Which car holds its value best in the UK?
Discover which cars hold their value best in the UK. Learn about depreciation & how to make the best choice in our guide to which cars hold their value best.
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For many people, a car can be the second-most expensive purchase they’ll ever make, second only to a house.
However, with people changing cars every three to five years, it’s important that drivers make a well-informed decision to ensure their car retains as much value as possible, besides being a suitable pick for their needs.
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Understanding the cars that hold their value best
If you’re looking for your next set of wheels, you may be wondering which car holds its value best. You might even have your eye on an electric or a luxury model.
All cars depreciate (with the exception of very few high-end supercars), and while the biggest depreciation generally hits the moment you buy a new car, even used cars can continue to depreciate over time.
In order to find which car holds its value the best, you’ll want to find a model with reasonably low depreciation so that you can sell it on or part-exchange it for a decent price, helping you to upgrade several years down the line.
Which cars hold their value best?
Precisely how much a car will depreciate depends on numerous variables, including how long you intend to keep it and how many miles you’re likely to drive.
That’s before you factor in things like wear and tear, damage, trim level, fuel type and so many other elements.
However, looking at industry trends can give you an idea as to which cars might hold their value best, and SUVs continue to be extremely popular.
Similarly, a push to more efficient powertrains has seen the rise of mild hybrid (MHEV), self-charging hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles, so models with those options are generally pretty desirable.
Slowest-depreciating cars UK:
Mercedes G-Class
Land Rover Defender
Porsche 911
Dacia Bigster
Dacia Jogger
Porsche 718 Cayman
Toyota Land Cruiser
MINI Countryman
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Mercedes G-Class
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The Mercedes G-Class is an iconic design, boxy in shape and with military roots. It’s just as luxurious as the S-Class, but in a totally different, rugged way.
It’s a great car for both luxury buyers and avid off-roaders, but it's also a desirable collector's item and a fashion statement. That’s probably why they’re so expensive.
Limited supply and strong demand keep used values high, especially across special-edition models like the performance Mercedes-AMG G 63 and the fully electric G 580.
Land Rover Defender
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Clearly, boxy SUVs are where it’s at. The Land Rover Defender is another classic, but this time totally reinvented. Think of it as the modern, high-end take on the established and much-loved classic Defender.
We love it because it works as a genuine family SUV and a very capable off-roader – perfect for adventurous owners who spend time outdoors.
Three-door ‘90’, standard five-door ‘110’ and eight-seater '130’ extended versions are all popular, with petrol, diesel, V8 and plug-in hybrid options covering virtually every base.
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Porsche 911
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Often considered the benchmark sports car, the Porsche 911 offers outstanding performance in an enthusiast-pleasing rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive (all-wheel drive in some) setup for maximum engagement.
It offers a timeless design that doesn’t age quickly, so other road users will know you mean business whichever generation you get.
Some of the most popular models include high-performance GTS and Turbo versions, as well as any 911 specced with the rarer manual gearbox.
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Dacia Bigster
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Bear with us here – it might be cheap, but that also means it doesn’t have much to lose to start with (compared with the big dogs above). Plus, we already know UK drivers love an SUV, and what’s not to love about an affordable one?
Its simple, rugged design ticks the SUV box, while efficient petrol engines, hybrid options and the choice of front- or four-wheel drive make it pretty customisable compared with other family SUVs.
Engine choice probably won’t matter so much when it comes to depreciation – it’s the higher, fully-loaded trim levels that will have the biggest impact on value retention, we think.
Dacia Jogger
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Yes, it’s another Dacia, but the Jogger is a practical blend of people carrier and estate, with seven seats, all for the price of a modern supermini.
It stands out because of its massive practicality per pound – you’d have to spend a lot more to get this from most other brands.
The Jogger likely holds its value well because of the mechanical simplicity and brand reliability. Again, expect the highest trim levels to hold onto their value best.
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Porsche 718 Cayman
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The 718 Cayman (and its cabriolet equivalent, the 718 Boxster) often gets called the poor driver’s 911. But that’s not fair, because this sports car deserves credit of its own.
It’s a mid-engined rival to the Audi TT and Alpine A110, but with all the luxury and premium heritage you’d expect.
The 4.0-litre flat-six engine in the GTS 4.0 is probably the pick of the bunch if you’re going for maximum value retention, while GT4 and GT4 RS models have collector-level demand. If your budget isn’t so high, consider a rarer manual model.
Toyota Land Cruiser
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As you can see, one of the most common car types on this list is the old-school SUV. Buyers seem to love classics reinvented, and the Land Cruiser packs a punch whichever generation you’re going for.
Built to last decades, known for its reliability and backed by Toyota's industry-leading 10-year warranty, the Land Cruiser is a good long-term investment.
The 2024-onward J250 generation is highly sought-after and is a pretty rare sight in the UK due to limited supply.
MINI Countryman
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The MINI Countryman is more MASSIVE than MINI, at nearly 4.5 metres long, but it’s ideal for families who’ve outgrown the more conventional three-door hatchback.
It has an extremely broad range of configurations, including petrol, older diesel, plug-in hybrid and electric, as well as manual/automatic and front/four-wheel drive.
We doubt it’ll hold onto its value for as long as some of the heavy hitters above, but for now, demand is strong and you should be able to sell it on for a good price when you upgrade.
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Volkswagen ID. Buzz
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Surprise, surprise. It’s another modern take on a heritage model. The ID. Buzz’s retro styling (inspired by the classic VW camper) and fully electric running gear are the sort of contrast to get drivers talking.
Already queued up to see fairly low depreciation, the camper element just adds to the Buzz’s strengths. Because yes, you can buy a campervan version, and we all know how expensive Transporter-based campers are to acquire.
Two-tone launch models are desirable for their styling, long-wheelbase models are popular for the added practicality, and those pricey campers are good for killing two birds with one stone.
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Land Rover Discovery Sport
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Though the Discovery isn’t far off being on this list, the smaller Discovery Sport’s accessible premium-ness is what gives it good value here.
It’s infinitely more practical than rivals like the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Mercedes GLA, with up to seven seats and genuine off-road ability, but it’s priced well enough that the average family can afford one – especially used.
That Land Rover badge still carries weight in the depreciation sector, and we expect it to for years to come. Post-facelift models with the Pivi Pro infotainment system will likely fare better long-term.
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Choose the best value car for you
There are many ways you could look at depreciation – while some of the more expensive models lose a lesser percentage, cheaper cars are both cheaper to buy and lose fewer pounds.
We recommend you focus on what makes the car right for you and whether other models offer similar features for less money.
For example, there are plenty of affordable options that come loaded to the roof with equipment – so if you’re willing to forgo the premium badge, you can already make huge savings.
Also remember that there’s no concrete formula to which car will hold its value best. But there are still some variables you can control, like mileage, condition and servicing history.
Look after your car, and you could get a healthy return at the end regardless of depreciation status.
Find your value-holding car at cinch
At cinch, our highly trained technicians have already done the hard work of checking each car over, and our high-resolution imagery shows you exactly what you’re getting.