After Three Years, Ford Bronco Is One Of Top Vehicles At Retaining Value

When the Ford Bronco returned to the lineup after a 50-year hiatus three years ago, no one knew just how strong a contender it would be. The Bronco has met any expectations the automaker may have had.

When Ford brought back its sixth generation Ford Bronco three models years ago, the automaker knew it had what would be an instant hit on its hands. Facing the pandemic, the Blue Oval launched the sixth-gen Bronco and crossed its corporate fingers, hoping it would be moderately successful.

No One Knew The Depth Of Demand

Who could have known that demand for the full-sized Bronco and the Bronco Sport would go off the charts?

Related story: Ford has confirmed KBB's estimation of Bronco

FA noted, “Since it launched for the 2021 model year, the sixth-generation Ford Bronco has been one of the most in-demand vehicles on the planet, routinely selling for more than MSRP for much of that time. Things have cooled off as production has ramped up, of course, but the Ford Bronco still holds it value better than most other models out there. The 2023 model won a Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Award last year as it was among the top ten vehicles with the best projected five-year resale value. Now, the Ford Bronco has repeated that feat for 2024, too.

Marketing importance:  Market study confirms why EVs in freefall

The 2023 Ford Bronco finished fourth among all new vehicles with an estimated five-year resale value of 65.4 percent, but this year, it fared even better, ranking first with a score of 66.7 percent. That was good enough to edge out the second-place Toyota Tacoma, which finished with a five-year resale value of 62.6 percent while also topping its respective segment.

Basis For The Resale Value Awards

Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the organization’s Official Residual Value Guide. KBB’s residual values are established by automotive analysts who review the output from statistical models built upon millions of transactions. Vehicles that earn the highest five-year residual values, expressed as a percentage of their original Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), are selected for these awards.

Related story:  Rivian puts market on notice for the future

As KBB points out, depreciation is typically the largest expense facing new vehicle owners in the first five years. The average 2024 model-year vehicle will only retain about 42.4 percent of its original value following that period, meaning a $50,000 new vehicle today will be worth around $21,200 after five years. By comparison, all vehicles in Kelley Blue Book’s Top 10 Best Resale Value list for 2024 are projected to retain around 58 percent or more of their MSRP after the initial five-year ownership period.

Ford Motor Photo

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971. His automotive articles have appeared in venues including Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.