The New Subaru Forester And WRX Drop In Value Less Than Most SUVs And Sports Cars

The 2021 Subaru Forester SUV and WRX sports car are now two cars with the lowest depreciation. See where Subaru ranks with other automakers.

Are Subaru vehicles a good value? All cars depreciate as soon as you drive them off the dealers’ lot, but some models drop in value much more than others. The 2021 Subaru Forester is one of the lowest depreciating SUVs, and the Subaru WRX and STI are a top-ten vehicle with the lowest depreciation. iSeeCars did the study and also reveals Subaru is the number six lowest depreciating car brand.

Why are Subaru vehicles a good value? iSeeCars says some models will save you money in the long run. “If you plan on trading in or selling your vehicle after a few years, a car that retains most of its value can put more money in your pocket for your next car purchase,” said Brauer. “Conversely, if you are a used car shopper, choosing a car that has already taken a depreciation hit can provide you with a substantial deal.”

Why is the Forester a good value for SUV shoppers?

The Subaru Forester is the brand’s top-selling model and a good value now for compact SUV shoppers. The iSeeCars study reveals Forester is the eighth-best SUV with a 5-year depreciation of 51.1 percent. The Toyota RAV4 (45.7%) and Honda CR-V (45.8%) depreciate less, but the Forester offers standard all-wheel-drive, and customers pay extra for the all-weather feature on RAV4 and CR-V compact SUVs.

The new Subaru WRX and STI are an even better value for sports car shoppers with a 5-year depreciation of 39.8 percent and the second-best model behind the Porsche 911 at 36.0 percent. Most sports cars depreciate 41.6 percent on average.

The WRX is also the number three best vehicle overall under $35,000. The Subaru WRX and STI are a smart buy for sports car shoppers and a top-10 car with the lowest depreciation of all vehicles.

Top 10 vehicles with the lowest depreciation

The top-10 cars are the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (30.9%), Toyota Tacoma (32.4%), Jeep Wrangler (32.8%), Porsche 911 (36.0%), Toyota Tundra (37.0%), Toyota 4Runner (38.5%), Subaru WRX/STI (39.8%), Dodge Challenger (40.6%), GMC Canyon (41.2%), and Nissan Frontier (43.5%).

Are other Subaru vehicles a good value? The study reveals Subaru is tied for the six lowest depreciating car brands at 48.5 percent when the overall average is 49.1 percent. Toyota is number one at 42.1 percent, followed by Porsche (45.7%). Chevrolet (46.3%), Jeep (48.0%), Dodge (48.4%), Subaru 48.5%), Honda (48.5%), Tesla (48.6%), GMC (48.9%), and Ram (49.3%).

More best resale value awards

According to Kelly Blue Book’s (KBB) 2020 Best Resale Value Awards, Subaru has the least depreciation of any automaker. Subaru also earned five individual awards in the latest KBB awards. Subaru won the KBB Best Brand award four times before in 2011, 2015, and 2016.

Subaru took the title away from Toyota, which won the honor the last three years, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In addition to winning the Best Mainstream Brand, the 2020 Subaru Outback took home the best Midsize SUV 2-row, Forester wins Compact SUV, Crosstrek scores best Subcompact SUV, Impreza best Compact Car, and Legacy wins Midsize Car segment.

All Subaru models hold their value well over the first five years. The latest iSeeCars study says the 2021 Subaru Forester and WRX and STI are better than other models in their category. Forester is one of the lowest depreciating SUVs, and the Subaru WRX and STI are top-ten vehicles and sports cars with the lowest depreciation.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru, Competition Subaru of Smithtown