Avoid Buying These Cars if You're Planning to Resell Them in 5 Years
Some cars lose value fast - really fast! If you’re thinking about buying a car only to resell it later, you need to know what cars to avoid. We’re rounded up 35 cars you should avoid if you care about resale value. Read on to find out more.
Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper is cute and fun to drive. But it loses value fast. Repairs are expensive, which scares some buyers. If you plan to sell it in five years, you might get much less than you paid for it.
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a small and practical car for city driving. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t hold its value well. Buyers often prefer a newer model or a larger car, so the Fiesta gets overlooked. This is not a car you can easily sell five years down the line.
Cadillac CTS
The CTS looks sharp and drives smooth. It’s also a luxury sedan, but here’s the kicker: luxury sedans tank in value. High upkeep costs and fewer buyers mean you’ll probably lose a ton of money if you resell five years down the line.
Volkswagen Beetle
The VW Beetle is fun, quirky, and stands out in traffic because it’s so cute. But sadly, not everyone likes it. And that means used Beetles just aren’t hot sellers anymore. That resale value takes a big hit after a few years.
Hyundai Veloster
The Veloster is sporty, has a funky design, and definitely turns heads. But it’s a niche car, so the resale value is rough. People love the style, but not enough to pay much for a used one. It’s fun, sure, but just not a great investment.
Jaguar XF
Jaguar’s XF is classy, smooth, and fancy. But Jaguars? They drop in value fast, and repairs are anything but cheap. Five years from now, when you want a newer car, selling one might sting your wallet way more than you thought it would.
Kia Soul
The Soul is one of those cute, roomy cars great for city adventures. But resale? It’s rather poor, and the Soul just doesn’t hold its value like some other SUVs. You’ll have fun driving it, but don’t expect a great payout when selling it..
Toyota Prius
Everyone loves the Prius for its excellent fuel savings. But hybrids can be tricky to resell. The batteries wear out after a while, and this, in turn, causes the resale value to drop. Yes, it’s reliable, but it’s not a money-maker.
Buick Regal
Buick’s Regal rides like an absolute dream. But here’s a reality check: used buyers often skip it, because it drops in value way faster than many other cars. You might want to prepare yourself if you’re selling in a few years.
Nissan Versa
The Versa is cheap and easy to drive. But that’s part of the problem. It loses value crazy fast, and buyers prefer slightly nicer small cars. It’s not a resale star, and many owners have trouble selling their Versas later.
GMC Terrain
GMC’s Terrain is solid, spacious, and looks like a serious SUV. But GM SUVs just don’t keep their value well. Five years in, you’ll probably get way less than you expected to. Good car, yes. Bad long-term investment? Also, yes.
Fiat 500
Forget all you think you know about the Fiat 500. Yes, it’s tiny and stylish, but it feels more like a city toy than a good investment. Resale is also harsh, and repairs can sneak up on you when you least expect them to. Don’t expect to make much money.
Hyundai Accent
The Accent is many things - reliable, cheap, and gets the job done. But here’s the downside: depreciation hits hard. After five years, the money you get back will probably be disappointing. It’s a good car, but not a resale hero.
Land Rover Discovery
Land Rover’s Discovery is fancy, super capable off-road, and just screams luxury. But those maintenance costs will scare you. This means resale falls fast, and selling it in five years might make you question your purchase. It’s fun to drive, though.
Mazda3
The Mazda3 is sporty, fun, and just looks good. But resale is not its strong suit. People love them new, but five years in, you’ll likely take a hit when you try to sell it. You might just regret buying one in the first place.
Chrysler 200
Chrysler’s 200 is roomy and comfortable. But let’s be honest, not many buyers are chasing used ones anymore. The maintenance costs are just too high, and depreciation hits hard. After five years, don’t expect much back - you’ll lose your initial investment.
Infiniti Q50
The Q50 is sleek, luxurious, and smooth. Its value, on the other hand, drops way faster than most sedans. High maintenance costs don’t help either. We suggest that you brace yourself if you’re considering reselling anytime soon.
Nissan Juke
Nissan’s Juke is small, sporty, and weirdly cute. But that weird design scares some buyers off. A limited demand for the Juke means resale is rough. Sure, it’s fun when you have it, just don’t expect a fortune when you’re selling it.
Cadillac XTS
Cadillacs are known for their luxury. And the XTS drives like a dream - comfortable and quiet. But Cadillacs lose value fast. Fewer buyers want them now, which means that resale value drops fast. It’s not a smart five-year investment.
Jaguar XJ
Jaguar’s XJ is high-end, classy, and smooth as butter. Simply put, it’s a luxury dream. But luxury cars plummet in value, and repairs are super pricey on the XJ. Selling it in a few years? Prepare yourself for a shock and to lose some money.
Land Rover Range Rover
The Range Rover is everything you’d want in an SUV - iconic, powerful, and super stylish. But depreciation is a savage, and maintenance is crazy expensive too. Five years from now, your wallet will feel a lot lighter when you sell it.
Ford Focus
Fords are known for their reliability, practicality, and how easy they are to drive. The Focus is common everywhere, and this makes the resale value low. Buyers prefer newer or slightly bigger cars, so don’t expect a great payout in a few years.
Mazda6
The Mazda6 feels like a grown-up car. But mid-size cars depreciate a lot faster than you’d think. Yes, it’s cute and great to drive, but none of that will matter in a few years when you want to sell it for something newer.
Acura TLX
The Acura TLX is a reliable and luxurious vehicle. It also drives really well. But luxury cars, in general, drop in value fast. Buyers often prefer newer or cheaper cars, so the resale value five years down the line may not meet your expectations. You’ve got to ask yourself if the Acura’s really worth it.
Chevrolet Spark
The Spark is great for city driving. It’s also one of those cars that’s tiny, cheap, and easy to park. Its resale value, however, is not great, and very few buyers actually want an old Spark. You can expect disappointing numbers when you sell it.
Infiniti QX60
Five years doesn’t seem like a long time when you consider the lifespan of cars, but five years can make a significant difference to their resale value. And the resale value of a luxury car like the Infiniti QX60 is just too low. Oh, and let’s not forget the maintenance costs that scare buyers away.
Buick LaCrosse
Buick’s LaCrosse is a smooth, roomy, and comfortable ride. But like many other cars on this list, it’s worth far less than what you paid for it even five years ago. Buyers simply don’t want a used LaCrosse, which causes a significant drop in resale value.
Nissan Murano
The Murano is a nice SUV. Yes, we said it’s nice. You know what’s not-so-nice? The resale value. Depreciation hits cars like the Murano hard, and five years later, you’ve got a car that’s worth far less than what you paid for it.
Kia Forte
Kia is known for its reliability and affordability. And the Forte is one of their cars that’s decent to drive. But budget sedans like the Forte lose value quickly. Selling your Kia in a few years could just leave you disappointed.
Chevrolet Volt
Chevy’s Volt is a clever hybrid that’s got decent range, is fun to drive, and is relatively affordable. But that pesky resale value makes it tricky to sell. Used buyers are picky, and no one is lining up to buy a used Volt.
Toyota Yaris
The Yaris is tiny and practical. It’s also pretty reliable, which is why so many people buy them new. But used? Not so much. These cars have a low resale value as buyers look for something newer or bigger than the Yaris.
Volkswagen Jetta
The Jetta is a good choice if you're looking for something affordable, familiar, and reliable. But, even with these traits, the VW Jetta’s value drops quickly. Selling it in five years might just be a struggle and not bring in the return you thought it would.
Mitsubishi Mirage
Mitsubishi’s Mirage is cheap, fuel-efficient, and tiny. It’s a car that’s great for short drives. But the depreciation is crazy, and five years later, you won’t get much back. It’s a lot of fun when you have it, though, so that’s one positive.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Discovery Sport is one of the cheaper Land Rovers around. It’s a dream to drive, but those maintenance costs are steep and depreciation hits hard. You won’t get a great payout when you resell it. You’ll be greatly disappointed.
Volkswagen Passat
The Passat seems perfect. It’s spacious, solid, and nice to drive. But we all know that German sedans drop in value fast. Five years from now, you’ll be surprised at the low resale value and what you'll actually get for your Passat.
