For the vast majority of new car buyers, depreciation is an inevitable part of the buying process. New cars lose a portion of their value as soon as they're driven out of the dealership, and then continue to shed value over the following years. According to KBB , the average new vehicle will be worth 42.
4% of its sticker price after five years on the road. However, some models lose value much faster than average. This makes checking a car's value retention all the more important before buying it, and potentially staying away from the worst performers.
After all, no-one wants to end up regretting their new car purchase because they weren't aware how much money they'd be burning during their ownership. These models score among the lowest on the market for resale value according to data from KBB, with each scoring significantly below the overall average. Some are attainable while others are exclusive flagships aimed squarely for the wealthiest buyers, but all will plummet in value during their first few years on the road, making reselling them a potentially painful experience.
There are a lot of things to like about BMW's flagship 7 Series executive sedan, but its value retention is not one of them. According to KBB , the 7 Series should retain just 32.7% of its original value after five years, well below the overall average.
In most other regards, it's a highly appealing car — SlashGear gave the car an Editor's Choice award in 2023, citing its surprisingly sharp driving dynam.
