Last Updated 2 years ago
One important factor to take into consideration when buying a car is its depreciation rate. In other words, how much value does the car retain over time? Regardless of how long you are planning to keep your car, it is important to know how much of the purchase price you can get back when you resell it – the more money you can recover the better.
Additionally, looking at what cars will depreciate the slowest is a good indicator of the quality of the car and how other car buyers think about that vehicle in terms of reliability, durability, safety, etc.
For the record, in this article, we won’t talk about the Rolls Royce or the Porshes of the world. We’ll show you only those vehicles you can find right now in 2024 at the dealerships for less than $32,000.
And no, you won’t find electric vehicles in this list either. Because according to recent reports, electric vehicles depreciate the most compared to other car categories.
We looked at 2 big car review sites: The Kelly Blue Book and iSeeCars. In addition, we took the cars under $32,000 that had the slowest depreciation rate based on what these experts were saying about them. Having done this, we went on to research how much these models actually cost on the market.
Here are the 6 most affordable cars with the higher resale value under $32,000 you can get in 2024:
6. Ford Bronco
With a starting price of $29,215, the 2024 Ford Bronco has an estimated 34.6% depreciation in 5 years according to the KBB, whereas the research firm iSeeCars estimates a higher depreciation of 49.4%. In other words, you can expect a Ford Bronco to reduce its value in 5 years almost half of its current price.
- Starting MSRP: $31,230
- Miles per gallon in the city: 25
- Miles per gallon on highway: 29
5. Ford Maverick
Next, we have the compact truck Ford Maverik. It’s available in with a 2.0 gasoline engine or the hybrid version of 2.5 L. According to the KBB, this model has a 38.3% depreciation over 5 years, which is very similar to what iSeeCars reports: 33.2%. Looking at the current starting price for the latest model, in 5 years, you can expect to see this car to be worth $15,289.
- Starting MSRP: $23,815
- Miles per gallon in the city: 23
- Miles per gallon on highway: 30
4. Honda Civic
In fourth place, we have the Honda Civic with an average depreciation of 34% over 5 years (Estimated 5-year depreciation: KBB – 37.5% | iSeeCars – 30.4%).
We all know about the quality of the Honda Civic. And this is not just our opinion, this car has been featured in Car and Driver Best Cars for 2023 and 2024. Also, the research car company Edmunds selected the Civic as the 2023 Top Rated Car.
- Starting MSRP: $23,950
- Miles per gallon in the city (basic version): 31
- Miles per gallon on highway (basic version): 40
3. Subaru Crosstrek
According to the Kelly Blue Book, the Subaru Crosstreck retains 61% of its value. In another hand, iSeeCars estimates that a higher resale price of 74.9% after 5 years. This means that if the 2024 model has a starting MSRP (manufacturing Suggested Retail Price) of $25,195 if you sell this car you would expect to get between $15,369 and $18,871.
The crosstreck comes in 5 different trims: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited and Wilderness. It’s definitively a car for daily commenting because of its good fuel efficiency provided by its 2.0-liter engine that requires gasoline 87 octanes (the cheapest gasoline option at the pump) but also has decent off-road capabilities since the all-wheel drive systems come standard.
- Starting MSRP: $25,195
- Miles per gallon in the city (basic version): 27
- Miles per gallon on highway (basic version): 34
2. Jeep Wrangler
Let’s be honest, nobody gets a Jeep looking to save money on gas. But the 4×4 capability and the unconventional style that Jeep offers are highly looked for by Americans. As per the KBB, the Jeep Wrangler maintains 61% of its value after 5 years, similar to the Subaru Crosstrek. The iSeeCars report is more optimistic showing a 76.1% value retention. That means that for the basic version, you can expect to receive around $19,520 or up to $24,348.
- Starting MSRP: $31,995
- Miles per gallon in the city (basic version): 20
- Miles per gallon on highway (basic version): 23
1. Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is the best-ranked vehicle in this catecory. This year you can find this pickup truck at a starting price of $31,500 for the SR version. In 2024, you can choose among 8 different trims: SR, SR5, TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, Trail Hunter, and the TRD Pro.
According to the experts you can expect to retain up to 72.8% of the value of this truck at the end of 5 years. The Kelly Blue Book says it will depreciate 34% after 5 years, whereas iSeeCars estimates depreciation of only 20.4%.
- Starting MSRP: $31,500
- Miles per gallon in the city: 20
- Miles per gallon on highway: 26
