The Cars With the Best Resale Value

AUTOSHOW-DETROIT

Lexus and Subaru produce vehicles with the best resale values when compared to other car makers, according to a recent report from Kelley Blue Book. It named Subaru the best brand overall and Lexus the top luxury brand for resale value, with three Subarus and six Lexuses topping their vehicle segments. Chevrolet and Toyota each had five vehicle-segment winners, mostly trucks and SUVs.

Evaluating a model’s resale value is pretty straightforward: Kelley Blue Book analysts looked at millions of transactions to determine which vehicles retained the highest percentage of their original Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) after five years of ownership.

Many consumers prioritize high resale values when purchasing new vehicles, because when it’s time to get a new car, it’s nice to have the option of selling an existing vehicle and using the proceeds for a down payment on the next one. A higher down payment will help you secure a lower interest rate on an auto loan, not to mention the fact that you can finance a smaller amount of the car’s value. Your credit score is also a major factor in getting approved for a car loan. (You can check your credit scores for free on Credit.com.)

Trucks and SUVs dominate the resale market, Kelley Blue Book notes, but to get a broader picture of resale values, we’ll list the winners in each category tracked in the report. For comparison, Kelley Blue Book estimates the average 2015 model year vehicle will retain 38.2% of MSRP after five years and roughly 75,000 miles.

Subcompact Car: Honda Fit Resale value at 36 months: 65% Resale value at 60 months: 47.7%

Plug-in Vehicle: Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid Resale value at 36 months: 55% Resale value at 60 months: 35%

Compact Car: Subaru Impreza Resale value at 36 months: 61.3% Resale value at 60 months: 47.1%

Compact SUV/Crossover: Jeep Wrangler Resale value at 36 months: 67.9% Resale value at 60 months: 57.4%

Sporty Compact Car: Subaru WRX Resale value at 36 months: 64.2% Resale value at 60 months: 49.4%

Mid-Size SUV/Crossover: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Resale value at 36 months: 72% Resale value at 60 months: 60.4%

Mid-Size Car: Subaru Legacy Resale value at 36 months: 61.8% Resale value at 60 months: 44.3%

Full-Size SUV/Crossover: Chevrolet Suburban Resale value at 36 months: 55.3% Resale value at 60 months: 43.3%

Full-Size Car: Dodge Charger Resale value at 36 months: 51% Resale value at 60 months: 38.5%

Luxury Compact SUV/Crossover: Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class Resale value at 36 months: 57.3% Resale value at 60 months: 44.7%

Entry-Level Luxury Car: Lexus RC 350 Resale value at 36 months: 63% Resale value at 60 months: 45%

Luxury Mid-Size SUV/Crossover: Lexus GX 460 Resale value at 36 months: 66% Resale value at 60 months: 48.5%

Luxury Car: Lexus GS 350 Resale value at 36 months: 54% Resale value at 60 months: 39%

Luxury Full-Size SUV/Crossover: Lexus LX 570 Resale value at 36 months: 64% Resale value at 60 months: 49%

High-End Luxury Car: Lexus LS 460 Resale value at 36 months: 55.5% Resale value at 60 months: 39.5%

Hybrid SUV/Crossover: Lexus RX 450h Resale value at 36 months: 62% Resale value at 60 months: 46%

Sports Car: Chevrolet Camaro V6 Resale value at 36 months: 55.7% Resale value at 60 months: 46.3%

Mid-Size Pickup Truck: Toyota Tacoma Resale value at 36 months: 74.9% Resale value at 60 months: 60.4%

High Performance Car: Chevrolet Corvette Resale value at 36 months: 64.3% Resale value at 60 months: 49.5%

Full-Size Pickup Truck: Toyota Tundra Resale value at 36 months: 68.3% Resale value at 60 months: 58.4%

Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car: Toyota Camry Hybrid Resale value at 36 months: 58.7% Resale value at 60 months: 46.7%

Minivan/Van: Toyota Sienna Resale value at 36 months: 57.9% Resale value at 60 months: 44.3%

More From Credit.com

Can You Get a Car Loan With Bad Credit?The Worst Car Buying Mistakes You Can Make3 Steps to Save You $3K on Your Next Car

Christine DiGangi covers personal finance for Credit.com. Previously, she managed communications for the Society of Professional Journalists, served as a copy editor of The New York Times News Service and worked as a reporter for the Oregonian and the News & Record. More by Christine DiGangi