A new car starts depreciating the minute it's driven off the lot.
According to a 2008 Edmunds survey, the average vehicle loses a third of its value in two years.
But these 10 models get high marks for retaining their worth, making Kelley Blue Book’s Top 10 list of 2013 models with the best resale value.
Can you guess which auto came out on top?
10. Scion tC
MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price): $20,000
Resale value after 36 months: 60 percent of price when new
After 60 months: 46.5 percent
The smallest car on the list, and one of the cheapest, the gasoline-powered, two-door tC is historically the Scion brand’s top-selling model. It’s a solid performer in terms of gas mileage, too, averaging 31 miles per gallon (m.p.g.).
What makes for good resale value? Keeping your car in overall good shape, for one, and keeping the mileage low. Other factors can include brand (the more recognizable, the better), color (stick with neutral colors like black, white, and tan; hold off on the fiesta orange), and overall popularity.
The prices listed are mostly base prices for new automatic transmission vehicles, before any features are added on.
9. Honda Civic
MSRP: $20,000
Resale value after 36 months: 62.5 percent
After 60 months: 46.9 percent
The Honda Civic has been in production for nearly 30 years and is consistently the top-selling compact car in the United States. One of two Honda-made vehicles on the list, the Civic is hard to beat in terms of brand recognition, and it come in a wide range of styles, from hatchbacks to hybrids.
8. Lexus LX
MSRP: between $75,000 and $85,000 (2012 model)
Resale value after 36 months: 65 percent
After 60 months: 47 percent
The swanky cousin of the Toyota Land Cruiser, this full-size SUV is in its third generation and has been sold by Lexus since 1996. It’s the most expensive SUV on the Lexus roster, and among the least fuel-efficient vehicles on the list (the 2012 model averages 17 m.p.g. on the highway and a measly 12 m.p.g. in the city).
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