KBB names top value-retaining brands and vehicle segments

Looking to maximize your automotive investment dollars? KBB.com’s Automotive Insights group has crunched the critical numbers and come up with the top 10 brands and segments that are currently doing the best job of holding onto their value in the long run compared to their competitors. For the purposes of this analysis, the relative numbers were defined using Kelley Blue Book’s current retail asking value as a percent of the original Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price.

          See: KBB.com’s Best Resale Value Awards for 2013

To ensure that these calculations captured the full effect of the latest and greatest redesigns, the KBB analysis focused on the three most recent model years (2009-2011) since these vehicles typically hold value significantly better than the ones they replaced. Topping the Brand ranks was Scion at 85.4 percent, led by the tC coupe with a stellar 87.1 percent valuation. Subaru was the only other manufacturer to rise above the 80-percent benchmark, tallying an 80.7 percent stat led by its Forester and Impreza models, each of which netted nearly 85 percent marks in this retention index. While Jeep fell just short as a brand with a very respectable 79.8 percent collective rating, its most popular model, the Wrangler, did account for a stunning 91.2 percent individual mark.

On the segment side, three diverse categories managed to exceed the 80-percent standard. Prime players in that arena were mid-size pickups, which collectively held on to 86.2 percent of their comparative MSRP value. Heading the list was the Toyota Tacoma, which kept a remarkable 92.4 percent of its original MSRP on average. Given that most of these user-friendly-sized haulers are no longer being manufactured, KBB believes this segment will remain a strong performer for the foreseeable future. Next in line is the hybrid car segment at 80.9 percent. Not surprisingly, it was headed by the category’s perennial best-selling player, the Toyota Prius Hybrid at 81 percent. Rounding out the top three segments were subcompact vehicles. Collectively retaining 80.3 percent of their relative new values, this realm was dominated by the Nissan Cube and Toyota Yaris, each of which maintained 86 percent of original MSRP on average.