Summary
- Jeep Wrangler remains the best vehicle for holding its value, while overall five-year depreciation for new cars drops from 40 percent in 2021 to 33 percent in 2022
- Looking at three-year depreciation shows a mere 17 percent decline in value, the smallest drop on record, with some used models, such as the Porsche 911, actually appreciating in value above its original MSRP
- Fuel efficient cars, including hybrid vehicles, small cars, small SUVs, and midsize cars, held their value the best, reflecting ongoing spikes in gas prices
- Large luxury cars lose the most value, including the BMW 7 Series, Maserati Ghibli, and Jaguar XF
Pandemic-related disruptions to automaker supply chains and their impact on
new vehicle
and used vehicle pricing have dramatically affected
retained value
rates as well. An analysis of three- and five-year vehicle
depreciation
reveals that cars retain more value than they have in recent memory, and that a small number of cars have even appreciated in value, according to a new study by automotive firm and car search engine iSeeCars.
iSeeCars analyzed over three million three-year-old and five-year-old used cars sold in 2022 and found the average five-year-old car lost only 33.3 percent of its value from MSRP. Compared to 2021, that represents a 17.0 percent decrease in depreciation. “The relative scarcity of late-model used cars due to pandemic-related new car production disruptions has kept used car values high for more than a year,” said Karl Brauer, Executive Analyst for iSeeCars. Looking at individual models, the Jeep Wrangler tops the best resale value cars, while the BMW 7 Series is the vehicle with the highest rate of depreciation.
Vehicles That Depreciated the Least in Five Years
The average five-year
depreciation
in 2022 is 33.3 percent, with the
best cars
for
retained value
over the past five years listed below.
The
Jeep Wrangler
and its four-door counterpart, the Wrangler Unlimited, hold the top two spots in the list of Vehicles with the Lowest Five-Year
Depreciation
, with around four times lower
depreciation
than the average car. “The
Jeep Wrangler
continues to embody the ultimate
off-road
companion, with timeless styling that keeps it popular long after it has left the
new-car
showroom,” said Brauer, adding, “Based on historical data, it’s no surprise these two
Jeeps
were the
best resale value
winners in 2021 as well. The Wrangler is essentially the poster child for ‘
Best Resale Value Awards
’.”
Sports cars like the Porsche 911, Ford Mustang, Subaru BRZ, and Chevrolet Camaro, saw increased demand during the pandemic as a means for fun and escapism during lockdowns. “We saw prices jump for sports cars after the lockdowns began, and they maintained their strong original value even as restrictions were lifted,“ said Brauer.
The other cars on the list are some of the most popular, best-selling cars: the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Versa, Honda Civic, and the Toyota Tacoma. The first three are compact cars with high gas mileage, while the Tacoma is a smaller midsize truck with a reputation for durability. “High gas prices always shift demand toward more fuel-efficient vehicles, increasing the value retention of these models,” explained Brauer.
Vehicles that Depreciated the Most in 5 Years
iSeeCars also examined the vehicles that
depreciate
the most after five years.
Luxury brand
vehicles and larger vehicles dominate the cars that
depreciate
the most after five years. “Just as higher gas prices increase demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, they also decrease demand for full-size SUVs like the extra-large Cadillac Escalade ESV and Lincoln Navigator,” said Brauer, adding, “Luxury vehicles like the also tend to
depreciate
at higher rates because
used car
shoppers don’t value their premium features as much.”
Vehicles That Depreciated the Least in 3 years
Because the analysis revealed lower five-year
depreciation
compared to 2021, iSeeCars further analyzed three-year
depreciation
. Overall three-year
depreciation
is 16.9%, almost a third less than the average of 23.8% in 2021. Unexpectedly, five models actually appreciated over
MSRP
in this three-year span. “The market is pricing late-model
used cars
as though they were new. If shoppers can’t buy a
new car
, the next closest thing is a
used car
with low miles, thus the appreciation in value for these cars,” suggested Brauer.
Three of the models that increased in value over
MSRP
are the same as the top three models with the lowest five-year
depreciation
: the
Porsche
911,
Jeep Wrangler
, and
Jeep Wrangler
Unlimited. The other models include another
Porsche
model, the
Porsche
718 Cayman, as well as the
Toyota RAV4
Hybrid
trim
. “This is unprecedented in used vehicle pricing. Finding multiple 3-year-old used models worth more than their new
MSRP
is something we’ve not seen before,” remarked Executive Analyst Karl Brauer.
iSeeCars also analyzed the vehicles with the lowest depreciation after three years. The list includes 10 vehicles that all depreciated less than five percent.
“To put some context to these numbers, consumers could have bought these cars new, driven them for three years, and then sold them for anywhere from just a few hundred dollars to around two thousand dollars below
MSRP
, which is unusual to say the least,” said Brauer.
Vehicle Depreciation by Segment
Small SUVs - Five-Year Depreciation
iSeeCars determined the lowest and highest- depreciating small and compact SUVs. In addition to being fuel-efficient, small
crossovers
are relatively affordable while offering a high degree of functionality, including optional all-
wheel drive
to combat inclement weather. Additionally, models like the
Subaru
Crosstrek
, and its larger sibling the
Subaru
Outback, aren’t as
off-road
capable as the
Jeep Wrangler
but still provide genuine
off-road
capability.
Top 5 Small SUVs that Hold Their Value Best
Top 5 Small SUVs that Lose the Most Value
Midsize SUVs - Five-Year Depreciation
Although midsize SUVs are one of the most popular vehicle types, largely replacing the minivan for family transportation, as a segment they
depreciate
more than the overall industry average. This is likely due to their requiring more fuel than their smaller counterparts. Newer models like the
Hyundai
Palisade and
Kia
Telluride haven’t been around for 5 years yet, but are showing very strong signs of high
residual value
.
Top 5 Midsize SUVs that Hold Their Value Best
Top 5 Midsize SUVs that Lose the Most Value
Hybrids - Five-Year Depreciation
Hybrid vehicles are popular among consumers who want to save on gas without worrying about range anxiety.
Electric Vehicles - Five-Year Depreciation
Electric Vehicles
are a fast-growing segment as government
incentives
expand to encourage their purchase.
Small Cars - Five-Year Depreciation
Small hatchbacks and sedans have lost ground to small SUVs in terms of consumer demand, but they, along with
subcompact
cars, remain the lowest cost new and
used cars
you can buy, and their fuel efficiency has made them more popular over the past year.
Top 5 Small Cars that Hold Their Value Best
Top 5 Small Cars that Lose the Most Value
Sports Cars - Five-Year Depreciation
Sports car
demand was high during the pandemic. These fun-to-drive cars offered consumers an accessible form of entertainment in the face of pandemic lockdowns
.
Midsize Trucks- Five-Year Depreciation
Midsize pickups
combine a wide range of functionality with a relatively low price and high fuel efficiency compared to full-size
pickup trucks
. Newer midsize models, like the
Ford
Maverick,
Ford
Ranger, and
Jeep
Gladiator, aren’t old enough to have 5-year
depreciation
data yet, but are likely to perform well in this area.
Full Size Trucks - Five-Year Depreciation
Full size trucks like the
Ford
F-Series remain necessary for a wide array of functions and climates. Their flexibility and durability ensure demand, even in the face of higher fuel prices.
Bottom Line:
Demand for both new and used cars remains high, keeping their prices high and depreciation low. While that shiny new Chevrolet Corvette, GMC Yukon, Land Rover Range Rover Velar or Lexus IS may look great on the showroom floor, consumers looking to buy a car should consider how long they plan to own it and how much depreciation they want to experience when it’s time to sell or trade in their vehicle. Models with the lowest depreciation tend to cost more up front, but the higher purchase price can be more than made up in reduced loss of value over time.
Methodology
iSeeCars analyzed over 3 million used cars from model years 2017 and 2019 sold from January to October 2022. Heavy-duty trucks and vans, models no longer in production as of the 2022 model year, and low-volume models were removed from further analysis. MSRPs from 2017 and 2019 were inflation-adjusted to 2022 dollars based on data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The difference in average asking price for each vehicle between its MSRP and its used car pricing was mathematically modeled to obtain the vehicle’s depreciation.
About iSeeCars.com:
iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $399 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.
