Top 10 Slowest Depreciating Cars of 2024

It may be less than 3 months into 2024 but the introduction of the new ‘24’ number plate less than 2 weeks ago, and the fact that March is the ideal time to buy a car, means that now is the perfect time to look at cars that are holding their value better than others. The fact that a car than hold on to its residual value better than others can mean everything from lower payments on your finance package, greater bargaining during part exchanging or greater equity and cash back in your pocket when it comes time to sell.

With that in mind, a car that holds on to its value better than others can make your buying decision easier and could sway your decision between which of two particular models you are looking to purchase. To work out which cars hold on to their residual values better, we need to look at how much percentage of their value is retained after the industry average of 3 years and 36,000 miles after the car was bought. With that in mind here is our countdown of the Top 10 Slowest Depreciating Cars of 2024 (so far):

10 – Bentley Flying Spur

Large executive saloons generally do not hold on to their value that well, however the saloon version of the ever-popular Continental GT certainly goes against that theory. Whilst it may start off more expensive than rivals from Mercedes, Audi, Porsche and BMW it offers greater luxury, a more upmarket image and the upmost in refinement, but also manages to hold on to its value better despite the original higher purchase cost.

The model to have for depreciation reasons is the 4.0-litre V8 ‘Azure’, the mid-range model in terms of both equipment levels and engine power. This ensures the purchase price isn’t at the highest it can be, but it still retains a sensible engine size as to not put prospective future purchasers off the running costs. The Azure specification Flying Spur comes in at £212,760 and after 36,000 miles and 3 years this drops by just over £90,000 to £122,500. At a retained value of 57.6% the Bentley Flying Spur takes 10^th spot on our countdown.

9 – Porsche Panamera

The Panamera may have had a bit of a facelift recently however since they are not available for delivery just yet this hasn’t affected the current residual prices of this popular Porsche model. Upon the launch of the model many were put off by the somewhat bloated looks of the first Panamera iteration, however these days it is one of the smartest and most stylish large executive saloons money can buy, especially in Sport Turismo estate form. Blessed with excellent dynamic capability and impressive performance, the Panamera is also one of the best handling saloons on the market.

The best model to get the most of your money back is actually the cheapest of the Panamera range in terms of specification and engine size, the base 2.9 V6, yet with the desirable Sport Turismo body style. With an average list price of just over £80,000, the Panamera currently loses just under £30,000 over the 3 years and 36,000 miles, resulting in a retained value of 63.49% and a residual value on average of £50,900. This makes the Porsche 9^th in our depreciation countdown.

8 – Audi RS3

The Audi RS3 has always been one of the most popular and desirable of all the hot hatchbacks thanks to not just its performance but also the soundtrack of its turbocharged 5-cylinder engine. Not only that, but the latest generation is widely regarded as the best one yet and has been praised for its newfound sense of fun and handling feedback. With 400bhp on offer from its 2.5-litre engine, its famed quattro four-wheel drive system and the fact you can also get in a stylish saloon variant, the latest RS3 remains as popular as ever.

The saloon variant may cost a little bit more when new, but its desirability is the reason it holds that value better than the hatchback equivalent. It is also imperative that the sought after Comfort and Sound package is selected in order to ensure the maximum amount of residual value is retained. With an average list price of £57,750, the retained value after 3 years and 36,000 miles is on average £35,775 which puts it ahead of all of its main rivals. This means that the RS3 Saloon takes 8^th place on our countdown, with 61.95% of its value retained.

7 – Range Rover

The latest version of the ever-popular luxury off-roader was released in 2022, however its introduction seems to have done little to affect the prices of the previous version. The demand for the Range Rover is always high and as such the pre-owned prices tend to remain higher than most of its rivals from BMW, Mercedes, Audi and even Porsche. Questions have often been raised about the brand’s reliability and build quality, and more recently insurance premiums, however this does little to prevent customers from turning to a Range Rover whenever they are looking for the definitive luxury SUV experience.

Strangely for an SUV, the model with the best residual value is the P400 3.0-litre petrol engine, despite the popularity of diesel for this genre of vehicle, with the ‘SE’ specification the best of them all. The list price of £107,320 falls by just over £40,000 after 3 years and 36,000 miles of motoring to give a residual value of £66,725, 62.2% of its original value and enough for 7^th place in our countdown.

6 – Volkswagen ID Buzz

If any genre of car was not expected to be on this list it was certainly going to be electric. The electric car industry over the past year has seen price cuts, fall in demand and reliability issues as well as problems sourcing parts meaning residual values have fallen more than most. The Volkswagen ID Buzz, however, is an exception to all of that. Whilst most assume it is merely a retro themed van, the ID Buzz can also be a cool people carrier or family car, with more than enough street cred to impress your neighbours.

The spiritual successor to the Microbus may seem relatively expensive at £58,915 for the Pro 77kWh version in Life specification, yet compared to other electric vehicle rivals it is actually priced quite competitively. After 3 years and 36,000 miles the average retained value is £38,325 and sees 65.05% of its value remaining, seeing it placed 6^th in our residual value countdown.

5 – Land Rover Defender

Whether the following of the ‘original’ Land Rover Defender are the same that are fans of the ‘new’ model remains to be seen, but the demand for the new version is surely something even Land Rover themselves would not have predicted. Despite selling in their tens of thousands the demand for the Defender means that residual values remain strong, even coming into its 4^th year on sale. The perfect blend of unmatched off-road ability with on-road comfort and capability as well as just enough retro styling hints and utilitarian influences ensures the Defender is as popular as ever.

The best performing Defender in terms of residual value retained is actually the 110 body style P400e petrol-electric hybrid and in high specification ‘X’ form, offering good trim levels with impressive performance yet good fuel economy and the possibility for electric only driving too. Although the list price seems expensive at almost £92,000, the Defender retains 66.9% of its value, with an average price of £61,450 after 3 years and 36,000 miles covered.

4 – Mercedes Benz G-Class

The G-Class has always been a formula that shouldn’t work but yet something that is always a desirable prospect. The utilitarian looks and retro styling mixed with the latest technology and Mercedes Benz luxury seems like a strange blend, but in the G-Class it just works and is as popular as ever. Originally a vehicle for the military to drive across the roughest of terrain, the latest version of the G-Class couldn’t be further from its basic roots and is more likely to be seen on the roads of the most upper class high streets than showing off its off-road capability.

Despite the demand for the range topping G63 AMG, it is the G400d that sees it retain better residual value over 3 years and 36,000 miles. With a 2.9-litre diesel engine and in AMG Line Premium Plus specification, the G400d retains 62.26% of its original £131,335 list price, with a value of £81,775. That sees the iconic Mercedes Benz take 4^th spot in our countdown and reaffirms its popularity amongst new and used car buyers.

3 – Range Rover Sport

Whilst Land Rover models do very well with holding on to their residual values, it is the Range Rover Sport that outperforms the rest of them. The Sport is the more dynamic version of the Range Rover line up yet retains comfort and luxuriousness in abundance. The latest model raises the bar even further from everything from performance and handling to refinement and technology, yet any year of Sport is a desirable car to own.

As with its Defender sibling, it is the P460e petrol-electric plug-in hybrid in Dynamic SE trim that holds on to it value best of all, despite its relatively high average list price of almost £93,000. After 3 years and 36,000 miles you can expect to see a return of just under £60,000, a retained value of 64.4% and third place in our slowest depreciating cars of 2024.

2 – Lamborghini Urus

The Lamborghini Urus has been a sales phenomenon for Lamborghini, becoming their biggest selling model of all time and in the shortest time too. Considered by many to be the ultimate all-rounder, the Urus offers supercar pace and dynamic capability, SUV practicality and space, and grand touring luxury and comfort levels. It is little wonder that more than 20,000 Urus’ have been sold since 2019 despite their high price, with the level of demand ensuring that this super-SUV is a permanent fixture in the slowest deprecating cars list.

With just 2 models in the line up, the ‘base’ Urus is not exactly skimping on performance or features. The Urus S comes with a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces in excess of 650bhp and comes with an average list price marginally over £185,000. After 3 years and 36,000 miles this has dropped by around £45,000, but even so equates to a retained value of 75.4% or £139,875. In a list consisting of many SUV’s, this is the best performing by some margin in terms of holding on to its value more than any others, and on the road too.

1- Porsche 911

It is not surprising to see the Porsche 911 at the top of the list, the popular sports car is also our most popular funded model and has been for the past few years. The 992 generation may be coming up to 5 years old now, but the mid-cycle facelift is due to be unveiled at some point this year keeping it at the very top of its game. 911 models of any age are always sought after prospects and values across the model range hold their value extremely well, especially compared to their rivals.

Unsurprisingly it is the most sought-after model that sees the largest amount of value retained after the 3 year and 36,000-mile threshold. The pinnacle of the 911 range has always been their GT range, and the GT3 RS the most in demand of them all. Whether it is the very latest 992 GT3 RS or the previous generations, the popularity and famed performance ensures that values remain high year after year. With an average list price of just under £193,000, the retained value comes in at £151,275 resulting in 78.5% of the cars value remaining after 36 months and 36,000 miles. Enough to knock last years winner off the top spot as the slowest depreciating car money can buy.

Oracle Car Finance

At Oracle Finance we have your new car funding sorted, no matter which kind it is or what age it may be. Our expert Account Managers use our panel of specialist lenders to help you to find the perfect package, bespoke to you and your circumstances. Our team are always on hand should you have any questions about arranging car finance and your dedicated Account Manager is ready to take your call today. Not only that, but our knowledge of the car market means we can offer advice regarding residual values or offer you a free valuation on your current car.