Skip advert
Advertisement

Sports cars on top in the latest car resale value charts

Sports cars may be getting more expensive, but they’re also among the slowest-depreciating cars, according to new data

Toyota GR86

If you’ve been patiently waiting for the price of used Alpine A110s to come down to something more attainable, don’t hold your breath, as the latest forecast data shows that Alpine is one of the slowest-depreciating makers on the market – and that sports cars as a whole hold onto their value better than any other type of car.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It’s similarly good news for brands like Morgan, Lotus, Aston Martin, and Porsche, all of which produce fast cars with slow depreciation, while other types of vehicles that hold their value well over time include large SUVs, and premium hatchbacks.

> 2024 Best sports cars - icons and modern day heroes

The data comes from VIP Data, and is divided into the categories used by our sister site Auto Express to define different market segments. The figures show that after three years or 36,000 miles, the average sports car holds on to 52.38 per cent of its on-the-road price, while Alpine, Morgan, and Lotus cars specifically raise that figure to more than 57 per cent, while Porsche is close to the sports car average with 52.65 per cent across its entire range.

It’s a sign that these cars are just as desirable for used buyers as they are for new ones – and that the relative scarcity of new sports cars on the market is keeping demand high long after the first owner has had their fill.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

That’s all the more relevant when sales figures are relatively low too. It’s little wonder that cars from a brand like Alpine, which has made only a little over 20,000 A110s in total, and of those only a fraction have come to the UK, hold their value. With the average sports car now being quite expensive – high-end models considerably outnumber more affordable cars like the Mazda MX-5 and Toyota GR86 – buyers are only too eager to snap them up as used cars instead, however slowly they might depreciate.

Mazda MX-5

After sports cars, large SUVs dominate the retained value list, holding onto just over 52 per cent after three years or 36,000 miles. Premium hatchbacks aren’t far behind either on 50.04 per cent – in stark contrast to the 43.76 per cent of their non-premium counterparts. So if you’re looking for a set of family wheels, perhaps a relatively upscale BMW 1-series or Mercedes A-class is a better idea than a Peugeot 308 or a Kia Ceed, even if the monthly payment is a touch higher.

Like large SUVs, small and medium-sized models do well too, while you’ll also find supercars mid-table, retaining nearly 48 per cent of their value – though these are for slightly more mainstream models (if you’ll excuse the contradiction in terms) such as the Audi R8 and Porsche 911s, with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren not represented in the data.

Right down towards the bottom of the table meanwhile are executive saloons, compact execs like the BMW 3-series, and luxury cars, all of which average only 42-44 per cent of their original value after three years.

So if you’ve been wondering whether to buy that new sports car, then you can rest easy that it at least won’t shed its value too quickly when you take the plunge. And if you have your eye on a high-end luxury car like a 7-series or S-class, perhaps give it a few years for someone else to take the depreciation hit.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

New Toyota Supra on the way, A90 Final Edition not UK-bound
Toyota Supra A90 Final Edition front
News

New Toyota Supra on the way, A90 Final Edition not UK-bound

The last of the A90 Supras will be the most potent and the most focused. Will it finally realise the potential of Toyota’s sportscar?
11 Mar 2025
Morgan Supersport revealed – Malvern wants you to swap in your Porsche Cayman
2025 Morgan Supersport – front
News

Morgan Supersport revealed – Malvern wants you to swap in your Porsche Cayman

Morgan got carried away in the process of replacing the Plus Six and ended up with a new flagship. Morgan’s next decade starts here, with the Superspo…
11 Mar 2025
Kalmar RS-6 2025 review – a Porsche 911 restomod that doesn’t cost the earth
Kalmar RS-6 – front
Reviews

Kalmar RS-6 2025 review – a Porsche 911 restomod that doesn’t cost the earth

Kalmar has created a 996-based safari car for £60k – it’s a 911 Dakar for a third of the price
11 Mar 2025
Alpine A290 v Alpine A110 – how much DNA do they really share?
Alpine A290 v Alpine A110
Group tests

Alpine A290 v Alpine A110 – how much DNA do they really share?

Alpine would like us to believe that the A290 shares much of the same DNA that makes the A110 a great driver’s car. Time to put that claim to the test
8 Mar 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
10 Mar 2025
Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming
2025 Porsche 911 GT3
News

Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming

The 911 will get even more exclusive and desirable variants with increased customisability going forward
12 Mar 2025
Pagani Utopia 2025 review – £2.2m Huayra successor nails the hypercar formula
Pagani Utopia
Reviews

Pagani Utopia 2025 review – £2.2m Huayra successor nails the hypercar formula

Only Pagani’s third model-line in more than 25 years, the Utopia builds on everything that made the Zonda and Huayra great, then adds its own unique c…
12 Mar 2025