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Depreciation Calculator

Car Depreciation Calculator

What Is Car Depreciation?

A car loses some of its value each year through the everyday wear and tear that comes with aging. This loss in value is known as depreciation. While depreciation is inescapable, you can at least forecast your car's worth over time by using our car depreciation calculator, making it easy to see what it might sell for down the road.For more tools and information, see our Cost to Own section and Car Values page.

Did you know...

New cars often shed about 55% of their original purchase price within the first five years.

Calculate CarDepreciation

On average, new cars depreciate about 30% over the first 2 years, and continue to depreciate 8-12% each year after that. Use the calculator to see your expected vehicle depreciation.

Average New Car Depreciation
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Average New Car Depreciation Breakdown
Year
Depreciation
Residual Value
Year 0
-
100%
Year 1
16%
84%
Year 2
12%
72%
Year 3
11%
61%
Year 4
9%
52%
Year 5
7%
45%

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FAQs

Car depreciation varies based on the vehicle's year, make and model. To calculate depreciation, start with the initial value of the vehicle. Then, apply the average annual percentage decrease over the duration of ownership. Insider tip: Use an online depreciation calculator to get a handle on how your car's value will change over time.

Depreciation rates vary depending on the vehicle's year, make, and model. The first year experiences the biggest hit to the car's market value, with most vehicles losing about 20% or more of their original value. The loss continues to decline from there. Cars often shed about 60% of their original purchase price within the first five years.

Ready to sell your car? Get your Kelley Blue Book® Value.

Several factors influence how quickly a vehicle's value decreases over time. Key factors include mileage, age, reliability, number of owners, service history, desirability, fuel economy, length of warranty, and general condition.
Car depreciation is unavoidable, but there are several things to consider to help keep resale value higher: maintain your car and keep good records, sell the car yourself, don't customize your car, and look for tax breaks if you use your vehicle in your business or a side gig.

Certain brands depreciate faster than others. The ones that do are usually luxury or performance brands or ones with a less-than-stellar reputation for reliability. On a similar note, our projections using Kelley Blue Book data indicate that the two brands with the lowest 5-year cost to own are Toyota and Lexus. For a list of the standout cars, trucks, and SUV's, take a look at the Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own Award winners.

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