Value & depreciation
Cars That Hold Their Value Best
Ranked from the iSeeCars Cars That Hold Their Value Best Study (2026). CarOutlay adds the ownership-cost lens — what each result means for the real 5-year cost of owning the car.
The ranking
Top 25 vehicles for value retention. Lower depreciation = better. Industry average: 41.8%.
- Porsche 718 Cayman Holds value best 9.6%
- Porsche 911 11.1%
- Chevrolet Corvette 18.7%
- Toyota Tacoma Best-retaining mainstream vehicle. 19.9%
- Toyota Tundra 21.2%
- Honda Civic 22.9%
- Subaru BRZ 23.7%
- Toyota GR Supra 24.0%
- Toyota RAV4 / RAV4 Hybrid 25.2%
- Toyota Corolla Hatchback 25.5%
- Toyota 4Runner 25.5%
- Lexus RC 300/350 26.6%
- Ford Mustang 26.8%
- Toyota Corolla 27.6%
- Toyota Sienna 28.5%
- Honda HR-V 28.8%
- Honda CR-V 28.9%
- Subaru Crosstrek 29.1%
- Subaru Impreza 29.2%
- Subaru WRX 29.8%
- Toyota Corolla Hybrid 30.1%
- Ford Ranger 30.2%
- Honda Accord 30.5%
- Mazda MX-5 Miata / MX-5 Miata RF 31.5%
- Toyota Prius 32.1%
5-year depreciation by vehicle type
How fast value drops by category. Industry average: 41.8%.
- Trucks Holds value best 34.2%
- Hybrids 35.4%
- Overall average 41.8%
- SUVs 44.9%
- Electric vehicles Depreciate the fastest. 57.2%
Why this matters for your cost of ownership
Depreciation is the largest single cost of owning a new car — usually far bigger than fuel, insurance, or maintenance — yet it never appears on a monthly statement, so most buyers never see it. A car that loses 20% over five years versus one that loses 50% can mean a five-figure swing on the same purchase price. Picking a strong value-retainer is the highest-leverage money decision in car buying. Our TCO calculator makes this invisible cost visible: enter a purchase price and it estimates the depreciation hit across your ownership period.
Open the 5-Year TCO calculatorHow this ranking is measured
iSeeCars analyzed more than 950,000 five-year-old used cars sold between March 2025 and February 2026, comparing each model's used price against its original price when new to compute a five-year depreciation percentage. A lower percentage means the car held more of its value. Sports cars and trucks led retention; electric vehicles depreciated the fastest as a category (57.2%). Toyota placed 10 models in the top 25.
Source: iSeeCars, Cars That Hold Their Value Best Study (2026). Based on over 950,000 five-year-old used cars sold from March 2025 to February 2026. Industry average 5-year depreciation: 41.8%. View the original study ↗
Frequently asked questions
Which cars hold their value best?
In the iSeeCars 2026 study, the Porsche 718 Cayman holds its value best, losing just 9.6% over five years, followed by the Porsche 911 (11.1%) and Chevrolet Corvette (18.7%). Among mainstream vehicles, the Toyota Tacoma (19.9%) and Tundra (21.2%) lead. Trucks and hybrids retain value best as categories; the industry average loss is 41.8%.
How much does a new car depreciate in 5 years?
The average new vehicle loses about 41.8% of its value over its first five years, according to the iSeeCars 2026 study. But the range is enormous: the best value-retainers lose under 20%, while the fastest-depreciating models lose over 60%. Category matters too — trucks lose ~34%, hybrids ~35%, SUVs ~45%, and EVs about 57%.
Why is depreciation the biggest cost of car ownership?
Because it's the value your car silently loses every year whether you drive it or not — and on a typical new car it dwarfs fuel, insurance, and maintenance combined. You only feel it when you sell or trade in, which is why it's so easy to overlook. Choosing a model that depreciates slowly is the most effective way to cut your true cost of ownership.
Do electric cars hold their value?
As a category, no — EVs depreciated the fastest in the iSeeCars 2026 study, losing 57.2% over five years on average, versus 41.8% industry-wide. Rapid technology improvement, changing incentives, and battery-life concerns all weigh on used EV prices. There are exceptions, but on average EVs are the weakest value-retainers, which matters if you plan to sell within a few years.
Related rankings
Get the car ownership cost checklist
A free, plain-English guide to every cost you'll face owning a car — plus occasional updates when state registration fees or tax rules change. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email.