially the limited edition 911, but the mainstream Porsche that holds its value the best is the Macan. This $60,000 SUV will still be worth 64.9% of its original purchase price after three years. So, if you buy one, you’ll be just $21,000, or 35% of the original purchase price out of pocket when you come to sell it. That’s amazing, really, especially when you consider it’s one of the baby porches and it’s basically an Audi Q5 underneath.
In conclusion, there are a variety of cars that hold their value well, from sporty BMWs and Jaguars to luxury SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga. It’s important to consider a car’s depreciation when making a purchase, as it can have a significant impact on the overall cost of owning a vehicle. The cars listed in this article have been found to depreciate the least over a three-year period and 40,000 kilometers, making them a solid investment for car buyers. However, it is always a good idea to research and compare before making a final decision.
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