Cars That Lose the Most Money on Resale

Buying a car is not only about the price you pay on day one. The bigger question is often what the car will be worth when you sell it. Depreciation can quietly become one of the most expensive parts of ownership, especially if a vehicle loses half or more of its value within a few years.

Recent resale studies show a clear pattern: electric vehicles, large luxury sedans, premium SUVs, and expensive models with high running costs tend to lose the most money. iSeeCars found that the average five-year depreciation rate was 41.8% in its 2026 analysis, while electric vehicles lost 57.2% on average over five years. Electric and luxury models also made up 24 of the 25 worst vehicles for value loss.