Top 10 Fastest Depreciating Vehicles
Depreciation is the single largest cost of vehicle ownership — yet most buyers never factor it in. These 10 vehicles lose value faster than almost anything else on the road, which means they're a disaster to buy new and a potential goldmine to buy used.
By Trapizo Editorial • 9 min read
Most car buyers think about the sticker price. The smartest car buyers think about the residual value — what the vehicle is worth after they've owned it for three or five years. The difference between these two numbers is depreciation, and on the wrong vehicle, it is the most expensive thing you will ever ignore.
The average new vehicle loses roughly 20% of its value in the first year and 50–60% over five years. But the vehicles on this list do far worse. Some drop 65–75% in five years, hemorrhaging tens of thousands of dollars that you will never recover. If you're buying new, these are the vehicles to avoid. If you're buying used, these are the vehicles where you can find extraordinary value — getting a like-new car at a fraction of its original price because the first owner absorbed the depreciation cliff for you.
1. 2022 BMW 7 Series
The 7 Series is the flagship of BMW's lineup — and one of the fastest-depreciating luxury vehicles in America. A new 7 Series purchased at $97,000 will typically retail for $27,000–$32,000 five years later. The combination of high initial cost, expensive maintenance reputation, and constant new model updates that make prior generations feel outdated all accelerate the value collapse. Buyers who finance a 7 Series often find themselves underwater almost immediately, as the loan balance races against a falling market value.
Buyer Tip: A 2–3 year old certified pre-owned 7 Series can be purchased for 40–50% of its original MSRP, often with remaining factory warranty and modern tech. You absorb none of the first-year cliff and get a near-new experience at a used car price.
2. 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
The S-Class defines automotive luxury — and defines rapid depreciation. A five-year-old S-Class that stickered at $114,000 commonly trades at $34,000–$40,000. This is partly driven by the sheer volume of S-Classes coming off lease (German luxury brands lease aggressively), which floods the used market with supply and suppresses prices. The high cost of ownership — tires, service, repairs — further reduces the pool of willing used buyers, which keeps prices low.
Buyer Tip: The S-Class used market is so distorted by lease returns that buying a 2–4 year old example with low miles is genuinely one of the best value propositions in the luxury segment. Budget carefully for maintenance — an S-Class at $40,000 used still requires S-Class service costs.
3. 2021 Nissan Leaf
The Leaf was a pioneer — and it's paying the price for being early. Battery technology has advanced rapidly since the Leaf's architecture was designed, and the older Leaf's relatively short range (150–212 miles) looks increasingly modest next to newer EVs. Federal EV tax credits for new EVs further undercut the used EV market by making new alternatives more price-competitive. Range anxiety concerns suppress demand for older EV models broadly, and the Leaf has felt this more acutely than most.
Buyer Tip: A used Leaf is an outstanding value for a predictable daily commute under 60 miles round-trip. Purchase only from a seller who can provide battery health documentation — Leaf batteries are not thermally managed and degrade faster in hot climates, so geography and usage history matter significantly.
4. 2022 Cadillac CT5
The CT5 is an objectively competent luxury sedan that suffers from Cadillac's ongoing challenge in attracting loyalty from European luxury buyers. The sedan segment itself is shrinking, as buyers migrate to crossovers — which compounds the CT5's depreciation by reducing the pool of interested used buyers. GM's heavy incentive use to move new CT5s also signals to the market that the vehicle trades below its stated price, which naturally compresses used values.
Buyer Tip: The CT5-V Blackwing is one of the most underrated performance bargains on the used market — a 668 horsepower sedan that loses value faster than its capability warrants. For driving enthusiasts, a used CT5-V represents genuinely extraordinary value.
5. 2022 Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 has been discontinued, which you might expect to support used values — but the opposite has occurred. With no new 300s coming, fleet buyers and brand loyalists who previously absorbed used supply have moved on, and general market interest in large rear-wheel-drive American sedans has declined. The 300 is also heavily leased to rental fleets, and the rental stigma — real or perceived — suppresses retail values when those units return to the used market.
Buyer Tip: High-mileage rental fleet 300s can be purchased at steep discounts, but prioritize private-party or CPO examples with documented ownership history. The 5.7L HEMI V8 in the 300C is mechanically robust and represents excellent value in a used buyer's market.
6. 2022 Land Rover Discovery
Land Rover's reliability reputation creates a vicious depreciation cycle: buyers are aware of high ownership costs, which suppresses demand for used models, which accelerates depreciation, which makes the vehicles look like value buys — but the cost of maintaining an aging Land Rover quickly erodes any purchase price savings. A five-year-old Discovery that cost $60,000 new can be purchased for $22,000–$25,000, which sounds compelling until you factor in the service costs that follow.
Buyer Tip: If you buy a used Discovery, budget an additional $3,000–$5,000 per year in maintenance and repair costs above what you'd pay for a Japanese competitor. The purchase price is low for a reason — factor total ownership cost, not just acquisition cost.
7. 2022 Volvo S90
Volvo has successfully repositioned itself as a genuine luxury brand, but the S90's depreciation suggests the market hasn't fully absorbed the premium. The luxury sedan segment is one of the most competitive in the industry, and the S90 competes against the 5 Series, E-Class, and A6 — all of which have stronger residual value histories. Volvo's heavy lease support on new models also floods the used market with off-lease units, keeping prices suppressed.
Buyer Tip: The S90 Recharge plug-in hybrid offers an excellent blend of performance and fuel economy and can be found used at 40–50% of original MSRP within 3 years. Factor in potential EV charging cost savings if your commute allows primarily electric driving.
8. 2022 Maserati Ghibli
The Ghibli loses value at a pace that rivals the 7 Series, driven by Maserati's niche brand position, high dealer-reported repair costs, and a shrinking model lineup that reduces brand momentum. A Ghibli purchased new at $75,000 can be found at auction or CPO for $22,000–$28,000 after five years. This is partly opportunity — the Ghibli is a genuinely compelling driver's car — but the maintenance costs of an aging Italian exotic are not for the faint of budget.
Buyer Tip: Maserati extended warranties and Mopar service contracts have become more accessible on used models. Only buy a used Ghibli if you can also purchase an extended warranty — the cars are enjoyable to drive but the repair cost exposure without coverage is significant.
9. 2022 Lincoln Continental
The Continental was discontinued after the 2020 model year, which created the unusual situation of a nameplate with no new inventory to anchor used values — but also no future buyer base to maintain brand interest. The used Continental market is niche, buyers are rare, and prices have fallen accordingly. Combined with the general decline in large American luxury sedans, a $50,000 Continental can now be purchased for under $18,000.
Buyer Tip: The Continental Black Label edition is one of the most lavishly appointed American vehicles ever built and is now accessible at prices that would have seemed impossible when new. For a buyer who prioritizes interior luxury and quiet ride quality above all else, this represents an exceptional value that few people are aware of.
10. 2022 BMW 5 Series
The 5 Series is one of the most competent executive sedans on the market — and one of the most predictably poor holders of value. Heavy lease volumes, constant model refreshes that date prior generations quickly, and the ongoing cost concerns associated with BMW ownership all contribute to above-average depreciation. Unlike the 7 Series, the 5 Series trades at slightly better residual percentages — but on a $56,000 vehicle, a 58% drop still represents over $32,000 in lost value in five years.
Buyer Tip: The 530e plug-in hybrid has become increasingly attractive on the used market as fuel costs have risen. A 2–3 year old 530e with the EV range to cover typical daily commutes represents excellent value — you get BMW performance with utility-scale efficiency at a fraction of new-car cost.
Depreciation is not a hidden cost — it's the most predictable cost of vehicle ownership, and it's one that every buyer can account for before they sign. The vehicles on this list represent the extreme end of the depreciation curve: painful for new buyers, and potentially excellent value for used buyers who understand what they're getting into.
The smartest move? Let the first owner absorb the depreciation cliff, then buy the vehicle at its natural used price with realistic maintenance expectations built in. Browse real used inventory on Trapizo, submit the price you'd actually pay, and let the market come to you.