Top 10 2014 Cars With the Best Residual Values
Do you consider resale value when it’s time to buy a new car? Even though cars tend to depreciate quickly, some hold their value better than others.
The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and ALG release an annual list describing the best resale value of all-new and refreshed mainstream cars. NADA looked at the best selling trim level of the mainstream vehicles. The calculation is a taken from a three-month average (October, 2014, through December, 2014) of NADA’s average trade-in value divided by a vehicle’s average Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP).
Mazda’s new mid-size sedan really shook the segment up. It was fun to drive, good looking, efficient and packed with features. But its sales still don’t stack up to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Despite that, it retained 70.6 percent of its resale value, which is 12 percent more than the outgoing model and nearly 10 percent better than the average mid-size sedan.
This is the first year of sales for the SS and Chevy’s large rear-wheel drive sport-sedan retained its value better than its peer group. The SS features a 6.2-liter V8 that makes 425 horsepower, enabling this sedan to hit 60 mph in about five seconds. A sporty car, wrapped up in a conservative look, the SS is proving to be decent value as it’s value hasn’t plummeted nearly as much as other new cars.
There’s a three-way tie at the 72.7 percent mark. We’ll start with the GMC Sierra 1500. Since NADA does their research with the most widely purchased models and in the Sierra’s case that’s the Crew Cab SLE model with four-wheel drive and the 5.3-liter V8 engine. That engine makes 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque and features cylinder deactivation, direct injection and variable valve timing to improve efficiency.
The new Jeep Cherokee also retained 72.7 percent of its value. While its styling may not be for everyone, the 2.4-liter, four-wheel drive Sport model was the most popular version of the car and it manages to stay a few percentage points above the compact crossover average of 68.9 percent.
The new MINI Cooper Hardtop grew a few inches and size and got a new turbocharged three-cylinder engine. It also cut about $1,500 from its base price over the old 2013 model. With it retaining 72.7 percent of its value, the Cooper Hardtop is nearly five percent better than the sport car segment in terms of resale value.
The brand new Nissan Rogue quickly emerged as a top contender in the compact crossover segment thanks to it’s excellent fuel economy, great looks and its versatility. The crossover also proved to be pretty good in terms of residual value. It retained 73.1 percent of its value after one year of being on sale.
The Toyota 4Runner is a rare sight these days as body-on-frame SUVs with V8s are becoming extinct. And why would anyone buy one of these large, fuel-hungry SUVs? Well for starters, the 4Runner is a great off-road vehicle, with intimidating styling. It also has fantastic resale value. After one year, the new car maintained 77.1 percent of its value, making it the fourth-best vehicle on this list.
Toyota’s three-row crossover was refreshed pretty radically for 2014 but most noticeable was its fresh new styling. Inside and out, the Highlander saw drastic revisions, but one of the coolest features is the Driver EasySpeak system that uses the BlueTooth microphone to broadcasts the drivers voice into the third row. Like several other Toyota’s the Highlander has excellent residual value. 2014 models retained 78.8 percent.
Only two cars on this list retained more than 80 percent of their value and the 2014 Subaru Forester is one of them. This year the compact crossover saw slight revisions including a standard rear-view camera and additional trim levels with the EyeSight safety suite. The Forester is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus and comes standard with all-wheel drive, further enhancing its appeal as a crossover for families.
It may be surprising to some to see a sports car at the top of this list, but the Corvette Stingray is all about surprises. With its massive 6.2-liter V8 engine, the Corvette makes 450-hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, but it’s more than the engine that makes this such a popular new car. It has superb handling, especially when equipped with the Z51 performance package which adds the fantastic magnetic ride control suspension setup that can react to the road conditions and give you a sharper, more responsive ride. After one year, it retained 84.7 percent of its value.
Sami has an unquenchable thirst for car knowledge and has been at AutoGuide for the past six years. He has a degree in journalism and media studies from the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto and has won multiple journalism awards from the Automotive Journalist Association of Canada. Sami is also on the jury for the World Car Awards.
More by Sami Haj-Assaad
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