The used vehicle market is capricious and punishes some models more than others. This is demonstrated by this list of cars that lose the most value in their first year. In the list we show you the top 10 cars that lose the most value, as well as the 7 electric cars that depreciate the most under the same conditions.
Cars are an asset that rarely appreciates in value. Of course, there are well-known exceptions. Classics, for example, are often worth more now than when they were bought new if they are in good condition and functional. There are even cases where a simple chassis or a bare body has more value than when the vehicle was new half a century ago.
But the rule says that cars are greatly devalued when registered. I reiterate that there are always exceptions and that the devaluation is not the same for all cars, since there are vehicles that, due to context, situation and demand in the market, maintain their value better over the years than others, which, due to lack of reliability or brand image, they lose value more quickly.
What are the cars that depreciate the most after the first year?
A recent study carried out by iSeeCars with data from the US market reveals which cars lose the most value and which ones retain it best over time.
Among those that depreciate the least after the first year is the Kia Rio (-0.1%), the Mercedes G Class (-2.3%) or the Ford Maverick (-4.1%). The Range Rover, however, is the only one that appreciates after 12 months, with an increase in value of +2.8%, or in other words, 4,067 dollars (3,755 euros) more than when it was completely new.
On the contrary, among the cars that lose the most value in their first year of use are some electric cars that, out of mere curiosity, deserve a mention. The report highlights seven fully electric models that are most affected, among others with combustion engines, by the devaluation in their first 12 months of use.
These are the electric cars that lose the most value in their first year, according to iSeeCars:
Model % Devaluation DevaluationMercedes-Benz EQS -47.8% $65,143 (61,153 euros)Nissan Leaf -45.7% $15,784 (14,576 euros)Kia EV6 -33.3% $18,081 (16,696 euros)Hyundai Ioniq 5 -32, 9% $16,805 (15,517 euros)Volkswagen ID.4 -32.9% $15,609 (14,413 euros)Ford Mustang Mach-E -29.8% $16,364 (15,108 euros)Chevrolet Bolt EV -28.0% $8,633 ( 7,971 euros)
It should be noted that the average devaluation of the US automobile market for cars that are 1 year old is -12.8%, which results in a drop in value of 5,778 dollars (5,335 euros).
Other cars that are among those that lose the most value in their first year of use are the Jaguar F-Pace (-35.4%), the Alfa Romeo Giulia (-33.4%), the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (-32 .3%), the Nissan Murano (-32.0%) and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (-31.5%).
Also noteworthy is that the first car belonging to an American brand that shows the greatest devaluation after the first year is the Dodge Durango, which occupies eleventh position in the ranking with a drop of -30.8%. It is followed by the Dodge Challenger (-29.8%) and the RAM 1500 (-29.2%).
To prepare this report, iSeeCars analyzed more than 1.6 million new and gently used cars advertised for sale from January to March 2024. The new cars included in the analysis were from the years 2023 and 2024, while those used were from 2022 and 2023 with an average mileage of 13,476 miles (21,687 kilometers).