Money pit motors: EVs and luxury models dominate list of depreciating new cars

The 10 new cars on sale today predicted to lose most value over time has been revealed – and the list is dominated by electric vehicles.

The worst offender – a popular battery model built in Britain – loses almost three quarters of its new price after just three years of ownership, new data from motoring title Auto Express shows. 

It has analysed figures from the CDL Vehicle Information Services and revealed which cars are on course to retain the smallest percentage of their on the road (OTR) price by 2028 after covering 36,000 miles (an average of 10,000 miles per year).

This is based on the part-exchange value of the car after three years. 

Six of the ten worst performers are EVs, with the remaining four all luxury motors with enormous price tags that are also forecast to shed big chunks of their value over the course of three years.

However, not all battery cars dramatically decline in value, the figures suggest.

While the average new car across all fuel types is predicted to squander 47.7 per cent of its value over a three-year period, there are some EVs that will lose just 37 per cent.

We reveal the 10 new motors with the worst residual values – and those that are predicted to retain the largest share of their OTR prices after three years. 

FASTEST DEPRECIATING CARS

10. Jaguar I-Pace (ELECTRIC) – falls 69.2%

Model variant: 90kWh 400 R-Dynamic

Jaguar’s decision to become an exclusive EV brand from this year has seen it cull every car in its previous line-up.

As well as combustion engine models like the F-Type sports car, E-Pace SUV and XF saloon, the brand has also ceased production of UK examples of the electric I-Pace.

While drivers might still be able to find some remaining stock in Jaguar dealers, the data suggests it wouldn’t be a wise financial decision to snap one up.

The data suggests a three-year-old I-Pace will be worth just £21,525 after three years, which is just 33.8 per cent of its on the road price of £69.995. 

However, like many of the EVs to feature in this list, dealers are likely to dramatically discount the OTR price to encourage sales.

9. Maserati Ghibli (PETROL) – falls 69.3%

Model variant: 3.8 V8 580 Ultima

Maserati’s potent V8 Ghibli is a ludicrously expensive family saloon car that loses a huge chunk of its original £160k price tag after just 3 years of ownership

Like Jaguar and the I-Pace, Maserati has discontinued availability of the Ghibli saloon in the UK. However, you might still be able to grab a zero-mile example from dealer stock.

The version that loses the biggest value is the range-topping 580 Ultima, which is powered by a gargling V8 engine that downs petrol at an alarming rate.

Given its astronomically high £160k asking price, huge running costs and a questionable reliability track record, it’s little surprise to see it retain just 30.7 per cent of its value after three years when it comes time to part exchange.

8. Audi S6 (DIESEL) – falls 69.6%

Model variant: S6 3.0 TDI 

For £26,750, a 3-year-old Audi S6 diesel makes a tempting used family car. For those who buy one new, it represents a significant loss

Audis tend to dominate the list of value-holding models, thanks to the desirability of its premium cars. However, there are some exceptions to the rule, including the diesel S6.

A hotter version of the A6 executive saloon, the S6 features a 3.0-litre powerplant that packs plenty of power and is relatively economical, if driven sensibly.

But Auto Express says its capacity to retain just 30.4 per cent of its OTR price by the time it is part exchanged after three years is partly a consequence of the more potent – and wild – RS6 petrol being in bigger demand.

As such, an S6 could be a very tempting used buy for anyone hankering for a fast, roomy family wagon with luxury appeal. 

7. Vauxhall Corsa Electric (ELECTRIC) – falls 69.7%

Model variant: 51kWh 156 GS 

The Vauxhall Corsa Electric suffers significant depreciation, mostly because the OTR price is around £10,000 more than a petrol equivalent and dealers are forced to dramatically discount prices

Another car to rapidly devalue is the Vauxhall Corsa, though only those versions powered exclusively by batteries and e-motors.

The big reason for the poor residual value of the Corsa Electric is the fact the recommended retail price (RRP) is around £10,000 higher than a petrol Corsa. It’s also why dealers are heavily discounting their prices to close the gap to the combustion engine alternative.

As such, the depreciation of these cars by the time they turn three years old is significant. Retaining just 30.3 per cent of the OTR value means you can snap one up with 36k on the clock for less than £10,000.

6. GWM ORA 03 (ELECTRIC) – falls 69.8%

Model variant: 48kWh 171 Pure+ 

The GWM Ora 03 is – by today’s standards – an expensive small electric car. However, significant depreciation of almost 70% after just 3 years

Ora is a relative newcomer to the UK market and is a brand falling under the banner of huge Chinese conglomerate, Great Wall Motor.

The 03 is its debut model – previously called the Funky Cat before the questionable name was ditched after a few months – and the smallest model in its electric-only line-up.

Despite costing over £30,000 new, owners can expect to see almost 70 per cent wiped off the value when part exchanging after three years. This is due to a combination of elements, including the brand’s relative infancy and lack of popularity and also concerns about write offs raised last year.

5. Audi A8 (DIESEL) – falls 69.8%

Model variant: 50 TDI V6 Sport Technology Pro Pack 

Big luxury German executive saloons commonly depreciate rapidly. This is due to their high running costs and concerns about large repair bills

You have to be extremely affluent to own a German luxury executive saloon; not just to afford the price tag but also the typically steep depreciation this segment of car traditionally suffers.

The A8 diesel is no different. High running costs and concerns about whopping repair bills make models if this ilk far less attractive to conventional second-hand motor buyers – and the market for them is much smaller than other vehicle categories.

As such, it means those will to take a punt on a used car with high running costs can get their hands on a three-year-old premium limo for the price of a new family hatchback.  

4. Maserati Levante (PETROL) – falls 70.9%

Model variant: 3.8 V8 Trofeo 

Another big-ticket luxury car that sheds a huge amount of its list price is the Maserati Levante Trofeo – a V8 SUV that sheds over £100,000 after just 3 years 

Like the other Maserati in this list, this rapidly depreciating luxury Italian car is the range-topping version which costs north of £140,000. With a 523bhp V8 engine, it guzzles petrol at an alarming rate and is kitted with premium items; the wheels and tyres alone cost a small fortune to replace.

The Levante is no longer a UK option, with the car maker ditching the big premium SUV last year – though some stock may still remain in Britain.

But this is definitely a model to lease rather than buy from new – unless you’re happy to stomach a £100k loss after just three years. 

3. DS3 E-Tense (ELECTRIC) – falls 71.7%

Model variant: 54kWh Pallas

The DS3 E-Tense is an electric car suffering huge depreciation. Residual value data predicts a new model costing almost £40k will be worth around just £11k after three years of use 

DS Automobiles, the French spin-off brand of Citroen, hasn’t been the raving success in Britain that bosses would have hoped when it set it up as a standalone marque in 2014.

Last year, just 1,152 DS cars were registered in the UK – that’s less than half the number of Omodas entering the market, which is a Chinese newcomer to the market that, frankly, most drivers are unaware of.

The electric DS3 E-Tense crossover has borne some of the brunt of such unpopularity via crippling depreciation. The DS3 E-Tense example seen here – which has a claimed 250-mile range and is more than adequate to drive – costs almost £40,000 new but after three years and 36,000 miles is worth just £11,000. For used buyers, that might be a deal too good to pass on.

2. Vauxhall Mokka Electric (ELECTRIC) – falls 71.7%

Model variant: 54kWh Ultimate Long Range

A Vauxhall Mokka Electric crossover is predicted to fall from a new price of £42,000 to a little over £11,000 by the time it’s 3 years old

If you thought the Vauxhall Corsa Electric’s (seventh in this list) predicted depreciation was painful, wait until you look at its crossover sibling, the Mokka Electric.

Motorists – or finance or leasing companies they use – have to bear the brunt of a 71.7 per cent drop in residual value over a three-year period, which in this case sees a £42,000 EV offload £30k of its value when part exchanging after just 36 months.

Once these cars enter the used market after a conventional three-year finance contract ends, buyers of second-hand models can snap one up for around £12,000.

1. Nissan Leaf (ELECTRIC) – falls 73%

Model variant: 39kWh Acenta

Nissan’s Leaf EV is the fastest depreciating car sold in Britain at the moment, according to Auto Express’ report

The fastest depreciating new car on sale right now is the Sunderland-built Nissan Leaf.

The second-generation model in showrooms today has been on sale since 2017 so – particularly by EV standards – now feels long in the tooth against up-to-date models with more tech and longer ranges.

As such, demand for used versions is not as high as it is for other battery models. The result of this means a Leaf is predicted to offload three quarters of its new value after just three years. For anyone wanting a second-hand EV with a claimed 239-mile range, a Leaf makes an attractive option at a price of just £7,900.

Steve Walker, head of digital content at Auto Express who oversaw the study, said older electric cars like the Leaf are ‘undoubtedly suffering from the rapid development of EV technology’.

‘As new entrants have moved the game on in terms of range and charging speeds, competition has increased, and prices have been forced down,’ he said.

‘We’re now getting closer to price parity between new electric and internal combustion engine cars, and that is being reflected in the depreciation figures for the modern EVs that get the value proposition right.

‘However, make the right choices and car buyers have little to fear from EV depreciation.’

SLOWEST DEPRECIATING CARS

At the opposite end of the spectrum is a selection of cars that instead of losing around 70 per cent of their value after three years hold onto the same percentage over that period.

The list of 10 slowest depreciating motors is made up primarily of niche, low-production models, which therefore command higher values later down the line.

Prime example of this is the Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS, which tops the charts by losing a mere 30.4 per cent of its new price.

Buyers who stump up the £128,300 OTR price for one of the 7,000 built will be rewarded with £89,350 back if they part exchange after three years, which is not a bad return given the huge financial losses see in the countdown above.

Walker says it is ‘no surprise’ to see the Cayman GT4 come out on top as 2025’s best single model for retained value, thanks to its ‘strictly limited supply’ and the fact models of this ilk ‘tend to change hands for a premium in the months immediately after the launch’.

‘The popularity of this petrol Cayman among enthusiasts is only enhanced by the fact that the new Cayman, due to be revealed this year, will be electric,’ he adds.

This rare Porsche sports car is the model that currently holds its value best, losing just 30.4% of its new price by the time owners want to part exchange it after 3 years

While the Dacia Duster is considered a budget-friendly model, it has historically had strong residual values. That continues with the all-new car available from this year

Among the other slow depreciators is mostly desirable SUVs, with Land Rover’s Defender and Discovery Sport, with JLR appearing to have quashed concerns regarding thefts of its latest models. 

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, newly released Toyota Land Cruiser and Porsche’s Macan are all premium SUVs that make the league table of value retention, too.

However, there are two notable standouts in the list.

Firstly, the Bentley Flying Spur, which goes against the grain of luxurious limousines shedding masses of value by retaining a predicted 65.6 per cent of its new price after three years.

The other outlier is Dacia’s budget-friendly Duster, which is predicted to fall in value by just 36.7 per cent over three years – that’s strong enough residuals to place eighth overall in the list of slowest depreciating new models.

‘The car’s arrived on the UK market offering conspicuously excellent value for money and with the brand’s no-nonsense image boosting desirability, values are propped up extremely well – particularly for the lower spec versions,’ Walker says.

And not all electric cars plunge in value… 

While the list of the fastest depreciating cars is dominated by EVs, not all are losing value at such an alarming rate.

In fact, some of the latest models to enter the market are predicted to better average residual values over a three-year period. 

Lotus’s £90k Eletre SUV is forecast to retain 62.5 per cent of its value after three years, with the hyper-SUV estimated to be worth £56,750 by the time owners want to part exchange after three years.

The Lotus Eletre is the slowest depreciating EV on the market currently. Value retention data shows it will lose just 37.5% of its original OTR price after 3 years

EV newcomers – including the Vauxhall Grandland Electric (left) and Mini’s Aceman – are predicted to provide above-average residual values, according to the report 

Tesla’s Model X, which is no longer sold in right-hand-drive in the UK and is one of the best large family EVs on the market – is also holding value strong, while VW’s retro ID.Buzz is also proving residually solid for the meantime.

New EVs entering the market in the last few months or early in 2025 – including the Vauxhall Grandland Electric, Porsche Macan Electric, Mini Aceman, MG Cyberster, Mercedes G580 with EQ Technology (the electric G-Class) and Mini Cooper E are all outperforming the sector for depreciation.

‘A huge amount has been said about electric car depreciation in recent times but while some EVs have proven to be money pits, there are plenty of others with very strong residuals that match their low fuel and maintenance costs,’ continues Walker.

‘Vauxhall’s new Grandland is the 19th slowest depreciating car in the UK with the EV version out-performing the petrol, tight pricing, sharp design and an EV range well over 400 miles all contributing to that performance.

‘The new Mini Cooper Electric is another strong performer trading on its desirability.’