We all know the unfortunate truth of buying cars, there’s not going to be a return on your investment. All cars depreciate in value the second you drive them off the lot. It’s a damn shame, but such is the headache of car ownership.
However, this list is all about the cars that lost the least, and are actually starting to go up in value! Yes! These are the ones that took our good friend deprecation head-on and defeated it! So, we’re going to tell you cold hard data on how little value each of these cars has lost in their first 5 years, and why you can now make money driving your new whip!
Seriously! A 2015 is still almost a brand new car! So, want to drive a 2015 GT-R and make money ripping around in style? Well, you can! It’s going up in value, and I’ll show you how! Or what if you like topless motoring? Well, go snag a 2015 Jeep Wrangler and motorboat to your heart’s content! All without losing a dime!
So, sit back and buckle up, because I’m going to show you a bunch of 5-year-old cars, trucks, and SUV’s that are going up in value!
2015 Toyota Tacoma
This is a an absolute no-brainer for our first car, because we’re looking at the Toyota Tacoma, bro. That’s right, the typical off-roading, Moab-crushing bro-truck has an incredible resale value. This is in part due to its Toyota reliability, which has given Toyota good resale value across the board.
The Tacoma does have some sweetness, though, for the more adventurous crowd. In 2015, the Tacoma came with either a 2.7-liter inline-4 making 159 horsepower, or a 4.0-liter V6 making a much more respectable 236 horsepower. The good news keeps on coming, because both engines can be matted to a 5-speed or 6-speed manual gearbox, respectively.
Off-road capabilities are a must for any self-respecting truck, and the Tacoma delivers with upgrades from the TRD Pro Series for added off-road beefiness. The interior is pretty well-equipped too, with a 6.1-inch touchscreen available on higher trims.
Okay, so now we have to talk about price. When it was new, the Tacoma topped out at about $36,000 for a fully-loaded model. Over the years, that value has gone down nearly 19% at its lowest point in the first half of 2020. However, and this is the good part, that resale value has gone up to around $26,000. This means that the 2015 Toyota Tacoma only has a 1.5% decrease in value, and that trend seems to be continuing.
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2015 Jeep Wrangler
Now, we’re moving from one obvious choice to the next. This is one brand that has made nearly every single best resale list ever made. Get your flip-flops and take the top down, because we’re talking about the Jeep Wrangler.
The Wrangler was never originally designed to be the do-all SUV it is today, but that’s kind of the magic behind it. The military-truck-turned-utility-SUV just kind of wormed its way into the hearts of the American people. 70 years later, and the Wrangler is still as American as hamburgers and fries.
The Wrangler can be seen crawling over rocks, beaches, and soccer moms at the mall, and all of this can be done with the doors and roof off or on. If you ever feel like getting dirty without having to get out of your car, the Wrangler is the answer. Plus, a manual transmission is available throughout all the trim levels. The good news just never stops with the Wrangler.
So, it’s a utilitarian brick that can tackle Moab on Monday and cruise the beach all weekend, but what about its resale value? Well, the 2015 Wrangler cost around $40,000 in top trim when it first came out. Now, though, a 2015 model will run you about $25,000. That’s around a 29% decrease in value, but you have to remember that most models will have decently low-mileage. So, this is a 5-year-old car that has a tent for a roof still running around $25,000. For a used ex-military SUV, that’s not a bad value for money.
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2015 Nissan GT-R
Okay, we’ve covered two obvious choices on our list already. Now, let’s look at something a little more outlandish. When we think of resale value, we think of something safe, something you can reliably take the kids to school and back in every day. Yeah, this isn’t that car.
The Nissan GT-R has kept a surprising amount of its value over the years. Maybe that’s because the styling hasn’t changed much since it first entered production. Either way, the GT-R is one of the greatest performance cars ever made.
It’s a continuation of the same ideology that made the classic GT-R’s standouts in their market. They had all-wheel drive, a great 6-cylinder engine, and uncompromised handling. This is one of the do-all sports cars that’s great on track and perfectly suited for daily driving.
What would all of this Japanese engineered greatness cost? Well, when the GT-R was in its 2015 model year, GT-R’s were valued at about $92,000. Expensive, yes, but we have to remember how far above its weight class the GT-R can hit. In 2020, you’ll be able to pick up a 2015 model for $80,000. That equals out to about a 20% drop in resale value.
However, the GT-R’s resale value has remained pretty steady over those 5 years. More than likely, you’ll see that trend continue as the years move on. Resale value may even increase depending on market trends. So, yes, this is an outrageously expensive car for one of our lists, but if there’s someone out there reading this who can afford an R35, pick up one of these bad boys. And for all us poor people, drive the crap out of it.
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2015 Subaru Impreza
Okay, let’s get our heads out of the clouds and bring some rationality to this list. Life can’t all be horsepower and tire smoke, as awesome as that would be. For those of us living in parts of the country where winter is actually a thing, something with all-wheel drive and room for skis is what we need. So, that’s why the Subaru Impreza has made this list.
It’s the perfect blend of practicality and a little bit of fun in its own way, and remember we’re talking about the vanilla Impreza. That’s not a bad thing, though, because the regular Impreza is a pretty respectable car.
It can be had as either a sedan or a wagon, and all enthusiasts know wagons are better. Plus, the 2.0-liter four-banger is a rev-happy little powerhouse. You can even find models with a 5-speed manual transmission. You know people are going to be hooning these things in the snow all winter long.
And now we can get to the really good stuff, the numbers. When it was new, a 2015 Impreza would run you about $22,000, maybe a little more depending on the trim level. Now, in 2020? Even models with around 70,000 to 100,000 miles on the clock run about $13,000. That’s a difference of about 35.5%. However, the resale value has been going up in the past few months, as the Impreza is an internationally recognized car.
It’s tried and true, the perfect do-all car for people looking for utilitarian driving, while still being able to have a little fun. So, get your snow tires ready and pack the skis!
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2015 Chevy Silverado 1500
This one is for all the Bob Seger fans out there, because we’re looking at the Chevy Silverado for this next car. The Silverado is America’s workhorse. From hauling lumber during the work week to hauling boats to the lake on the weekend, the Silverado is a Swiss army knife for the blue collar.
The 1500 is the bottom of the barrel for Silverado models, but still has more than enough to get the job done. Power comes from multiple available engines, from a 285-horsepower 4.3-liter V6 to a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8. Plus, you get four-wheel drive on all models besides the base. Of course, you could also decide to roll coal and spec a diesel in place of the traditional gas burner.
Look for a Silverado with the right specs, and you can get a brilliantly laid-out interior. The 2015 model range came with an updated cabin with enough USB jacks to charge your entire family’s collection of devices and a center console lid big enough to fit a laptop. Pair that with the OnStar-provided 4G LTE Wi-Fi, and you have a rolling office ready to go.
When it was new in 2015, the Silverado 1500 would have run you about $42,000 with the right specs. Now, however, you can have one for around $28,000, about a 25% decrease in value. That’s not too bad for a work truck, plus like other cars we’ve covered, the heavy Chevy seems to be climbing in value over the past few months.
So, if you have a need for a blue collar work truck for your 9-to-5, plus the ability to haul a boat or two to the lake on weekends, the Chevy Silverado may be your truck of choice.
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2015 Ford F-150
And now, for the Ying to the American truck market’s Yang. The Ford F-150 is America’s other top choice of work truck. If you’ve ever called the power company, the town’s water department, or even the police, chances are they were driving an F-150. These things are everywhere, and for good reason.
The 2015 model is interesting in particular, because it was the first aluminum truck offered by Ford. Better yet, thanks to Ford’s clever engineering, it didn’t feel like a tin can. The 2015 F-150 was just a really solid work truck.
Power for most trims comes from Ford’s line of EcoBoost V6’s. Two variants were available, one 2.7-liter and one 3.5-liter, having 325 and 365 horsepower, respectively. If you can find one, some F-150’s were given a 5.0-liter V8 with 385 horsepower. So, plenty of variety to choose from and plenty of ways to haul yourself down the backroads.
Moving to the other features, the interior was given the once over, having all chrome pieces machine-milled to avoid sun reflection and all light-up switches angles to avoid window reflections. It’s the little things. Other toys include a remote tailgate, stowable loading ramps, optional all-around LED lighting, a 360-degree camera, and all of the other gadgets to make your work day as enjoyable as possible.
Now, that’s a lot of truck, and in 2015, it would have cost you a pretty penny. New models could run up to $50,000 with options, but 2020 may actually have some good news. 2015 models can be picked up for around $30,000, only a 15.4% drop in depreciation.
Given that, and all the toys you can get on the right spec, this may be the ultimate answer for the truck with the best resale value.
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2015 Subaru BRZ
Okay, let’s have some fun again. This is as opposed to a work truck as you can get. This isn’t even a sedan. We’re talking about the Subaru BRZ. The BRZ is one of three different versions of the same car. In partnership with Toyota, Subaru developed the BRZ, FRS and G88 for Subaru, Toyota, and Scion, respectively.
What was the main goal? To recreate the same simple rear-wheel drive fun from Toyota’s past. Specifically, I’m talking about the G86 Corolla. You know that Corolla. So, we have a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder boxer engine in a small, rear-wheel drive coupe. This is the perfect recipe for a satisfying, fun as hell sports car.
And as much as everyone wants to complain about the lack of turbos, the BRZ is still a competent car for fun weekends and daily duties. With 200 horsepower being sent to the rear wheels matted to a six-speed manual transmission, the BRZ is a fantastic choice for a first sports car experience.
If you bought one of these new in 2015, you’d likely pay around $30,000 for it. Now, in 2020, you can expect to pay around $20,000 for a good example on the used market. That’s a 35% decrease in resale, but still not nearly as bad as other similar sportscars. I’d like to see you find a BMW retain that same value over 5 years.
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2015 Honda CR-V
Okay, so we’ve had a little splash of fun, now back to the boring stuff. In fact, I think this may be the most boring option on this list. Let’s check the list. Small crossover? Yeah. Unbelievably reliable? Yeah. Seen most often at supermarkets and soccer games? Yeah. This is the Honda CR-V, it will get you where you need to go and never fail to start.
Honestly, the CR-V gets a little bit of a bad wrap. There’s nothing wrong with something that’s reliable, safe, and may even be able to tackle some soft-roading. You can live that adventurer lifestyle and not look like a complete tool.
Plus, the hundreds of thousands of people who have bought CR-V’s can’t all be wrong. The no-flairs crossover gets a direct-injected 4-cylinder making 185 horsepower, but we do have to live with a CVT. No manual for these newer models.
However, the 2015 model has great fuel economy, safety tech, and a pretty nice interior for road trips. So, the CR-V isn’t going to set your pants on fire every time you turn the key, but for what you get versus what you’ll pay, it’s not a bad deal.
Speaking of value, the CR-V listed around $32,000 in top trim when new. Now, you can expect to pay around $18,000 for used models, a 37% reduction in value. Not too bad, and you know it’ll last forever because it’s a Honda. So, your little investment may span generations, and won’t lose all of its resale value in years to come.
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2015 Toyota 4Runner
Let’s go from one of the most vanilla crossovers available to one of the best SUV’s ever made. It’s a classic, it’s a do-all off-roading monster that’s built on a truck frame, and it’s the one SUV that’s known as being the best world-round. It’s the Toyota 4Runner, the 4×4 that answers all of your needs.
The 4Runner is one of the best SUV’s thanks to its utilitarian attitude, with a touch of luxury thrown in to keep passengers happy. The body-on-frame construction means no trail will go unexplored, and the standard 4.0-liter V6 making 270 horsepower is more than enough to get you where you need to go.
We’re talking about the same company that makes the Land Cruiser, so I think they know a thing or two about making the perfect SUV. The other highlight on the 4Runner is the complex suspension system, using coil-spring independent A-arms, a solid rear axle, and a multi-link setup to guarantee maximum suspension travel over uneven surfaces.
It also doesn’t hurt that the 4Runner is one of the best looking SUVs available. If you bought one new, however, you’d expect to pay around $45,000, a pretty penny for all that premium off-road badassery. Thanks to a modest 33.8% drop in resale value, now you can find models for $26,000 on the used market. So, it’s one of the best off-roaders ever made that still has over half of it’s resale value. Sounds like a good investment to me.
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2015 Toyota Corolla
And now, for the last car on our list, it’s the Fiat 500! Just kidding, a 500 is only a good investment for your local mechanic. Our last car is the Toyota Corolla, and before you stop reading, listen to us for a second.
The Corolla is the white bread of the car world, but it’s one of the most important cars ever made. There have been over 300,000 sold in the USA alone in just the past 5 years. You either know someone who owns one or you’ve owned one yourself. There’s someone in your life who has had some major life moment in a Corolla. It’s probably the first thing most people think of when you say the word “car”.
For 2015, not much had changed for the Corolla ideology. Interior space is perfect for commuting and small family outings, fuel economy remains as impressive as ever, and it’s a Corolla, so you know it’ll last forever. The four-wheeled brick makes 130 horsepower from a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder, and that’s about it.
The Corolla is what it is, it wears its normalcy on its sleeve. Anyone driving a Corolla knows they bought something that will last for generations, boring their kids and grandkids to death on drives to school and wherever teenagers go these days.
When it was new, the “every-car” cost about $17,000, and in 2020, the value hasn’t changed that much. Subtract 39.3% resale value and you’ll be paying around $12,000 for a 2015 model. They say that the only thing to survive the nuclear apocalypse are cockroaches and Twinkies, but I think we can add the Corolla to that little list.
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