Choosing a car with high resale value is important when you’re in the market for a new vehicle. All cars depreciate over time, but some do it faster than others. A history of recalls, frequent maintenance needs, and low gas mileage can contribute to a car’s low resale value.
It’s crucial to be aware of this when shopping—after all, you want your car to pay you back in the long run. Here are some vehicles that are notoriously difficult to resell.
1. Ford F-150 Lightning
This full-sized, full-electric pickup truck boasts an impressive 230-mile range that only increases with a larger battery pack. However, while pickup trucks are undoubtedly having a moment right now, the Lightning tends to spend a lot of time on the market—almost 80 days.
2. Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is a cool car with a fancy interior and impressive range. However, not everyone is sold on it since it takes around three months for a used one to find a buyer, according to an iSeeCars report. But the Model S isn’t your average electric car. It has two electric motors powered by a 100kWh battery pack, and it drives all four wheels through a single-speed transmission. So, even though it looks like a regular car, it’s pretty unique.
3. Buick Envision
The Buick Envision tries to compete with lux SUVs but falls short. It’s less refined than other luxury brands and takes an average of 82 days to sell. Even though it’s cheaper, the Envision doesn’t quite measure up.
4. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The Silverado 1500 may not have the highest towing capacity or luxurious interiors, but it makes up for it with its versatility and multiple powertrain options. It is an excellent tool for job sites and can also serve as a reliable personal vehicle. However, one downside is that it does not have an equivalent to the Raptor or TRX. According to an iSeeCars report, the Silverado takes around 66 days to sell.
5. Maserati Quattroporte
This Italian luxury sedan is a beautiful car, but when it’s time to sell, you might not be as happy with it. As of late 2023, Quattroportes can take close to five months to sell. Despite the compelling design of the car, repairs can be costly, and dealerships can be hard to find depending on where you live.
6. Kia EV6
Electric vehicles tend to lag behind traditional vehicles when it comes to resale time, and the EV6 is no exception. While it offers impressive battery life and other features, the handling and visibility aren’t the best, contributing to its lengthy resale time.
7. Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Land Rover Discovery Sport takes an average of about three months to resell. Despite its impressive cargo space and off-road capabilities, its relatively low gas mileage and less luxurious appearance put it at the back of the pack compared to other cars in its class.
8. Mercedes EQS
This stunning car seems like a great purchase, but later on, it does not help you out. Although this car has impressive technological features all around, the price to maintain this car is the reason for the uncompromising resell value, with plenty of shop visits to repair small things.
9. Mitsubishi Mirage
A family type of vehicle, the Mirage does not resell well for a few different reasons. This smaller car has been selling since 2011 but has a bad reputation for reselling due to problems like the small engine, the advanced safety features, and poor riding ability. One of the few upsides when reselling the car would be gas mileage, which is very strong, especially in today’s economy.
10. Volkswagon Areton
This beautiful Volkaswagon has received upgraded style and technology. Adding the new features to the car raised the price, pushing new buyers and resellers off the table. While the Areton has suitable gas mileage, what you get with this vehicle does not justify the price.
11. Volvo S90
This car receives very high praise when it comes to the interior and exterior of the vehicle but will not compensate for how high the resale value for the vehicle is. Despite being such a gorgeous car with advanced technology, the Volvo S90 has a bad reputation due to the underwhelming driving mechanics and slow acceleration, which Volvo fans have been very disappointed to see.
12. BMW 7 Series
With BMW throwing in new features every year with a great body, it also has a bad reputation for its cars, which come with many problems. Even though the BMW 7 Series boasts a ferocious engine, this does not make up for how often the vehicle is in the shop.
13. Chevrolet Bolt
The Bolt was a big step in electric cars, being one of the first long-range EVs, but it came with a significant price tag. While the release of the Bolt was going well, there was a recall along the way due to the battery catching fire while driving, which hurt the Bolt’s image. To pair with a dangerous recall, the hatchback’s interior has received lots of hate due to its poor material quality.
14. Genesis G90
Mostly, everything with this car was a massive hit, even with the upgrades on the interior and exterior throughout the years. Where people started to lose Genesis is the engine options for the car. The V-8 option is almost the same as a supercharged V-6 engine, which people did not like and tanked the resale value.
15. Jaguar XF
This luxurious sedan has balanced handling and speed and a stunning interior. The Jaguar XF sells excellent but no longer competes with its competitors due to the engine options, with only a supercharged, 4-cylinder engine. Another reason for a poor resale value is the suspension, which feels stiff and unsafe.
16. Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf does not have an excellent overall image, with people being upset about multiple things. While the car starts at a meager price, the Leaf has a much smaller range than its competitors and a tiny, cramped backseat. To pair with that, the driving mechanics of this vehicle have been rated very low, which is why the Leaf makes it on this list.
17. Toyota Mirai
The Mirai failed for multiple reasons, one being that hydrogen cars failed and came nowhere near the success of EVs. The vehicle has many great features, such as 15,000-dollar complimentary fuel, roadside care, and plenty of warranties. But you get these warranties offered for a reason since the car does not perform well at all.
18. BMW X5
A stunning midsize luxury SUV, this is on the sports side but still sits within the luxury side of cars. The X5 has many options, including a V-6 or V-8 and a plug-in hybrid. Although the car is stunning, the BMW X5 has many engine problems, which will cause you to find yourself in the mechanic’s shop more often than not.
19. Porsche Panamera
This Porsche is a perfect car for the Porsche brand since it will blow you away in more than one way. The Panamera is quick, with excellent handling, but it still feels luxurious and has many sport features. However, it does not sell well for a few different reasons. One of those reasons is the poor gas mileage. It consumes gas very quickly since it has such a large engine.
20. Audi A6
This midsized sedan is very smooth and stylish but still very sporty. This car depreciates quickly due to engine issues, similar to the Porsche and BMW. While the A6 has a stunning interior, that does not make up for the gas this car eats and the poor handling.
21. Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep has become very popular recently, but it still has not obtained a good resale value. The Wrangler has issues with reselling due to high-speed problems, wobbling at 50 MPH, and the terrible gas mileage that comes with it. The Jeep performs well off-road, but other than that, the resale value is hurting for a good reason.
22. Infiniti QX80
Although this massive SUV is gorgeous and comes with many advanced safety features, the Inifiniti QX80 has a bad reputation when it comes to being resold. The vehicle has issues, including transmission issues; it also has a very tight suspension system, which customers do not like.