Find Reviews by Make:
We all know that the value of a car crashes the moment we drive it off the dealer lot. Some do more, some less. Edmunds compiled which brands and makes hold their value more than others.
On a brand level the most prudent cars are made by Acura (honorable mention to Lexus and Infiniti), and, for the more rugged types, by Jeep (honorable mention to Ram and Jeep.) However, people choose brands, but buy cars. So here are Edmunds’ “Best Retained Value Awards” by segment.
Any of the cars on this list should hold their value longer than cars not on the list, says Edmunds.
| Retained Value Champions 2013 | ||
| Segment | Winner | Honorable Mention |
| Sedan Under $20K | Ford Focus | Honda Fit, Toyota Corolla |
| Sedan $20K-$30K | Honda Civic | MAZDA3, Nissan Altima |
| Sedan $30K-$40K | Dodge Charger | BMW 3 Series, Honda Crosstour, Chrysler 300 |
| Sedan Over $40K | Porsche Panamera | Audi S6, Cadillac CTS |
| Wagon Under $35K | Toyota Venza | MINI Cooper Countryman, Kia Soul |
| Wagon Over $35K | Ford Flex | Audi allroad, Lincoln MKT |
| Coupe Under $25K | Honda Civic | MINI Cooper, Scion tC |
| Coupe $25K-$35K | Dodge Challenger | Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro |
| Coupe $35K-$45K | BMW 3 Series | Audi A5, Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
| Coupe Over $45K | Chevrolet Corvette | Ford Shelby GT500, Porsche 911 |
| Convertible Under $35K | Ford Mustang | MINI Cooper Roadster, MINI Cooper |
| Convertible $35K-$45K | Chevrolet Camaro | BMW 1 Series, Lexus IS 250 C |
| Convertible Over $45K | Ford Shelby GT500 | Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 911 |
| Compact Truck | Toyota Tacoma | |
| Large Light Duty Truck | Chevy Silverado 1500 | GMC Sierra 1500 , Toyota Tundra |
| Large Heavy Duty Truck | GMC Sierra 3500HD | GMC Sierra 2500HD, Chevy Silverado 2500HD |
| SUV Under $25K | Nissan Rogue | Jeep Compass, Kia Sportage |
| SUV $25K-$35K | Jeep Wrangler | Honda CR-V, Ford Escape |
| SUV $35K-$45K | Toyota 4Runner | Toyota Highlander, GMC Acadia |
| SUV Over $45K | Lexus LX 570 | Lexus GX 460, Acura MDX |
| Vans | Honda Odyssey | Toyota Sienna, MAZDA5 ,Ford E-Series Wagon |
| Hybrid/Electric | Toyota Prius | Honda Civic, Prius V, Ford C-Max Hybrid |
75 Comments on “Which Car Holds Its Value Best? Here Are The 2013 Resale Champs...”
Read all comments
Honda Crosstour?
really?
I was thinking that for the Focus. Yes, it’s a good car, but there are so many of them out there, and so many of them in rental fleets, that I just don’t expect that a seller of one will be able to get a decent price.
Sundowner, you’re reading my mind. Is it possible that TTAC mixed up the Best Resale Value list with the Highest Model Appearance in the Cash For Clunkers list? And, I checked. No, it’s not April First. Must be something else. Did American Honda slip some green into the TTAC pockets. Probably no, but how else to explain away such an oxymoronic result?
You should do something about that snakebite. Follow the link in the story while they take you to the poison center.
Bertel,
Poison center not necessary, this wasn’t a
(wait for it)Viper bite.
You do know that I don’t subscribe to TTAC because I love fiction with my orange juice in the morning. I figure somewhere between the source of the information and TTAC’s reporting, the facts were vetted(no pun intended this time).
I’m opinionated, like others, and I consider the Crosstour (and Acura’s version) the answer to the question, ‘if Honda built a Pontiac Aztek, what would it look like’. So, the news that the Crosstour showed up on a list of models with a high resale value stood out.
It was just a garden snake, if you must know.
‘if Honda built a Pontiac Aztek, what would it look like’
That’s an interesting comparison. Thankfully most TTAC folks call a spade a spade and rightfully chastise Honda for this model, but
Crosstour/ZDX doesn’t seem to get the hate from the ordinary plebs the Aztek did/does. Personally if Honda didn’t half ass it and built an actual wagon, I’d give them alot more credit. There was no point in building an slightly longer Accord/TL hatch in light of CR-V and whatever its Acura clone is (RDX?), those already take the place of hatched sedans.
Doesn’t surprise me, low production oddballs like that are usually a folly for the original owner but remain popular among the 40 or so people who are actually into them.
While I don’t know the exact methodology used here, these surveys tend to look at the difference between original list price and some measure of market value a set time period later. Which favors vehicles which:
– sell with minimal incentives (cash on the hood), and
– have excellent reliability records
Honda tends to do quite well in both categories, meaning that they are perennial winners in these lists.
My personal experience, and the deciding factor for me in buying a new Accord, was that I got rid of my 9 year old, 96K mile Accord last year for 53% of original cost new.
Gratz on the accord, and I agree on your perception of the methodology. There seem to be many examples here of cars that they don’t discount doing well. If you want to manipulate these numbers, you simply discount by offering high residual and low interest rather than cash on the hood.
I suspect your accord method was to get a good deal on the price to start, but that isn’t being reflected here as far as I can tell.
You can get great depreciation on a GM or Ford truck by getting 10k off when new. Locally, there were lots of people trading trucks by trading 1 or 2 year old vehicles for a new one while paying less than 2k. That’s a screaming deal.
I’d be curious to know what metrics were used in the survey based on what you shared.
And to tie in with that, how did they derive averages on a nationwide scale to come up with the winners.
In the region where I live SOME of the winners and honorable mentions apply, but many others aren’t even mentioned here.
For instance, the F150 holds its value much better than anything else, as does the Camry. Coincidentally, both are America’s best selling vehicles.
I’ll top that, Ford FLEX.
You gotta be kiddin. Honorable mention, Ford Focus, rental car exemplar.
Whoa there, what’s with the FLEX hate? Aside from the love it or hate it exterior:
FLEX is the word (is the word that they heard)
It’s got groove, it’s got meaning
FLEX is the time, is the place, is the motion
FLEX is the way we are feeling
(With apologies to the Bee Gees)
All three of the people who purchased this thing so loved the Crosstour that Honda has discontinued this butt-ugly vehicle.
Are theses based msrp? Only Hank Hill pays MSRP! Where is the Camry anyways!
Camry’s have so flooded the market that you can now land a 2011 for but 13995 or the same price as a Dodge Avenger or Chrysler 300 of the same year on the used car lots.
I’m not sure what those Camcords are doing wholesale, but this Pgh Toyota dealer has 2011 Camry I4s ranging from $16,900/35K to $18,900/5K. The sole V6 is $21,900/16K. Seems no deals to be had in these parts.
http://www.northhillstoyota DOT com/inventory/view/2011/Model/Camry/Used/SortBy0/
Yeah. I was going to say. Edmunds doesn’t explain how they arrive at their conclusions. It’s almost unfathomable that a Charger would retain its value better than a BMW 3-series, and a Focus better than a Honda Fit. And KIA Sportage is on the honorable mentions list???
Resale on Wranglers is ridiculous. Back in Feb I decided to replace my 98 TJ Wrangler with a new Unlimited Wrangler. Looked at half a dozen used ones in the configuration I wanted (Rubicon), and the difference between used and new, even looking at 2008s, was a 8k for a 2008 to as little as $1k for a 2011 to the new 2013 I bought. Even my old Jeep brought 5k on Craigslist, and it was 15 years old and rusty.
A fair number of Wranglers, Rubicons in particular, are bought to be used and modded in ways that voids the warranty anyway. Hence suffer less of a “no warranty” penalty than many other cars.
Here in Canada, this List looks “real”,one thing I would like to add is that parts for Chrysler Trucks seem very hard to get, especially if you have a 1500? Just wondering if this problem only exist here?
Not just there. I flopped my new 2013 Jeep Wrangler over on the passenger side while off roading 4 days after I bought it, and it was down for over a month, mostly waiting for parts. The hardtop was simple to find, the rear door shell was backordered for 2 weeks, and the starter that inexplicably died at the same time took almost a month. There was a Ram in the shop at the same time that needed a new bed side and had been there for a month and a half waiting for it. I had no idea that Chrysler parts were that hard to get before buying my Jeep, I had always had older ones that were provided for by the aftermarket.
Still waiting for the backordered airbag recall parts for my ’11 300C, one month and counting.
But at least it’s not a critical system :(
I knew the GT500 would be up there damn it! I bought my car for 46k in 2009 and the state still values it at almost 33k for their bi-annual renting fee, with the cars generally selling at 28-32k depending on mileage.
There are about 50% WTFs on that list. I’m no scientist here, but I have sold used cars and later worked in bank risk mitigation for a several hundred million dollar auto portfolio (we literally did brand and vehicle-type based value retention work for predictive pricing loss estimates). And of course I follow the automotive press pretty closely.
Brands don’t turn on a dime. The fact that I see Dodge up there multiple times is questionable. And Audi appears more than once, too.
But then again, the all new C-Max is on there, too. This must be a very short-term list. The real world is concerned with the 4- to 5-year value retention mark — and the proof is in the pudding, not in the projections.
thumbs up!!! great post
— and the proof is in the pudding, not in the projections.
Ford hybrids tend to hold their value well, not Prius well though. Both the Esacpe and Fusion hybrids held their values significantly better than their traditional trims. A relatively low volume, low rebate car like the C-Max should do well. It may also be the best car Ford currently makes.
I’m shocked that the Dodge Charger is on the list. How far Chrysler has come!
While resale value is always a consideration when I purchase a new car, it wasn’t when I purchased my Charger R/T last year. I was very surprised (and pleased) to see it on the list. It’s been a great car so far.
No doubt, but it’s like Hyundai. Almost a decade into building really good cars, their resale is still recovering from the days when they made clunky econoboxes.
(Honda, meanwhile, is horrifically overvalued as the quality gap between them and the competition has shrunk considerably)
(Honda, meanwhile, is horrifically overvalued as the quality gap between them and the competition has shrunk considerably)
So Honda having the highest resale value is equivalent to them being horrifically overvalued even when you concede that they still have a gap over the competition in quality? Perhaps one of the companies that now trails by a smaller amount should retain the most value?
Put another way, let’s say that a Hyundai is 98% as “reliable” as a Honda, and that reliability is the key driver of resale.
So if Honda is retaining 50% value after 5 years and Hyundai just 30%, then Hyundai is a huge relative bargain. Hyundais should still hold less value than Hondas, but not by such a margin. You could even quantify it if you wanted, using cost of repairs and a dollar value of the car’s downtime. Then you’d have apples to apples.
I’m not saying reliability is an unfair metric, just that it’s increasingly relative, not some huge absolute (like it was for Honda about 20 years ago). Reputations, good or bad, follow companies around for years.
Jeep Compass? 2 Dodges? Remember when this website said Chrysler was a goner?
Yes and Chrysler should have died about three times by my count since 1979. Sometimes its nice to be wrong.
Past performance is not indicative of future results….Acura.
Most of their competitors are terrifying used buys, so they’ll own the resale crown for the foreseeable future. But you probably didn’t know Saab’s days have been numbered since the ’80s either.
Ya, but Saab makes the most fuel efficient cars EVAH.
(I read that on the internet somewhere)
We all know a 9-5 gets about 50mpg pulling an Airstream up Pikes Peak! :)
I agree with CJ, used German luxury is terrifying. I always want a used BMW/Audi, but I don’t have the stomach for it. I would sleep much better at night owning a used Acura than at my local Audi dealership.
So Crosstour is a sedan, but Venza is a wagon? Interesting.
Also, poor Nissan Frontier & Chevy Colorado. Couldn’t even get honorable mentions as they only other compact trucks for sale! I know GMC Canyon and Suzuki Equator exist as well, but I can understand why they might not be on here. The missing Frontier is really surprising.
They were just waiting for the Final Frontier.
*rimshot*
I’m very surprised the Jeep Wrangler is in the same category as a CR-V and Escape!
NOBODY would EVER cross-shop those vehicles with a Wrangler, or for that matter, a Wrangler with ANYTHING else.
Point is, the Wrangler was and always will be in a class by itself, no matter how much interior padding and truck-like the dash may be.
When I bought my 2012 Impala, I knew the resale would be nil, but I bought it for a very good price, too. Besides, I keep my vehicles for a long time, so that’s not a big deal for me. After all, I buy vehicles I like, not necessarily based on resale. A vehicle, for the most part, is not a financial investment.
Wifey’s 2002 CR-V, though, will bring a decent price if and when we decide to sell it.
Now do a post about best used cars on the market, reliable and fun. ;)
I think they pulled some of those numbers out of their… finger? Most of American cars (not trucks) seem to drop their value very quickly. Also, Kia? Are they joking? Maybe their values are based on what people *want* to get when trying to resell as opposed to what they actually *do* get.
I’m also surprised Subaru didn’t make it on the list. Used WRXs are very expensive (main reason I bought a new one 1.5 years ago) and I’ve seen 1-2 year old cars being asked for as much as brand new ones because there aren’t that many around.
Trucks are just an expensive proposition any way you cut it. I would argue (as I have before) new/new-used financing is the major driver behind resale values, probably a tick above retail demand in most cases. Banks take a greater risk financing something iffy like your last gen Suzuki because they might take a bath on it if they have to repo/resell it even if they stick you with the loan difference. Its much easier for them to dump Camcords, Prii, Corollics, CUVs and the like at auction and thus financing is easier to get (and at higher figures) thus driving up the retail costs (and subsequent values), and the vicious retail demand/finance cycle continues.
So at the top, you say that Acura is best brand, but the only Acura car on the list is the MDX…… As a honorable mention.
Weird.
I won’t be buying any used Ford Focus any time soon.
The super low resale on my Leaf should make for an interesting discussion with the dealer if I want to buy it at the end of the lease. There is no way I’ll pay the buyout price in the contract.
High resale only helps sellers. Lots of low resale cars make excellent used car values, like my Sedona minivan. I bought it 1 year used in 2010 for $17k (with a residual warranty that was better than many new car warranties), but somehow people justify spending $40k+ on new minivans.
Odd, now granted its 100% electric, but as I recall Prius enjoyed healthy resale. Curious the Leaf (and probably the Volt) do not.
Prius and Volt owners never have range anxiety.
I think the battery aging concerns that people had when the Prius first came out have diminished greatly, probably since their batteries have ages pretty well (NiMH, not lithium ion), and the fact that the gas engine is always there.
There is just too much unknown about an all-lithium-ion-powered car for resale to be any good.
Another important skew in the Leaf’s resale is the Federal rebate, which disappears for used cars.
That’s a shame, perhaps it will improve in time.
This is a projection, not reality. It’s also based on the fifth year specifically. Follow the link and read the, as usual, incompletely described methodology. Any savvy car marketer could manipulate these numbers by a good margin.
Is this the same Edmunds which lost all its credibility when it got rid of Inside Line?
How did they lose credibility when they nuked Inside Line? They still have their long-term vehicles and forums, etc….
Not a Volkswagen to be found.
Which seems strange because I though a few years ago they had at least a couple models on this list.
Tastes change. Word may also be out that they are not as dependable as some others.
scariest automobile I have seen all year… New Jetta Hybrid…
1. DSG Transmission
2. Turbocharged motor
3. Hybrid system plus batteries
wow, just wow….. how will this car be mechanically in 5 years???
THERE IS A REASON the Japanese makes have stuck with natural aspiration
Except the Evo
LOL, thought the same
May I add something?
1. DSG Transmission, 2 dry clutches plus extra clutch
2. Turbocharged motor w/ direct injection, best in class timing chains
3. Hybrid system plus Li Ion batteries
Our plan has been to limit depreciation by hanging on to the damn cars way too long. Sure we get sick of them but provided they are still reliable it is the cheapest way to drive. Of course it helps if you purchase a dependable vehicle that will stand the test of time and do the maintenance and needed.
There’s a part of me (car buff/hound) that would love trading out cars every 2-3 years, then the practical part of me that keeps them 10-13 years.
Funny though, the longer I keep one, the sadder I am when I replace it.
I have no idea how the Lexus GX 460 holds its value the way it does. The previous-gen GX 470 was better-looking, and relevant in an era where there was big money in luxury 4x4s. Today, the newer one is hideous, overpriced, and can be outdone where it counts by a similarly-sized crossover. In fact, the GX 460 seems to be so irrelevant to Lexus’ bottom line that the company hasn’t even bothered to update it with the new corporate front-fascia, and it doesn’t appear that there are any plans to do so with the current generation.
Lexus, turn the GX into an Audi Q7 competitor (with a better third-row) and call it a day.
I would dump the GX and reintroduce the LX as a Sequioa clone with leather.
Except that the Sequoia looks even clumsier than the GX 460. But if Lexus were based in Detroit, there would be a Lexus Sequoia-clone, in addition to the Land-Cruiser-clone LX 570 and the 4Runner-based GX 460.
Don’t let the Sequoia’s clumsy looks deceive you. My buddy is interested in buying one and even went as far as taking one on a test drive.
I got to tag along in the back seat with the salesman while my buddy drove and his wife rode in the front passenger seat.
It’s about the size of a Tahoe but oh so much more refined! Smooth ride. Quiet. Fantastic AC. Luxurious interior.
What scares me is the $58K+ price. By the time you add tt&l you’re out of a whole lotta money.
When buying a used vehicle I generally try and buy good, but not the most popular models because you can get a lot more bang for your buck over the more popular names. I recently bought a two year old Loaded Ford Escape for half it’s MSRP. Honda CR-Vs were hands-down the most expensive running $5-10K above the Escape, but had similar original MSRPs. I researched several of the vehicles on this list because of their LOW resale value, Jeep Compass being one of the lowest in it’s segment followed by Kia… So, if these are the best, which ones are the worst?
How is the G35/37 Coupe not on the list of coupes with good resale value? This list is highly suspect.
By the way, Edmunds compares projected 5 year residual value based on 15K miles/year to the True Market Value (as calculated by Edmunds). So I suspect this would include cash on the hood and things like that.
The hard numbers are listed for all the winners in their press release:
::http://www.edmunds.com/about/press/jeep-acura-capture-edmundscoms-2013-best-retained-value-awards.html::
Linky no worky? I really don’t think they count anything other than MSRP. I am a well known GM hater, but the Tahoe should be a winner here.
I’m surprised there are not more Acura haters trying to explain away their top resale spot. Lately just mentioning anything positive seems to bring them out.
It is interesting that the two red-hot mid-priced SUV categories are dominated by traditional BOF off-road capable SUVs that no one wants or needs anymore.
No kidding. Why has BoF become so rare? When you need a frame, you need a frame.
“Why has BoF become so rare? When you need a frame, you need a frame.”
Because people who claim they “need” a BoF SUV are all kidding themselves. All of them. No exceptions.
No, towing is not an excuse. Even something like a Suburban is an inferior tow vehicle because it has no diesel option anymore, nor does the Expedition. All the serious tow guys migrated to pickups a long time ago, because you get a much better selection of powertrain options, in addition to a useful bed (and if you need the interior space, there’s always the crew cab.)
Something like a Traverse will do a much better job of handling the tasks that people actually use large SUV’s for (namely, kid hauling) while at the same time getting better mileage and being safer.
Oh, you weren’t being sarcastic then.
I reject your premise. First, the whole “need” thing is idiotic. You don’t “need” a vehicle at all. So lets tone down the ‘tude.
Diesel engines do typically have more torque and are thus better at towing, but that doesn’t mean a gas engine won’t suffice. Besides, we aren’t talking engines, we are talking frames.
Seven passenger crew cab? More seats? No. So if you want passengers and towing, no pick up.
Lastly, sense we are really talking about want rather than need ( though I would argue if you are doing much driving on rough terrain the frame is going to become a need when you bend the craptastic traverse) if mom wants a frame because she is worried about wearing out a faux truck, she is better off getting a frame because she can likely afford it because gas is cheaper than depreciation and the BoF will end up being cheaper to own if you can keep it longer.
I traded my BoF vehicle for a wagon. My wife likes to use the wagon and hated my truck. The wagon will cost much more in the long run even with the better mileage. I will be really surprised otherwise.
I often drive on rough roads and trails and a family sedan with a 1 inch lift or a crew cab pickup with a 25 foot wheelbase won’t do. What type of vehicle to you propose I drive if not a BOF SUV?
Many others feel the same way considering Jeep can’t build Wranglers fast enough to keep up with demand and Toyota continues to have success with an SUV that hasn’t been updated in nearly a decade. The resale values alone prove that people do indeed need or think that they need real SUVs.
Acura makes cars? Like, not wannabee trucks, but cars?
Must not have seen prices of used Prius-easily the re-sale champ!~