Something that plays a part in every car purchase we make is how much that car will depreciate over the years. This massively impacts the overall value and worth of the vehicle and guarantees it will sell for less than we paid for it.
This is only true of some vehicles, as some will become classics. But the vast majority will depreciate, sometimes at an alarming rate.
This list contains 13 of the worst depreciation offenders. Each of these cars will depreciate at an alarming rate, meaning selling them in the future will have little financial benefit.
Maserati Quattroporte
Maserati’s questionable reliability record may explain why the Quattroporte loses so much value, and Visual Capitalist paints an alarming picture of the luxury sedan.
After five years, the Quattroporte loses around two-thirds of its value. For reference, the 2018 version would retail for between $109,000 and $140,000, depending on the trim level and model. That depreciation comes to around 65 percent, with an average difference from the MSRP of just over $90,500.
Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf makes Motorway’s list of top ten cars that depreciate, ranking them at number five. While the Leaf is still an excellent and affordable EV, holding its own is becoming more challenging.
Since Nissan became one of the modern pioneers of electric cars, more manufacturers have joined the EV race. Hyundai, Kia, BMW, VW, and, of course, Tesla are just some names that are now offering a whole host of electric vehicles. The Leaf is a good car, but its rivals offer a lot more than Nissan can with the Leaf.
Maserati Ghibli
It is probably a little surprising to see another Maserati on this list. When the Italian manufacturer launched the sports saloon, the Ghibli won. It was good-looking and spacious, and it had a V8 under the Ultima hood and plenty of speed and power.
But the Ghibli suffered a fate similar to that of the Quattroporte. It isn’t cheap, costing over $100,000 when new, and that high price comes with questionable. Reliability is also a concern, and if you do what the Ultima did with the V8 engine under the hood, you will pay upwards of $140,000 for the privilege. When you come to sell the Ghibli, you will be lucky to see a $30,000 return.
Renault Zoe
Before Renault introduced the Megane E-Tech, the Zoe had been the faithful pillar of electrification in the French manufacturer’s lineup. Renault kept upgrading the Zoe over the years, and as a supermini for commuting and daily driving, there is little to grumble about with the Zoe. It’s cheap, has a reasonable range, and is full of plenty of mod-cons.
Sadly, with the launch of the Megane E-Tech and the newly electrified Renault 5, the value of the Zoe is starting to come down. According to Auto Express, what would cost around $37,000 when new will only fetch over $10,000 if you decide to sell it.
DS 9
DS, Citroen’s sporty and luxury division, introduced the DS 9 a few years ago. The French manufacturer hoped to introduce a left-field choice into the luxury car market, with the plug-in hybrid combining luxury and technology with lower running costs.
Unfortunately for DS, the venture didn’t work out as well as they’d hoped. The DS 9’s interior didn’t live up to the luxury it promised, even if it was comfortable. Headroom in the back is a significant problem with the DS 9, and the infotainment system lags what rivals such as BMW can offer. Yet even with all that considered, it still retails at over $50,000, around the same as some of its German rivals.
BMW 8 Series Coupe
You might think a sturdy, muscular, V8-powered BMW would hold its value well—a model such as the M850i with the 4.4-liter V8 Ultimate packs, for example. Sadly, according to Auto Express, that isn’t the case. The British publication says the 8 Series Coupe can lose up to three-quarters of its value if you sell it.
This is partly due to BMW’s heavy discounting on new 8 Series models. This means buyers can get the latest version of the 8 Series for less than you would typically expect. While it means older models are becoming bargains, owners will not make much of their money back when they sell their BMW.
Infiniti QX80
Large SUVs are top-rated at the moment. So it might be a surprise to learn that the full-size Infiniti QX80 is losing its value hand-over first, despite the fact it can comfortably seat up to eight passengers.
Motor1 said the price when new for a QX80 was around $77,337. However, after just five years of ownership, that value can drop to as little as $36,642, a depreciation over those five years of 52.6 percent. The QX80 now resides in a trendy and large market, so standing out for the crowd is becoming even trickier.
DS 3 E-Tense
Another DS car, this time the DS 3. The French manufacturer launched the DS 3 as a small electric SUV to take on the Hyundai Kona Electric, the Kia Niro EV, and the MG ZS EV. A 154 hp electric motor won’t set any records, but it ensures the SUV is no slouch.
The range is also good, officially 250 miles from a full charge, which is a touch over 200 miles in the real world. These figures don’t back up why the DS 3 loses so much of its value, with Auto Express saying it drops from a retail price of just under $50,000 to a resale value of only $14,200. That is a dramatic decrease, yet on the face of things, it doesn’t make sense as to why.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
For years, Mercedes-Benz has been the pillar of luxury and performance; however, its cars often take the biggest hit regarding resale values. Take the S-Class, a staple of the German manufacturer’s range.
The remarkable fact is that this luxury sedan can lose up to $70,563 of its value when it comes to selling. Despite the bad news for Mercedes, what that does mean is that the S-Class is a luxury bargain on the second-hand market and an opportunity too good to miss for many buyers.
Maserati Levante
Having three cars on this list is not a good sign for Maserati. The Levante, the Italian manufacturer’s SUV, lost a considerable amount of its value; according to Visual Capitalist, as they say, it dropped 58 percent over five years, the equivalent of a $55,858 average difference from the MSRP.
Reviews of the SUV make it easy to see why the Levante has lost so much of its value. Much of that is because the Levante competes in a more brutal SUV segment than when Maserati first launched the car eight years ago. Since then, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and Ferrari have all launched luxury performance SUVs that have eclipsed the Maserati offering.
Cadillac Escalade ESV
The Cadillac Escalade ESV is a massive vehicle. It offers plenty of luxury and space, but its size is hard to ignore. According to Visual Capitalist, the Escalade ESV will lose 59 percent of its value over five years, equating to a staggering $63,885 average difference from the MSRP.
The fact that the Escalade is so uneconomical won’t help the large SUV. Plus, rival SUVs from Chevrolet and GMC will do nearly everything the Escalade ESV can, but for much less money. The Escalade ESV starts at a massive $83,890, which can rise to well over $150,000, which seems astronomical.
BMW 5 Series Hybrid
Like Mercedes, BMW suffers from extensive depreciation across its range. One of its worst offenders is the 5 Series Hybrid, which Visual Capitalist says loses up to 59 percent of its value over a five-year period. That comes to an average of $37,979 in difference from the car’s MSRP.
That doesn’t mean the 5 Series hybrid is terrible, however. A 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four hybrid under the hood produces 288 hp, and with a base MSRP of $57,600, it is certainly not the most expensive sedan in the world. However, The loss of value over five years is something to bear in mind if you buy the 5 Series hybrid.
Peugeot 3008
On the face of it, the Peugeot 3008 has a lot going for it. It showcases Peugeot’s more radical design language over the last few years, and you will find an attractive cabin with very nice materials. The hybrid version has a smooth 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine backed up with a 48-volt hybrid system.
However, it has a few downsides. While the interior is nice, it lacks polish and finesse compared to other hybrid SUVs. Space in the rear is also average for the car’s size, and the steering sometimes feels a bit numb. However, these might not be dealbreakers for some, and the 3008 is still an attractive SUV option.
