Buying & Leasing a Car

2011 Best New Car Values: Best Resale Value

An important measure of a vehicle’s value -- and appeal -- is what it’s expected to be worth three and five years down the road.

by: The Kiplinger Washington Editors

January 1, 2012

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An important measure of a vehicle’s value -- and appeal -- is what it’s expected to be worth three and five years down the road. These figures, supplied by Kelley Blue Book, are the estimated price a dealer would pay if you traded in the vehicle, expressed as a percentage of the original sticker price. To win best-resale plaudits, the model must first be selected as one of the top 25 vehicles in its category. Then we pick the vehicle with the highest three-year resale value. No model is eligible for the award if another trim level of the same model has won Best Resale in a previous category. Check out our top picks by clicking the navigation bar to your right:

Data comes from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com (new vehicle data from 12/28/10, resale values from January/February 2011 Kelley Blue Book® Residual Value Guide); Vincentric (service and insurance costs); and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (Top Safety Picks). Fair Purchase Price, also supplied by Kelley Blue book, is based on actual new vehicle transactions across the country.

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Best Resale Value: Under $20,000

Scion xBSticker price: $16,720 (manual) Invoice price: $15,920 Fair Purchase Price: $16,971 Five-year service cost: $3,420 One-year insurance cost: $1,014 Resale value after 3 years: 57%; 5 years: 37% MPG city: 22; highway: 28 Scion xB keeps its rep as an edgy, hip vehicle that also offers scads of utility -- and, as a bonus, a three-year resale value of 57% (head and shoulders above the rest of the category). Also in the xB toolbox: decent fuel economy, a capacious 22 cubic feet of cargo space and low insurance costs.

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Best Resale Value: $20,000-$25,000

Mini Cooper ClubmanSticker price: $21,800 (manual) Invoice price: $19,690 Fair Purchase Price: $21,800 Five-year service cost: $5,446 One-year insurance cost: $1,129 Resale value after 3 years: 64%; 5 years: 42% MPG city: 27; highway: 35 Minis are noted for high resale values, and Clubman adds versatility by adding eight inches of length to the Cooper. That translates into more rear legroom and 50% more cargo space but doesn’t compromise the Mini’s greatest strength: maneuverability.

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Best Resale Value: $25,000-$30,000

Subaru Impreza WRX

Sticker price: $26,220 (base)
Invoice price: $24,80
Fair Purchase Price: $25,696
Five-year service cost: $4,862
One-year insurance cost: $1,507
Resale value after 3 years: 55%; 5 years: 36%
MPG city: 19; highway: 25

The turbocharged version of the Impreza boosts the three-year resale value from the base model’s 51% to 55% -- and bumps up horsepower by 95, to 265 horses. That’s a feat few in this category can achieve with only four cylinders. The drag-race-worthy WRX STI trim tops 300 horsepower and matches the WRX’s resale values.

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Best Resale Value: $30,000-$45,000

Audi A5 2.0T Quattro

Sticker price: $37,375 (Premium)
Invoice price: $34,821
Five-year service cost: $5,967
One-year insurance cost: $1,753
Resale value after 3 years: 67%; 5 years: 42%
MPG city: 21; highway: 31

The A5 offers the fuel-thrifty, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine of the A4 in a sleeker coupe or drop-top body. The A5’s three-year resale value bests other models in this category by at least nine percentage points. It also ties the Lexus GX 460 SUV for the highest three-year resale of all our winners. Fair Purchase Price: $37,001

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Best Resale Value: Over $45,000

Audi S5 Quattro

Sticker price: $55,175 (Premium Plus)
Invoice price: $51,374
Fair Purchase Price: $54,072
Five-year service cost: $7,383
One-year insurance cost: $2,140
Resale value after 3 years: 56%; 5 years: 34%
MPG city: 16; highway: 24

A5’s sportier (and pricier) sibling, the S5, also takes top resale plaudits in the luxury segment. It’s powered by a 4.2-liter V8 and puts out 354 horses. Although it’s a coupe, the 16-cubic-foot trunk can handle luggage for the weekend or golf bags (or both).

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Best Resale Value: Sports

BMW M3

Sticker price: $57,575 (sedan)
Invoice price: $53,145
Fair Purchase Price: $57,575
Five-year service cost: $6,670
One-year insurance cost: $1,932
Resale value after 3 years: 64%; 5 years: 41%
MPG city: 14; highway: 20

BMW’s venerable 3-series on steroids is in such high demand that it beats its closest competition on resale value by a significant margin. After three years, it’s worth a whopping 64% of the original sticker price.

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Best Resale Value: Small Crossovers

Honda CR-V

Sticker price: $23,725 (LX)
Invoice price: $22,134
Fair Purchase Price: $23,250
Five-year service cost: $3,165
One-year insurance cost: $935
Resale value after 3 years: 62%; 5 years: 43%
MPG city: 21; highway: 28

On the resale front, Honda’s small crossover benefits from the brand’s reputation for quality and reliability. Named a 2011 Worth a Look, CR-V boasts the lowest insurance costs in the category, ample legroom and cargo space, and good power (for a four-cylinder, which means it won’t break the bank on fuel). It was also a top-ten best-seller for 2010.

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Best Resale Value: Large and Midsize Crossovers

BMW X5 xDrive35d

Sticker price: $52,175
Invoice price: $48,070
Fair Purchase Price: $50,923
Five-year service cost: $4,729
One-year insurance cost: $1,446
Resale value after 3 years: 64%; 5 years: 46%
MPG city: 19; highway: 26

The diesel X5 wins Best Resale honors again this year with stellar three-year numbers and the highest five-year resale value of all our winners. It beats the three-year resale value of the gas-engine 35i by three percentage points, while improving city and highway mileage by nearly 20%. The torque-heavy turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel engine takes the 35d from zero to 60 in seven seconds.

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Best Resale Value: Truck-based SUVs

Lexus GX 460

Sticker price: $53,220 (base)
Invoice price: $47,460
Fair Purchase Price: $53,220
Five-year service cost: $4,223
One-year insurance cost: $2,134
Resale value after 3 years: 67%; 5 years: 45%
MPG city: 15; highway: 20

Lexus’s GX 460 carries seven passengers in comfort and style and also carries the Lexus reputation for reliability -- which helps it tie the Audi A5 for highest three-year resale value of all our winners. The reclining second row slides four inches fore or aft to boost legroom or cargo space and has a 60/40 split for walk-in access to the third row.

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Best Resale Value: Minivans

Honda Odyssey

Sticker price: $28,580 (LX)
Invoice price: $25,976
Fair Purchase Price: $28,580
Five-year service cost: $3,995
One-year insurance cost: $960
Resale value after 3 years: 54%; 5 years: 34%
MPG city: 18; highway: 27

Honda reliability helps boost the redesigned Odyssey's long-term value. The LX sweeps the minivan awards this year, taking Best in Class and Best New and Most Fuel-Efficient minivan. It claims a resale value of 54% after three years and über-low insurance costs.

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Best Resale Value: Wagons

Subaru Outback

Sticker price: $29,220 (2.5i Limited)
Invoice price: $27,455
Fair Purchase Price: $29,220
Five-year service cost: $4,752
One-year insurance cost: $1,076
Resale value after 3 years: 60%; 5 years: 38%
MPG city: 22; highway: 29

Also the Best in Class winner, Subaru’s Outback takes top resale value honors in the wagon category. The rugged, almost-big-enough-to-be-a-crossover wagon has scads of storage room, plenty of room for five, top scores for safety and Subaru’s standard all-wheel drive.