Top 11 Cars With the Best Residual Value
Residual value is one of the most important factors to consider when obtaining a new vehicle, especially if you plan on leasing. How much it’s worth at the end of the contract has a huge impact on how much you’ll be paying each month. Which cars on the market today hold their value best? The folks at ALG have it all figured out. In no particular order, here they are.
Over the last 10 years Hyundai has improved its products immensely. They’ve gone from unremarkable to almost unbelievable in just a decade. In fact, the brand’s Accent small car has gotten so good it drove away with top residual-value honors in the subcompact segment. Available as either a sedan or hatchback, ALG praised the littlest Hyundai for its bargain pricing and restrained incentives, factors that help it maintain value on the used-car market.
Stepping up to the compact segment we transition to Mazda’s ever-lovable 3, arguably the C-Segment’s best model. It’s a terrific little car that can be had with either four or five doors. It offers a sports-car driving experience, premium interior and tremendous fuel economy. Further bolstering its reputation the Mazda3 was also AutoGuide.com’s 2014 Car of the Year. According to ALG this vehicle is simply great at everything, which is why it holds value so well.
Besting tough competitors like the Hyundai Sonata and Subaru Legacy, ALG ranked Honda’s Accord best in the midsize segment from a residual-value standpoint. They praised its superb ride and handling as well as its sales performance without the help of incentives. A longstanding reputation for quality and longevity further burnish this vehicle’s standing in the marketplace.
In generations past the Toyota Avalon was known for being even blander than the most beige Camry; it was a heavy dose of NyQuil swathed in a dowdy three-box wrapper that could push the strongest insomniac deep into REM territory. But with its last redesign the car gained some real style and vastly improved dynamics. Toyota made the car much more appealing and feature laden without totally alienating traditional buyers. According to ALG, practically “nonexistent” incentives were a big help, too.
Chevrolet’s Camaro topped other enthusiast-focused options including the Subaru BRZ and Dodge Challenger to top the sports-car segment. The folks at ALG liked that the Bow Tie brand has kept this car fresh over the years with exciting new models including the ZL1 and Z/28. They also praised its lively driving dynamics, athletic style and affordable pricing.
SEE ALSO: 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Review
Toyota took the advanced, fuel-saving technology found in its standard-issue Prius and made it smaller and more affordable. The result of this democratization was the Prius c, a small hybrid hatchback that posts some huge fuel-economy numbers. For the second year in a row this car is tops in residual value according to ALG. The Prius c beat challengers including the Prius v and the Ford C-Max.
The CLA spearheads Mercedes-Benz’s push into the smaller end of the luxury market; it should attract a whole new “Class” of buyer. ALG was a big fan of the car’s swanky style and accessible pricing. It competes with other premium offerings like the BMW 2 Series and Audi A3, though it bested a pair of MINIs; the standard Cooper and the Clubman models finished in second and third place, respectively.
Even after years on the market Audi’s A5 is still a stunner. This curvaceous coupe is simply beautiful from every angle, and ALG seems to agree; even with stiff challengers from several very well-respected competitors this car is still selling with some of the highest transaction prices in its class. Naturally incentive spending is very well controlled. The A5 beat BMW’s second-place 3 Series; Infiniti’s Q50 rounded out the podium finishers.
Another win for Audi; the brand’s A6 also made it on the ALG honor roll. This luxurious sedan was tops in the premium, fullsize-car segment. It beat back stiff competition from the Lexus GS and the company’s own A7 four-door coupe. With its A6 the four-ring brand has carefully matched supply to demand, something that’s kept incentive spending at half the segment average. Among other factors, great product + low incentives = high residuals.
Porsche’s bulbous Panamera sedan topped ALG’s Premium Executive Car Segment, beating the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Hyundai Equus. As it stands (or parks) this four-door is special enough to demand very high prices in the used-car market. While controversial, it’s aged well and still delivers outstanding on-road dynamics. High prices and low prices further boost residual value.
The critics have spoken and so has ALG; Chevrolet’s all-new Corvette is a winner. It’s fast, good looking and can keep pace with competing vehicles that cost tens of thousands more. This makes it one of the best bargains on the market today and a halo for the Chevrolet brand.
SEE ALSO: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 Track Test
[Source: ALG]
Born and raised in metro Detroit, Craig was steeped in mechanics from childhood. He feels as much at home with a wrench or welding gun in his hand as he does behind the wheel or in front of a camera. Putting his Bachelor's Degree in Journalism to good use, he's always pumping out videos, reviews, and features for AutoGuide.com. When the workday is over, he can be found out driving his fully restored 1936 Ford V8 sedan. Craig has covered the automotive industry full time for more than 10 years and is a member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).
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Lease = fleece. buy used or waste your money