Every car loses value the moment it's driven off the lot — but not at the same rate. Some brands and models consistently hold their value far better than others. Here's what actually drives that difference.
Reliability reputation matters more than almost anything
Buyers pay a premium for cars they trust not to break down. Brands with a long track record of mechanical reliability tend to depreciate more slowly, simply because used buyers are willing to pay more for the same age and mileage.
Running costs eat into resale value
A car that's cheap to insure, service, and repair holds a wider pool of buyers than one with expensive parts or specialist-only servicing. This is part of why some luxury and performance brands, despite strong initial demand, depreciate faster once buyers start pricing in long-term running costs.
The EV transition adds uncertainty
Electric and hybrid models are a newer factor in the depreciation picture. Battery health, charging infrastructure, and rapidly improving newer models all affect how quickly an EV loses value compared to an equivalent combustion car — and this is still shifting year to year as the market matures.
Documented history changes everything
Two identical cars, same age and mileage, can have very different resale values depending on what can be proven about their past. A full, verifiable history — clean accident record, consistent mileage, documented maintenance — consistently commands a higher price than "trust me" from a private seller.
This is a starting point — we'll be expanding this into a full, data-backed breakdown by brand and model soon.