Enter the vehicle
Today’s price (or purchase price), the vehicle’s current age, and how long you’ll keep it.
Depreciation is the biggest cost of owning a newer car. Project what a vehicle will be worth year by year — new or used — under three realistic value curves.
Today’s price (or purchase price), the vehicle’s current age, and how long you’ll keep it.
Average, holds-value-well, or fast-depreciating — three realistic scenarios.
Estimated value year by year, and the total value lost over your ownership.
A typical new car loses around 20% of its value in the first year and roughly 15% of its remaining value each year after — about half its value by year five. Segments differ widely: popular trucks and some Toyota/Honda models hold value much better, while many luxury sedans and EVs fall faster.
For most newer cars, depreciation is the single largest ownership cost — often more than fuel, insurance, and maintenance combined in the early years. Two similar-priced cars can differ by thousands of dollars in real cost purely because one holds value and the other doesn’t.
Yes. The steepest drop happens in year one, which the first owner absorbs. A 3-year-old car has already taken that hit, so its future decline follows the gentler later-year curve — one reason lightly used cars are often the best value play.
It’s a population-level model, not an appraisal — real value depends on mileage, condition, trim, options, accident history, and local demand. Use the three curves as scenarios, and check the market value and history for a specific VIN before you buy or sell.
Decode the VIN free — factory build, options, and open recalls, plus market value.
Population-level estimates, not an appraisal — actual value depends on mileage, condition, options, history, and local demand.