Advertiser Disclosure

Avoid Buying These 10 Cars That Will Lose Value in Less Than 10 Years

October 31, 2023

3 min Read

Written by David Nadelle

Edited by Chris Cluff

Prostock-Studio / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

America loves its cars, and it loves products that retain their value over time. Unfortunately, these two things are largely mutually exclusive. The truth is: No matter how low you keep its mileage and how well you maintain it, a new car loses value very quickly.

According to auto authority Edmunds, a new car loses around 11% of its value the moment you leave the lot and 15% to 25% each of its first five years of ownership. After five years, your still-spunky car will be worth just 37% of what you paid for it. After 10 years, you’d be lucky to get a buyer to pay 10% of the original price.

When Zutobi updated its 2023 Motoring Depreciation Report last June, it found that the Kia Sorento, the Chevrolet Trax and the Mercedes GLE-Class lost the most value among U.S. vehicles, dipping 55.16%, 50.31% and 48.85%, respectively.

However, that study tracked three-year depreciation rates. When looking at car values over five years, iSeeCars, an auto search engine, found that luxury-brand cars and larger vehicles tend to depreciate more rapidly than moderately priced, non-luxury models.

“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 Karl Brauer, executive analyst for iSeeCars.

Additionally, luxury-inclined drivers are likely willing to pay a premium and want to drive new cars, while many used-car buyers simply want affordable, dependable transportation.

Today's Top Offers

10 Cars That Will Lose the Most Value in Less Than 10 Years

When shopping for a new car, depreciation down the road isn’t a high priority. But it isn’t something to neglect either. Cars are always expensive, so buying a replacement sooner than you’d like is something you want to avoid, as are these 10 cars that lose their value the fastest, according to iSeeCars research.