While most car buyers today consider sticker price one of the most significant numbers when choosing a new vehicle, the editors at Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com recommend taking a closer look at a number that can only be found on kbb.com: its resale value. Depreciation often is the greatest expense incurred by drivers during the first five years of vehicle ownership. On average, vehicles only retains about 35 percent of their original value after a five-year ownership period, meaning that a $20,000 new car today will only be worth somewhere close to $7,000 after five years. With this in mind, the Kelley Blue Book Resale Value Awards were created to recognize automakers' outstanding achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value.
Based on the informed projections of Kelley Blue Book's expert staff of market analysts—encapsulated in the Kelley Blue Book Residual Value Guide—our annual Best Resale Value Awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original retail price after five years of ownership.
"The Best Resale Value Awards combine the expertise of Kelley Blue Book's market analysis with our proud history of trusted accuracy in reporting vehicle values," said Paul Johnson, president and publisher of Kelley Blue Book. "We hope that this information assists new vehicle shoppers in making more informed financial decisions."
The awards are presented to top vehicles within Kelley Blue Book's eleven vehicle categories. There are also awards for the Overall Top 10 vehicles across all categories. Finally, Kelley Blue Book also honors the brand with the best projected resale value across its entire line of vehicles. Low-volume vehicles and vehicles with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of more than $60,000 are excluded from award consideration except in the luxury and high-performance categories.