Cars on the second-hand market are more affordable, and most buyers opt to look at used cars for their next vehicular purchases. In many cases, buying a used car is the logical choice, as new cars can cost up to 20% or 30% more, depending on the model. Whilst this is true for most new cars on the used market, there are a few exceptions where certain cars hold their value so well that buying a brand new one would cost about the same.
Usually, these are popular cars with great reliability such as the Honda Pilot, or cars that are excellent value for the money such as the Toyota Camry. In other cases, the car in question may be so popular that the manufacturer’s supply cannot keep up with demand, such as with the Ford F-150 Raptor and the new Bronco.
Here are some cars that are worth buying brand new, whether due to an excellent depreciation ratio or the popularity of said vehicles amongst consumers.
10 Honda Civic.
The Honda Civic is an excellent sedan for use as a daily driver. It is also one of the few sedans still available with a manual transmission, making it quite a desirable car. Being a Honda, reliability puts it above almost everything else in its class, and depreciation does not seem to be a major factor at this stage.
All of this culminates in a car costing about as much second-hand as it does brand new, making it one of the few cars to buy new or overused ones. Its popularity has increased with anticipation around the upcoming Civic Si sedan, which is a sportier version of the trusted Civic.
9 Porsche @Macan.
It might be surprising to see a luxury car on this list, but the Porsche @Macan is holding its value quite well. The @Macan is amongst the cheapest of the Porsche lineup, but even so, it is the best crossover/SUV in its class.
Whilst it may be incrementally cheaper to buy a used @Macan, purchasing one brand-new will ensure the desired specifications and options can be selected. Beware, however, as Porsche options could easily push the price of the car up beyond the reasonable limit.
8 Mazda CX-5.
The CX-5 is a mid-size crossover from Mazda, a company that started to produce safer cars than that of the great Swedish safety giant, Volvo. With the ever-increasing popularity of SUVs and crossovers, Mazda has taken its CX-5 and given it all the technology of more expensive cars in its class, resulting in a brilliantly packaged and stylishly designed vehicle.
Due to all of these aspects, the CX-5 is a popular car that holds its value, better than many of its competitors. The CX-5 is probably the best-looking of the mid-size crossover SUVs, taking much inspiration from the MX-5 sports car.
7 Honda Pilot.
The Honda Pilot has been around since 2003 to compete against the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe. The Pilot is a full-size SUV and is currently offered with a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6, coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The Pilot is slightly more premium than many of its competitors, but with the current popularity of large SUVs, it still remains competitively priced.
Since 2021, all trim levels of the pilot are fitted with the 9-speed automatic (which was an option on lower trims), resulting in better fuel economy and practicality.
6 Toyota Camry.
The Toyota Camry is the go-to mid-size sedan in the automotive world. It is available with either a 2.5-liter i4 hybrid system, producing 208 hp, or a 3.5-liter V6 producing 301 hp, all going to the front wheels through an 8-speed automatic for the V6, or a @CVTe for the hybrid.
The Camry is one of the best-selling sedans in the world, with impeccable reliability, fuel economy, practicality, and interior features – resulting in an excellent resale value. The resale value is so good. In fact, that buying a brand-new one is almost preferable to a used one.
5 Ford F-150 Raptor.
The Ford F-150 Raptor is a wholly awesome truck with 450 hp from a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, going through a 10-speed automatic transmission, navigating the road with some off-road tires, connected to @Baja suspension.
The F-150 Raptor has such a massive demand, that Ford cannot keep up with orders, resulting in 2017 model year trucks costing almost as much as brand-new ones. For this reason, purchasing a new one is preferable (despite the waiting time) as it is not always known what the previous owner might have done with their Raptor.
4 Subaru @Impreza WRX.
The Subaru @Impreza is currently part of a dying automotive breed, with a manual, all-wheel-drive sedan generating enough power to almost scare a hot hatch. The @Impreza WRX features a 2.4-liter flat-4 turbocharged engine, making 271 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.
Thanks to this now quite unique layout, the newer @Impreza has become wanted amongst the motoring community – even more so than some slightly older @Imprezas. Sadly, the current rumor is that the upcoming WRX @STi will only be available with a @CVT, bringing an end to an era.
3 Ford Bronco.
The Ford Bronco, like the F-150 Raptor, is a wildly popular model. The name was resurrected for a new car after a 25-year hiatus. Available engines include a 2.3-liter turbo-4 and a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 in the regular Bronco, and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 in the new Bronco Raptor.
Due to the popularity of the model and the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, the Bronco is a difficult car to find for sale at a reasonable price right now. Many Broncos are selling for what they were bought for, with some even going for above the original MSRP. It is then difficult to choose – purchase a Bronco for more than its worth, or wait a year (or maybe more) for a brand-new one?
2 Toyota Tacoma.
The Toyota Tacoma is the best-selling Toyota pickup in North America. It is a mid-size truck to compete against Chevrolet’s Colorado and Ford’s Ranger and is available with either a 2.7-liter inline-4 or a massive 4.0-liter V6 – producing 160 hp and 278 hp respectively.
The Tacoma offers great value for money and has become quite a popular alternative to the Ford or Chevy in the mid-size pickup truck segment. It comes with legendary Toyota reliability and build quality, meaning that the truck can last a potential buyer for many years to come.
1 Honda HR-V.
The HR-V is categorized as a subcompact crossover SUV and is Honda’s answer to the Subaru @Crosstrek and Jeep Renegade. The HR-V was the best-selling sub-compact crossover in North America in 2019, outselling the Subaru @Crosstrek and Chevrolet Trailblazer.
The HR-V is available with a 1.8-liter engine producing 140 hp, or a more powerful 150-hp 1.5-liter hybrid setup. The 1.8-liter is mated to either a manual or CVT transmission, whilst the hybrid is only available with a 7-speed DCT. The HR-V is an extremely popular car, resulting in a lower than average depreciation ratio, causing the car to cost just as much to buy used as it does new.
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