CarResaleValue Research
The 2026 Car Depreciation Report
Depreciation is the biggest cost of owning a car, yet it is largely invisible until you sell. To make it concrete, we analyzed 30,968 used-car listings across 44 models to measure how much value cars actually lose — and which ones, brands, and body styles hold up best.
Key Findings
- The typical car loses about 32% of its value over five years — roughly $13,300 on the average new price.
- The Toyota Tacoma holds value best, losing just 13.7% (it retains about 86%).
- The Tesla Model Y depreciates fastest, shedding 51.6% over five years.
- Pickup Trucks hold value best of any body style (26% average), while suvs depreciate most (33%).
- Toyota is the strongest brand for resale (19% average depreciation); Chevrolet the weakest (36%).
Figures are mileage-adjusted five-year depreciation from observed listings. Read the full methodology.
The big picture
How much value the average car loses
Across 44 current-market models, the median five-year depreciation is 31.6% — about $13,300 on the average new price. The gap between best and worst is enormous.
32%
Median 5-year loss
$13,300
Avg. dollars lost
14%
Best value holder
52%
Fastest depreciator
Winners
Cars that hold their value best
The ten models with the slowest five-year depreciation in the current market.
| # | Model | 5-yr depreciation | Value retained | Avg used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Tacoma | 13.7% | 86.3% | $38,473 |
| 2 | Honda Civic | 14.2% | 85.8% | $23,843 |
| 3 | Toyota Corolla | 14.6% | 85.4% | $21,214 |
| 4 | Toyota RAV4 | 16.9% | 83.1% | $28,787 |
| 5 | Toyota 4Runner | 17.8% | 82.2% | $40,829 |
| 6 | Ford Bronco | 19.1% | 80.9% | $54,108 |
| 7 | Subaru Crosstrek | 21.8% | 78.2% | $23,765 |
| 8 | Toyota Camry | 21.8% | 78.2% | $21,532 |
| 9 | Honda Accord | 22.6% | 77.4% | $25,493 |
| 10 | Ford F-150 | 22.9% | 77.1% | $50,388 |
Losers
The fastest-depreciating cars
The ten models that shed the most value over five years — where used buyers find the deepest discounts.
| # | Model | 5-yr depreciation | Value retained | Avg used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model Y | 51.6% | 48.4% | $35,847 |
| 2 | BMW X5 | 50.7% | 49.3% | $39,267 |
| 3 | Tesla Model 3 | 50.6% | 49.4% | $28,999 |
| 4 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 45.3% | 54.7% | $27,561 |
| 5 | BMW 3 Series | 43.5% | 56.5% | $30,284 |
| 6 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 42.9% | 57.1% | $22,859 |
| 7 | Chevrolet Equinox | 40.9% | 59.1% | $18,879 |
| 8 | Ford Escape | 40.5% | 59.5% | $19,534 |
| 9 | Ford Explorer | 39.5% | 60.5% | $28,769 |
| 10 | Dodge Charger | 37.1% | 62.9% | $29,141 |
By body style
Which vehicle types hold value best
Average five-year depreciation by body style (lower is better).
By brand
Which brands hold value best
Average five-year depreciation across each brand's ranked models (lower is better).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the average car depreciate in five years?
In our 2026 analysis of 30,968 used-car listings, the typical model lost about 32% of its original value over five years, roughly $13,300 on the average new price. The range is wide — from about 14% for the strongest value holders to 52% for the fastest depreciators — so the make, model, and body style matter far more than any single average.
Which car holds its value best, and which loses value fastest?
The Toyota Tacoma holds value best in this study, losing only 13.7% over five years. At the other end, the Tesla Model Y depreciates fastest at 51.6%. Both are model-level figures from observed listings; a specific vehicle's trim, mileage, condition, and local demand still move its value.
What type of vehicle holds its value best?
Pickup Trucks lead on resale value in this study, with an average five-year depreciation of about 26%, led by the Toyota Tacoma. Trucks and body-on-frame SUVs generally depreciate more slowly than sedans, while luxury and some electric models lose value fastest. Compare within the body style you are actually shopping.
How is this depreciation study calculated?
We compute mileage-adjusted depreciation from observed used-car listings: each asking price is normalized to a standard 12,000 miles per year for the vehicle's age, adjusted from asking toward an estimated sale price, and compared against the original base MSRP. We fit a smoothed retention curve per model and read the five-year point. Only current-market models with a complete five-year cohort (44 models here) are included, so the figures reflect real listing data rather than modeled residual estimates.
Methodology & citation
Findings are computed from 30,968 observed used-car listings across 44current-market models with a complete five-year cohort. Each listing's asking price is normalized to 12,000 miles per year for the vehicle's age, adjusted by a 5% asking-to-sale estimate, and compared against the original base MSRP; a smoothed retention curve is fit per model. Data updated June 2026. Free to cite with attribution to CarResaleValue. Full methodology.