Best and worst cars for depreciation revealed

The best and worst cars for depreciation have been showcased thanks to research revealed today.

A collaboration between What Car? and valuations experts Cap HPI found the 10 slowest and 10 fastest depreciating new cars on sale today, based on an estimated trade-in valuation following 36,000 miles of use.

The top 10 slowest-depreciating cars included a series of electrified vehicles, including the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, Tesla Model 3 and Porsche Taycan which were found to retain 57.6, 58.2 and 60.9 per cent of their values after three years respectively.

Porsche was a strong contender in the top 10, too, with five of its cars entering into the least-depreciating list. The firm’s new 718 Cayman 4.0 GT4 was rated as the slowest depreciating car in the UK, in fact, retaining 72.4 per cent of its value.

However, in contrast, many of the fastest depreciating models held less than a third of their value within the same time scale. The Audi A8 55 TFSI quattro Vorsprung, for instance, came out as the fastest depreciating model, holding onto just 27.3 per cent of its total value. It represents a loss of over £77,000.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: “There are a number of factors that influence how a car depreciates. As our research shows, badge appeal and a high list price are no guarantee of a slow depreciating car.

“Factors such as what segment it falls into, how well it has sold, the trim and option levels available, and fuel types all influence how well a car holds its value over the years. It’s important buyers do their homework when choosing a next car, especially if they are looking to trade it in or sell it on in a few years.”

The list of fastest-depreciating models included more low-cost models such as the Fiat 500 Convertible, which held onto 29.2 per cent of its value, as well as the Vauxhall Combo Life 1.2 Turbo 130 Elite, which retained 28.8 per cent of its value – equivalent to a loss of just over £8,000.