Status-seeking luxury-brand buyers and frugal environmentalists rarely find themselves lumped into the same category.
But both groups tend to see the value of the cars they prefer plunge dramatically, according to a recent analysis by iSeeCars.
The online automotive search engine and research website says luxury sedans make up 6 of the 10 vehicles with the highest depreciation rates from their original value.
Meanwhile, being friendly to the Earth can be hostile to your wallet, according to the rankings. Four alternative-fuel vehicles also had the dubious honor of making the list.
The 10 vehicles with the worst depreciation rates are:
- Maserati Quattroporte: Loses 72.2% of its value after five years, on average
- BMW 7 Series: 71.3%
- Nissan Leaf: 71%
- BMW i3: 70.9%
- BMW 5 Series: 69.2%
- Acura RLX: 69.2%
- Ford Fusion Energi: 69.1%
- BMW 6 Series: 69%
- Jaguar XJL: 68.9%
- Chevrolet Volt: 68.1%
Phong Ly, the CEO of iSeeCars, says luxury cars see their value quickly fade in part because owners tend to trade them in once they are outdated.
Shoppers for these cars are reluctant to pay a high premium for a car that is dated, expensive to maintain and has an overall high cost of ownership, Ly says.
Several factors quickly zap the value of eco-friendly cars, Ly says:
“Previous government incentives contribute to the steep depreciation of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles because their resale value is based off their lower post-incentive sticker price. Outdated technology also contributes to their dramatic depreciation …”
At the other end of the spectrum, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited holds on to its value better than any other vehicle. It loses just 30% of its value after five years, on average.
The average depreciation rate for all cars was 49.6%.
In its analysis, iSeeCars looked at more than 6.9 million new cars from model year 2014 that were sold in 2014, and more than 800,000 used cars from the same model year that were sold in 2019.
Thinking about buying a new car? Make sure to do your homework first. Find out how to get started by reading “6 Websites Everyone Should Check Before Buying a Car.”
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