30 Surprising Cars That Lose Value Fast

There’s no surefire way to know how fast your new car will succumb to depreciation. After all, you can rapidly accelerate the rate at which it loses value by putting on miles too fast, going too long between oil changes or crashing it into a tree. However, provided there aren’t any major unanticipated depreciation events, there are ways to predict how fast a car will lose its value based on its make and model.

GOBankingRates conducted a study to find 30 popular cars that lose their value fairly quickly. Using Edmunds.com’s True Cost to Own calculator, the study shows just how fast you should expect your new car’s value to deteriorate. It uses the following assumptions:

• You will drive 15,000 miles per year
• You are using traditional financing rather than a lease
• You have an above-average credit rating
• You make a 10% down payment at purchase
• Your loan term is five years

With those assumptions in place, GOBankingRates looked at the cost breakdown of each car for estimates across various spending categories — such as insurance, fuel and maintenance costs — as well as depreciation over the first five years. This gives you a better idea of how much it will actually cost to own and drive that car. It’s important to remember your monthly payment is just one of many costs you will continuously encounter over your car’s life.

So, see if one of these 30 well-known cars is sitting in your driveway and just how much value it will have lost after five years of driving.

Last updated: June 2, 2021

• Total cash price: $33,862
• Five-year drop in value: 29.16%
• Five-year depreciation total: $9,875
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,765
  • Financing: $5,293
  • Fuel: $14,774
  • Insurance: $5,148
  • Maintenance: $3,925
  • Repairs: $1,565
• True cost to own: $44,345

• Total cash price: $39,726
• Five-year drop in value: 29.62%
• Five-year depreciation total: $11,766
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $4,427
  • Financing: $6,210
  • Fuel: $16,407
  • Insurance: $6,954
  • Maintenance: $5,011
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $51,548

• Total cash price: $29,532
• Five-year drop in value: 33.98%
• Five-year depreciation total: $10,036
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,502
  • Financing: $4,616
  • Fuel: $14,063
  • Insurance: $6,098
  • Maintenance: $5,377
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $44,465

• Total cash price: $47,654
• Five-year drop in value: 36.75%
• Five-year depreciation total: $17,512
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $5,647
  • Financing: $7,449
  • Fuel: $16,407
    
  • Insurance: $5,846
  • Maintenance: $5,496
  • Repairs: $966
• True cost to own: $59,323

• Total cash price: $26,819
• Five-year drop in value: 37.92%
• Five-year depreciation total: $10,170
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,049
  • Financing: $4,192
  • Fuel: $9,849
  • Insurance: $5,678
  • Maintenance: $4,683
  • Repairs: $917
    
• True cost to own: $38,538

• Total cash price: $28,457
• Five-year drop in value: 38.09%
• Five-year depreciation total: $10,838
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,197
  • Financing: $4,448
  • Fuel: $9,849
  • Insurance: $6,698
  • Maintenance: $4,982
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $40,785

• Total cash price: $24,164
• Five-year drop in value: 38.55%
• Five-year depreciation total: $9,316
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $2,780
  • Financing: $3,777
  • Fuel: $11,818
  • Insurance: $6,504
  • Maintenance: $5,750
  • Repairs: $945
• True cost to own: $40,890

• Total cash price: $40,317
• Five-year drop in value: 39.13%
• Five-year depreciation total: $15,775
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $4,349
  • Financing: $6,302
  • Fuel: $12,311
  • Insurance: $6,371
  • Maintenance: $5,350
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $51,231

• Total cash price: $30,625
• Five-year drop in value: 39.98%
• Five-year depreciation total: $12,244
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,680
  • Financing: $4,787
  • Fuel: $12,842
  • Insurance: $8,735
  • Maintenance: $4,221
  • Repairs: $966
• True cost to own: $47,475

• Total cash price: $26,982
• Five-year drop in value: 40.35%
• Five-year depreciation total: $10,888
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,057
  • Financing: $4,218
  • Fuel: $10,184
  • Insurance: $6,457
  • Maintenance: $5,244
  • Repairs: $945
• True cost to own: $40,993

• Total cash price: $37,080
• Five-year drop in value: 41.50%
• Five-year depreciation total: $15,389
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $4,249
  • Financing: $5,796
  • Fuel: $14,774
  • Insurance: $7,715
  • Maintenance: $5,436
  • Repairs: $1,043
• True cost to own: $54,402

• Total cash price: $32,018
• Five-year drop in value: 41.73%
• Five-year depreciation total: $13,362
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,578
  • Financing: $5,005
  • Fuel: $13,273
  • Insurance: $6,983
  • Maintenance: $4,700
  • Repairs: $1,022
• True cost to own: $47,923

• Total cash price: $43,216
• Five-year drop in value: 42.10%
• Five-year depreciation total: $18,194
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $4,670
  • Financing: $6,755
  • Fuel: $7,386
  • Insurance: $7,234
  • Maintenance: $5,734
  • Repairs: $887
• True cost to own: $50,860

• Total cash price: $31,778
• Five-year drop in value: 42.43%
• Five-year depreciation total: $13,484
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,796
  • Financing: $4,968
  • Fuel: $12,842
  • Insurance: $8,601
  • Maintenance: $4,873
  • Repairs: $966
• True cost to own: $49,530

• Total cash price: $24,833
• Five-year drop in value: 42.77%
• Five-year depreciation total: $10,620
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $2,829
  • Financing: $3,882
  • Fuel: $8,963
  • Insurance: $6,237
  • Maintenance: $3,987
  • Repairs: $917
• True cost to own: $37,435

• Total cash price: $21,161
• Five-year drop in value: 43.17%
• Five-year depreciation total: $9,135
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $2,457
  • Financing: $3,308
  • Fuel: $10,184
  • Insurance: $6,922
  • Maintenance: $3,755
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $36,534

• Total cash price: $31,082
• Five-year drop in value: 44.45%
• Five-year depreciation total: $13,817
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,519
  • Financing: $4,859
  • Fuel: $9,534
  • Insurance: $7,921
  • Maintenance: $3,905
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $44,328

• Total cash price: $32,355
• Five-year drop in value: 44.61%
• Five-year depreciation total: $14,432
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,567
  • Financing: $5,058
  • Fuel: $13,433
  • Insurance: $5,963
  • Maintenance: $5,718
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $48,944

• Total cash price: $25,949
• Five-year drop in value: 44.71%
• Five-year depreciation total: $11,603
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,125
  • Financing: $4,056
  • Fuel: $10,184
  • Insurance: $6,777
  • Maintenance: $6,736
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $43,254

• Total cash price: $98,964
• Five-year drop in value: 44.79%
• Five-year depreciation total: $44,324
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $10,717
  • Financing: $15,470
  • Fuel: $22,745
  • Insurance: $9,631
  • Maintenance: $7,361
  • Repairs: $1,243
• True cost to own: $111,491

• Total cash price: $25,559
• Five-year drop in value: 44.93%
• Five-year depreciation total: $11,484
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $2,825
  • Financing: $3,995
  • Fuel: $10,558
  • Insurance: $7,207
  • Maintenance: $5,919
  • Repairs: $1,071
• True cost to own: $43,059

• Total cash price: $28,307
• Five-year drop in value: 44.94%
• Five-year depreciation total: $12,720
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,167
  • Financing: $4,425
  • Fuel: $10,184
  • Insurance: $6,354
  • Maintenance: $5,421
  • Repairs: $945
• True cost to own: $43,216

• Total cash price: $37,941
• Five-year drop in value: 46.35%
• Five-year depreciation total: $17,585
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $4,114
  • Financing: $5,931
  • Fuel: $13,273
  • Insurance: $6,187
  • Maintenance: $5,687
  • Repairs: $1,205
• True cost to own: $53,982

• Total cash price: $27,632
• Five-year drop in value: 47.35%
• Five-year depreciation total: $13,085
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,178
  • Financing: $4,319
  • Fuel: $10,558
  • Insurance: $5,948
  • Maintenance: $5,368
  • Repairs: $858
• True cost to own: $43,314

• Total cash price: $27,755
• Five-year drop in value: 47.65%
• Five-year depreciation total: $13,224
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,251
  • Financing: $4,339
  • Fuel: $11,818
  • Insurance: $6,419
  • Maintenance: $3,479
  • Repairs: $1,488
• True cost to own: $44,018

• Total cash price: $49,276
• Five-year drop in value: 48.46%
• Five-year depreciation total: $23,878
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $5,456
  • Financing: $7,703
  • Fuel: $12,842
  • Insurance: $8,086
  • Maintenance: $7,195
  • Repairs: $1,087
• True cost to own: $66,247

• Total cash price: $42,556
• Five-year drop in value: 48.64%
• Five-year depreciation total: $20,700
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $4,661
  • Financing: $6,652
  • Fuel: $12,311
  • Insurance: $7,116
  • Maintenance: $4,766
  • Repairs: $1,071
• True cost to own: $57,277

• Total cash price: $32,911
• Five-year drop in value: 51.29%
• Five-year depreciation total: $16,879
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,863
  • Financing: $5,145
  • Fuel: $14,063
  • Insurance: $5,582
  • Maintenance: $6,293
  • Repairs: $966
• True cost to own: $52,791

• Total cash price: $33,803
• Five-year drop in value: 52.94%
• Five-year depreciation total: $17,894
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $4,009
  • Financing: $5,284
  • Fuel: $13,273
  • Insurance: $9,491
  • Maintenance: $4,772
  • Repairs: $773
• True cost to own: $55,496

• Total cash price: $34,617
• Five-year drop in value: 54.11%
• Five-year depreciation total: $18,731
• Five-year totals for:
  • Taxes and fees: $3,735
  • Financing: $5,411
  • Fuel: $14,063
  • Insurance: $6,317
  • Maintenance: $5,227
  • Repairs: $1,488
• True cost to own: $54,972

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Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the top 30 most researched vehicles (that had available data) according to Edmunds.com during March 2020 to discover how quickly these cars will depreciate over five years. Using the Edmunds.com’s True Cost to Own pricing calculator, GOBankingRates analyzed each vehicle and found the five-year totals for (1) depreciation, (2) taxes and fees, (3) financing, (4) fuel costs, (5) insurance, (6) maintenance and (7) repairs. GOBankingRates then calculated the (8) five-year drop in value (%) for each vehicle. Depreciation costs were shown for each year while the remaining factors were only given five-year totals. GOBankingRates only considered 2020 models and kept the location for the calculations constant, using the ZIP code 90245 (El Segundo, California). The Edmunds Inc. True Cost to Own calculations use the following assumptions:

• You will drive 15,000 miles per year
• You are financing the vehicle using traditional financing, not lease financing
• You have an above-average credit rating for the purpose of determining your finance rate
• You are making a 10% down payment on the vehicle at purchase
• Your loan term is five years or 60 months

The seven aforementioned totals were combined to give each car a (9) “true cost to own” value. Depreciation for each vehicle was calculated and based off each model’s (10) total cash price, which is the vehicle’s True Market Value‌® (TMV‌®) price plus any typically equipped options, destination charge, base tax, fees assessed by your state and, if applicable, gas guzzler tax.