The Slowest Depreciating Cars 2025
One of the main factors in deciding which car to buy next can be how much it will depreciate, or its residual value. The ability for a car to hold on to its value better can result in everything from lower payments on your finance package, greater bargaining during part exchanging or greater equity and cash back in your pocket when it comes time to sell.
With that in mind, a car that holds on to its value better than others can make your buying decision easier and could sway your decision between which particular make or model you are looking to purchase. To work out which cars hold on to their residual value better, we need to look at how much percentage of that value is retained after the industry average of 3 years and 36,000 miles after the car was bought when new.
With the start of a new year, the data from the CDL Vehicle Information Services for 2024 has been confirmed and analysed by popular publication Auto Express to reveal which vehicles hold on to their value better than all the others. The average value retained regardless of fuel type for new cars is 47.7% based upon their part-exchange value after 3 years and 36,000 miles covered.
When this is converted to retail values between how the two are powered, the average residual value of an EV is over 15% lower than the average retained value of combustion engine vehicles, according to data from Auto Trader. With the number of brand-new combustion engine vehicles available diminishing over the coming years, is this divide likely to widen even further? Only time will tell.
With that in mind here is our countdown of the Top 10 Slowest Depreciating Cars as of the beginning of 2025:
10 – Porsche Macan
The Macan has been one of Porsche’s biggest selling models since its introduction, in fact since 2014 they have sold over half a million globally. With the popularity of SUV’s at an all-time high and the fact that Porsche have ensured that the Macan is one of the most enjoyable to drive means it is easy to see why they sell so well. It was also one of our most funded cars last year for our customers too, with 130 Macan models funded in 2024 alone making it our 7th most popular vehicle.
What is interesting however is the fact that despite the latest Macan switching to EV only, in the UK and North America in particular the combustion engine variant remains on sale for the foreseeable future. It is that petrol engine version that makes it into 10th place for the slowest depreciating cars at the moment, despite the appeal of the all-new electric variant.
With the range starting at just under £56,000, the smallest of Porsche’s SUVs retains 63% of its value after 3 years and 36,000 miles, resulting in a part exchange value of just over £35,000. Interestingly the electric variant is also one of the slowest depreciating EV’s on the market, but its 59.4% value retained cannot compete with the petrol version for residual value. With the combustion engine variant potentially on limited time as a brand-new vehicle, this could also mean that it holds on to its value better than ever over the next few years.
9 – Mercedes V-Class
If you need to transport more than 7 people and their luggage at any one time, there are very limited options available to new car buyers. Short of buying a minibus or taking two cars the options are limited to the Ford Transit based Tourneo Custom, the Land Rover Defender 130 or the Mercedes Benz V-Class. For brand snobbery, whilst the Defender certainly offers the same prestige badge as the Mercedes, it cannot compete in terms of space and practicality. Whereas offering the same number of seats and the addition of windows in the Ford won’t dispel the ‘white van man’ image that many feel it would come with.
The Mercedes Benz V-Class offers executive levels of comfort and refinement for all 8 occupants and can easily take an abundance of luggage at the same time. Its flexibility and dependability ensures that just because you are transporting a number of people and are limited to just a few models, it doesn’t mean you have to compromise on luxury and desirability.
Despite its starting price of just over £75,000 the V-Class manages to retain just over 63% of its price when new, meaning after 3 years and 36,000 miles it has a trade in value of around £47,800. Large executive vehicles are often the ones that really struggle to hold on to their value after a few years, maybe the scarcity of a vehicle that can carry 8 in comfort means that the V-Class bucks the usual trend.
8 – Dacia Duster
Who would have thought that amongst this array of prestige cars from some of the most sought after brands in the automotive industry there would be a cheap affordable car also included. With the prices of most things, but in particular new cars, rising at a considerable rate recently, perhaps it isn’t too surprising that an affordable alternative is highly sought after. Despite being founded in 1966 Dacia was only popular in Eastern Europe, in particular home country, Romania. Following acquisition and a rebrand in 2008 by now parent company Renault, the brand was slated to be sold across the whole of Europe and in 2013 came to our shores.
With the popularity of SUV’s in recent years it is hardly surprising that the Duster is one of the brand’s most popular models. In fact, it is second only to the Sandero and is responsible for almost a quarter of all Dacia’s ever sold since the company formed, some 2.4 million vehicles. Despite the range starting at just £18,850, as well as off-road capability, room for all the family and their luggage, the latest Duster comes with a touchscreen display, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, cruise control, hill start assist, parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and much more, all as standard.
Such value for money means that the demand for the model has continued to rise and the strong residual values reflect that. The Duster’s ability to offer such slow depreciation mans that in 3 years and 36,000 miles when you come to part exchange your vehicle you will have lost on average just £6,870. That works out at just 36.7% of the value and a residual value of 63.3%. It just goes to show that even though you are saving money in the first place, doesn’t mean you are sacrificing the value that will be left in the car when it comes time to sell it.
7 – Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery was introduced as the mid-point between the utilitarian (at the time) Defender and the comfort and usability of the Range Rover. It aimed at providing all the off-road ability you’d ever need yet be able to just as easily be used for the school run and never venture off the road at all. After 5 generations and 36 years these days it has even grown into its own sub-brand amongst the Land Rover / Range Rover products.
Despite nearing 8 years since the current Discovery 5 was launched its appeal and desirability remain strong amongst consumers. The latest version is even more refined and luxurious than ever before, with the premium feel of the Range Rover and its technology and capability on offer for considerably less cost. With its size it is also more flexible and better equipped for those looking for the perfect family SUV that can take on all conditions.
With a starting price of over £52,000 the Discovery sees a return of 63.8% of its value, meaning just over £19,000 has been lost over 3 years and 36,000 miles. Despite the fact it will be due for a replacement any time soon, the appeal and demand for the Discovery is as strong as ever, hence the impressive residual value. With the next model likely to be hybridised or be offered with electric power for the first time, it remains to be seen whether the following model will have the same appeal. Yet with the current iteration providing the best iteration of Discovery yet, the current model will be sought after for some time yet.
6 – Toyota Land Cruiser
The Land Cruiser is a model that has in one way or another been on sale for nearly 75 years. With more than 10 million vehicles sold over that time there have been 15 different model iterations across Light-Duty, Heavy-Duty and Station Wagon. Though incredibly the heavy-duty version is only on its 3rd generation in that time, the latest J70 model has been on sale and merely facelifted since 1985, the ’40 Series’ before that was replaced after a mere 25 years. It is the Light-Duty however that is the only one aimed at luxury and more of a focus on-road capability, and the one that has undergone the biggest overhaul for the all-new model.
Many of the latest models on the market have looked to their past for styling and design inspiration. Ther are plenty of brands that have at least one or two ionic past models that still have large followings, but only the very best can use that appeal when they are launching a brand-new model that is heavily influenced by a legendary vehicle. For the latest smaller iteration, Toyota have drawn on the appeal of the G-Class, Defender and even the Suzuki Jimny and much like a lot of manufacturers these days have gone all retro-modern.
The new for 2024 Land Cruiser is widely regarded as the best performing on the road there has ever been. Along with its iconic Land Cruiser of ‘days gone by’ inspired styling it also is seen as the best looking and the perfect model to take on the appeal of the latest Defender. With a starting price of £75,000 the Land Cruiser isn’t exactly cheap, but what premium cars are these days? Happily however thanks to its appeal and demand, not only is it unavailable to buy on the Toyota website for now, it is also as a result holding its value remarkably well on the pre-owned market. A 3 year old model that has covered 36,000 miles would be expected to hold on to just under £48,000 of its value, an impressive 64%.
5 – Bentley Flying Spur
Large executive saloons generally do not hold on to their value that well, however the saloon version of the ever-popular Continental GT certainly goes against that theory. Whilst it may start off more expensive than rivals from Mercedes, Audi, Porsche and BMW it offers greater luxury, a more upmarket image and the upmost in refinement, but also manages to hold on to its value better despite the original higher purchase cost. With the recent announcement of the forthcoming hybrid assisted Continental GT and expected Flying Spur variant, now could be the perfect time to get your hands on the current purely combustion engine powered model.
Despite the reputation for large luxurious saloon cars losing their value in quite considerable amounts over relatively short periods of time, the Flying Spur manages to do quite the opposite. With the price of the model starting at over £175,000, a loss of more than £60,000 after 3 years and 36,000 miles sounds like a lot of money to lose. However when that works out to be just 34.4% of the original value, the Flying Spur has actually outperformed many of the models seen on last year’s countdown, climbing from 10th to 5th best performing.
4 – Porsche 911
It is not surprising to see the Porsche 911 at the top of the list, the popular sports car is also our most popular funded model by our customers and has been for the past few years. The 992 generation may be coming up to 7 years old now, but the mid-cycle facelift ensures it remains at the very top of its game. 911 models of any age are always sought after prospects and values across the model range hold their value extremely well, especially compared to their rivals.
Porsche owners and buyers are some of the most fastidious when it comes to looking for the perfect specification to ensure their 911 is exactly the way they want it. From the options that merely make the car look just right, to the ones that make it perform better on the road or around a racetrack, for some it just has to have the right boxes ticked. As a result, the 911 remains a very in demand model especially those with all the right equipment.
A well specified 911, perhaps a GTS or Targa, is the best chance (of the non-GT products) of seeing the most return on your original purchase price. With a reasonable specification GTS costing around the £150,000 mark, it manages to retain around 68% of its value after 3 years and 36,000 miles, with a part exchange price of a little over £100,000. Whilst losing around £48,000 of the value isn’t small change, it does outperform its competitors.
3 – Mercedes Benz G-Class
The G-Class has always been a formula that shouldn’t work yet something that is always a desirable prospect. The utilitarian looks and retro styling mixed with the latest technology and Mercedes Benz luxury seems like a strange blend, but in the G-Class it just works and is as popular as ever. Originally a vehicle for the military to drive across the roughest of terrain, the latest version of the G-Class couldn’t be further from its basic roots and is more likely to be seen on the roads of the most upper-class high streets than showing off its off-road capability.
Whereas most people assume a G-Class is the rumbling G63 AMG powerhouse, there are other G-Class’s in the line up. The recent announcement of an all-electric G-Class is sure to see a spike in sales and may appeal to a new type of customer, however it is unlikely to affect the appeal of the current line-up of combustion engine offerings. Then there is the G450 Diesel variant and the G500 for those looking for not quite the full-fat AMG offering. It is however the now 605hp G63 that retains its vale the best.
Aside from the sought after ‘Magno Edition’ and the ‘Manufaktur Edition’ it is a well-specified ‘base’ G63 that sees the most residual value retained. With a few options added there isn’t much change from £200,000 for the ultimate AMG-SUV experience. Using an average of around £195,000 a 3-year-old G-Class with 36,000 miles covered should expect to retain around £130,000 of its value, showcasing almost 68% of its value remaining. With its retro looks and bellowing V8 soundtrack the ultimate G-Class experience might not be around for much longer yet demand looks like it is only going to increase until then.
2 – Land Rover Defender
Whether the following of the ‘original’ Land Rover Defender are the same that are fans of the ‘new’ model remains to be seen, but the demand for the new version is surely something even Land Rover themselves would not have predicted. Despite selling in their tens of thousands the demand for the Defender means that residual values remain strong. The perfect blend of unmatched off-road ability with on-road comfort and capability as well as just enough retro styling hints and utilitarian influences ensures the Defender is as popular as ever.
With the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport about to receive an all-electric version imminently, so far there hasn’t been talk of the same treatment for the Defender. That will surely have to wait until an all new version arrives meaning that the 2025 Defender, apart from some very minor revisions, looks the same as it did when it was first delivered in early 2020. This ensures that variations between models is minimal so demand remains high with no ‘pre-facelift’ model so to speak that would see a drop in values.
As a result, the Defender remains the brand’s best performing when it comes to depreciation. With plenty of trim levels, engine sizes and indeed car sizes to choose from, there is a Defender for everyone. The 5-door Defender 110 in a high specification and with the petrol-hybrid powertrain are the best at retaining their value. In well-equipped X-Dynamic HSE with a few options, your Defender will cost around £86,000 and thanks to the ‘cool-factor’ and the popularity of hybrids tight now, a 3-year old model with 36,000 miles covered will have a part-exchange value of just under £60,000. That means a retention of almost 69%, good enough for second place in our list.
1 – Porsche 718 Cayman
Serial depreciation retaining champions Porsche head our list for yet another year and once again it is for one of their most impressive models money can buy. Last year’s GT3 RS has been replaced by its equally capable sibling, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. The GT4 RS is seen by many as a final swansong for the combustion engine variant of the popular sports car, and a demonstration of what their decades of motorsport engineering can achieve.
500hp from a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine borrowed from the GT3, a top speed of almost 200mph and a complete overhaul of everything from the aerodynamics to the weight saving and the suspension set up means the GT4 RS is a seriously capable vehicle. Its reputation combined with its rarity and the fact that not even Porsche will sell the car to just anyone, means that the GT4 RS is the slowest depreciating car money can buy right now.
The starting price of a GT4 RS is £128,000 yet demand and expectation for this driver’s car meant that for many months after was selling for considerably over list price. Data says that after 3 years and 36,000 miles the part-exchange value is almost 70% of the original list price at just under £90,000, yet try to find one for sale at anywhere near that price and you will be sadly disappointed. Even at that trade in price the model is the slowest depreciating car on sale at the moment, yet a quick search on Auto Trader at time of writing shows that even the earliest 2023 examples, albeit it with an extensive specification, are for sale at over that entry level price. A car in high demand indeed.
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