Finding a new car, truck or auto is stressful enough without trying to calculate depreciation. Recent research has revealed that some midsize SUVs have the highest five-year depreciation rates on the market, making it crucial for buyers to know about these models before deciding. However, some of the alternatives listed have lower than average depreciation rates.
The Nissan Pathfinder is a midsize SUV with the highest five-year payback
When you look at sales of three- and five-year-old used vehicles, some are better value than others. The Nissan Pathfinder isn’t the right choice if you want an SUV that won’t depreciate. iSeeCars found it was the number one midsize SUV with the highest five-year depreciation, coming in at 44.9%. For the midsize SUV, buyers can expect about 39.9% depreciation over the first five years of ownership.
and Chevrolet Traverse, iSeeCars found that these midsize SUVs had one of the highest depreciations in five years. The Santa Fe depreciated 44.8% and the Traverse 44.2%. Both are still nearly 5 percent higher than the average midsize sport-utility vehicle.
If Hyundai Santa Fe and Chevrolet Traverse were on your list of SUVs to look for this year, perhaps buying a used one instead of a new one would be beneficial. This way, the vehicle has already depreciated quite a bit before landing in your driveway.
After the Nissan and Hyundai vehicles, the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano also made the list. Ford’s Edge saw a 43.2% depreciation and the Murano fell 42.7% in the first five years.
Here are some alternatives to consider
At the other end of the spectrum, some midsize SUVs have depreciated less in five years. It might not surprise you that it was the midsize SUV with the lowest depreciation at 21.7%. The 4Runner has a long history of reliability which likely contributed to that, and buyers are holding on to the Toyota SUV longer than usual.
After the 4Runner, the Honda Pilot and Dodge Durango showed low depreciation rates. iSeeCars found the Pilot depreciated 36.7% over five years, while the Durango’s five-year depreciation rate hovered around 36.1%.
Depreciation is only part of vehicle ownership, but that doesn’t mean you have to lose a lot of money right away. These midsize SUVs with the highest five-year depreciation may have been on your list, but all hope isn’t lost. Check out the 4Runner, Pilot, and Durano instead.
