10 Car Brands With The Best Resale Value, Why Subaru Gets The Top Spot

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Which car brands have the best resale value? A new report has Subaru ranked number one. Check out the latest rankings and why Subaru is the top pick for customers.

Subaru has consistently been among the best car brands for resale value. I cover automaker's resale values annually, and a new report from CarEdge says that Subaru is the top car brand for resale value after 3, 5, and 7 years. Keep reading and find out which Subaru model is the best. 

CarEdge says auto research sites have to be careful in what they publish so they don't upset their dealer customers, and with such, they will show you the good news. "On the other hand, we provide you the entire list, from best to worst, with more than 200 vehicle makes and models ranked semi-annually."

The Best Car Brands for Resale Value After 5 Years

  1. Subaru
  2. Mazda
  3. Ram
  4. Volkswagen
  5. Honda 
  6. Toyota
  7. Mitsubishi
  8. Dodge
  9. Kia
  10. Jeep

What does CarEdge say about Subaru?

Subaru ranks first (#1) in retained value after 3, 5, and 7 years of ownership. 

"Subaru earns this high ranking with great performances from its BRZ, Impreza, and Outback models. Subaru models have consistently held their value better than virtually all other car lines over the years and are a clear choice for those looking for long-term value. Pair that with their safety and reliability records, and you can't go wrong buying one of these new or used."

The 2022 is their top pick for the best used model year value for Subaru vehicles. 

"With 2022 models, you would only pay, on average, 100 percent of the price as new, with 100 percent of the vehicle's useful life remaining. The 2021 and 2020 model years are also attractive for the Subaru models, providing a relatively good value."

How does CarEdge analyze car value? 

Their rankings consider multiple factors, including original new prices, current prices, maintenance costs, and remaining years of overall predictable expenses. Its top-ranked model year represents the most car for the money with a Subaru model.

Which Subaru model is ranked the best for resale value?

According to CarEdge, the Forester is the top-ranked Subaru model with a 91.74 percent 5-year residual value. The Subaru Outback is the next best Subaru model with an 87.55% 5-year residual value. Here are the top five Subaru model's 5-year residual value ranking. 

  1. Subaru Forester 91.74%
  2. Subaru Outback 87.55% 
  3. Subaru Legacy 86.74%  
  4. Subaru Crosstrek 85.90%
  5. Subaru Impreza 85.00%

My Take

After covering Subaru values for over 12 years, I've found that all Subaru models have consistently high residual values from year to year. How does Subaru do it? Subaru keeps inventory levels low, and they don't mass market their vehicles to commercial companies or rental car agencies. 

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru resale value story. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

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I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

I’ve got you covered! - I cover all Subaru all the time - It’s called the “Subaru Report.” Check back daily for my expert Subaru analysis!

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photo credit: Subaru USA