LORENZO MARCINNO / Maserati
With used vehicles holding their value better than they did a few years ago, new car buyers must exercise caution when choosing a model that will depreciate the least over time. All cars lose value the moment you drive them off the lot, but high-end luxury cars depreciate the most, according to the latest data from iSeeCars.
Luxury sedans, trucks and SUVs/crossovers lose an average of 48.1% in value after the first five years of ownership, compared to the industry average of 38.8% and 36.8% for non-luxury cars, according to iSeeCars. That’s unfortunate for new buyers looking to resell down the line, but great news for used luxury hunters, who are more than happy to purchase a refined ride for a bargain, even if the model is years old. There’s more money to lose with an expensive model, unless you plan on holding onto your depreciating car.
“Buyers looking to keep their vehicles for a long time shouldn’t be too worried about these depreciation rates,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst for iSeeCars. “But if you’re rotating into a new vehicle every few years and those vehicles are luxury sedans or luxury SUVs, you’re losing a lot of money.”
The auto industry has undergone a shift to “a complex market dynamic,” per Cox Automotive. High inventory is keeping overall costs low, but costly popular models are forcing average industry prices up. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average transaction price (ATP) for a new vehicle was $48,644 in June, up slightly from May. The average used car price optimistically decreased about $400 from May to June’s ATP of $25,251.
Here are the 10 models that iSeeCars found depreciate the fastest, all of which have starting MSRPs above the annual income of the average American.
Audi A7
- Average Difference From MSRP: $48,917
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 57.2%
Jaguar XF
- Average Difference From MSRP: $39,720
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 57.6%
Maserati Levante
- Average Difference From MSRP: $55,858
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 57.8%
Infiniti QX80
- Average Difference From MSRP: $47,399
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 58.1%
BMW X5 Hybrid
- Average Difference From MSRP: $44,828
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 58.2%
Cadillac Escalade ESV
- Average Difference From MSRP: $63,885
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 58.5%
BMW 5 Series Hybrid
- Average $ Difference From MSRP: $37,975
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 58.8%
Maserati Ghibli
- Average Difference From MSRP: $58,623
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 61.3%
BMW 7 Series
- Average Difference From MSRP: $72,444
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 61.8%
Maserati Quattroporte
- Average Difference From MSRP: $90,588
- Average 5-Year Depreciation: 64.5%
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