Best Cars Under $30,000 by Resale Value (Least Depreciation)

Of the 133 cars under $30,000 VINdown tracks, the average holds about 60% of its value after five years. The Subaru Forester leads at 89% retained, while the Ford E-Series Van depreciates hardest at 24%. Ranked best-to-worst by five-year resale value:

1. Subaru Forester — 89% retained, from $29,995 new
2. Subaru Crosstrek — 86% retained, from $26,995 new
3. Subaru Impreza — 81% retained, from $26,595 new
4. Toyota Camry — 81% retained, from $29,300 new
5. Toyota Prius-C — 80% retained, from $21,530 new
6. Honda Civic — 79% retained, from $25,100 new
7. Volkswagen Beetle — 78% retained, from $20,895 new
8. Subaru Legacy — 77% retained, from $26,810 new
9. Mazda CX-3 — 77% retained, from $20,790 new
10. Honda Accord — 76% retained, from $28,395 new

cars at other budgets:

• Under $20,000
• Under $40,000
• Under $50,000

Related categories under $30,000:

• Luxury Cars Under $30,000
• SUVs Under $30,000
• Sedans Under $30,000
• Sports Cars Under $30,000