Value & depreciation
Fastest-Depreciating Cars
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 fastest-depreciating vehicles. Higher number = more value lost. Industry average: 41.8%.
- Nissan LEAF Depreciates fastest 63.1%
- Infiniti QX80 62.8%
- Volkswagen ID.4 62.1%
- Tesla Model S 62.0%
- Land Rover Range Rover 61.7%
- BMW 7 Series 61.6%
- Tesla Model X 61.2%
- Ford Mustang Mach-E 60.8%
- BMW 5 Series (hybrid) 59.5%
- Infiniti QX60 58.3%
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport 58.3%
- Audi Q5 (hybrid) 58.2%
- Land Rover Discovery 57.9%
- Tesla Model Y 57.8%
- Audi A8 L 57.6%
- Kia Niro EV 57.3%
- Audi Q7 57.2%
- BMW X5 (hybrid) 57.1%
- Nissan Armada 57.0%
- Cadillac Escalade ESV 57.0%
- Audi A7 56.5%
- Hyundai Kona Electric 56.5%
- Jaguar F-PACE 56.5%
- Ford Expedition MAX 56.3%
- Lincoln Navigator / Navigator L 56.3%
Why this matters for your cost of ownership
This is the list with two faces. If you buy one of these models new, you're absorbing the steepest value loss in the market — a punishing cost-of-ownership penalty that no fuel savings can offset. But that same steep curve is a gift to the used buyer: a three-to-five-year-old example of one of these cars can deliver luxury, performance, or EV features for a fraction of the original price, because someone else already paid the depreciation. Smart shoppers let the first owner eat the loss. Run both scenarios — buying new vs. buying lightly used — through our TCO calculator to see the difference.
Open the 5-Year TCO calculatorHow this ranking is measured
Same iSeeCars 2026 dataset as the best-value-retention list — over 950,000 five-year-old used cars sold between March 2025 and February 2026, with depreciation measured as the percentage of original price lost. This list inverts the ranking to show the fastest-depreciating models. Electric vehicles and luxury models (especially large luxury SUVs and full-size sedans) lose value fastest, driven by rapid technology turnover, high original prices, and soft used-market demand.
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
What car depreciates the fastest?
In the iSeeCars 2026 study, the Nissan LEAF depreciates fastest, losing 63.1% of its value over five years, followed by the Infiniti QX80 (62.8%) and Volkswagen ID.4 (62.1%). Electric vehicles, large luxury SUVs, and full-size luxury sedans fill most of the list.
Should I avoid cars that depreciate fast?
It depends on whether you buy new or used. Buying one new means absorbing the worst value loss in the market — generally a poor financial move. But buying one used, after the first owner has taken the depreciation hit, can be a genuine bargain: you get the same vehicle for far less. The car isn't 'bad' — the timing of when you buy is what matters.
Why do luxury cars and EVs depreciate so fast?
Luxury vehicles start with high prices and expensive optional equipment that the used market discounts heavily; they also carry higher repair and maintenance costs that scare off second owners. EVs depreciate fast because battery technology and range improve quickly, incentives shift, and buyers worry about battery life — all of which push used prices down. The result is steep five-year value loss for both.
How can I use depreciation to my advantage?
Buy a lightly used example of a fast-depreciating model. A two-to-three-year-old luxury car or EV from this list can cost 40–60% less than new while still having most of its service life ahead. You let the original owner pay for the depreciation, and you capture the value. Just budget for the higher maintenance these vehicles can carry, and check reliability before you commit.
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