Toyota & Lexus Top 2026 Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards

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To help new-car buyers understand the importance of resale value so they can shop smart, Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive brand, today announces the 2026 model-year brand, category and top 10 winners of the 24th annual Best Resale Value Awards, recognizing vehicles for their projected retained value through the initial five-year ownership period.

For many car buyers, the most expensive part of owning a vehicle isn’t the interest on the loan or the cost of premium gasoline. It is the quiet, relentless erosion of value known as depreciation.

According to new data released by Kelley Blue Book, a typical 2026 model-year vehicle is projected to retain only about 45 percent of its original sticker price after five years. For a consumer who spends $50,000 on a new car today, that represents a $27,500 loss by the time the calendar turns to 2031.

However, the 24th annual Best Resale Value Awards suggest that some brands have turned the retention of value into a competitive science. Toyota and its luxury sibling, Lexus, have once again swept the top honors, marking a sixth consecutive win for the former and a fifth for the latter.

Toyota’s fleet is projected to retain an average of 53 percent of its original value over five years, while Lexus leads the luxury sector with a 47 percent average. These figures stand in sharp contrast to a market where resale values can fluctuate by thousands of dollars based on brand reputation and consumer demand.

Rheia Szymczyk, a senior manager at Kelley Blue Book, noted that these brands “continue to reign supreme” by maintaining high residual values across their entire lineups.

The top-performing individual models for 2026—a list dominated by trucks and specialized SUVs—are expected to retain 55 percent or more of their original price. The winners include perennial favorites like the Toyota 4Runner and Ford Maverick, alongside high-performance icons like the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911.

While market conditions and supply levels dictate much of a car’s future worth, Kelley Blue Book’s analysts, who review millions of transactions to reach these projections, suggest that the vehicles that hold their value best are often those that require the fewest discounts to move off the lot today.

2026 Best Resale Value Winners by Category

  • Compact Car: Honda Civic

  • Midsize Car: Toyota Camry

  • Sports Car: Toyota GR Supra

  • Luxury Midsize Car: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

  • Subcompact SUV: Honda HR-V

  • Compact SUV: Honda CR-V

  • Midsize SUV: Toyota Grand Highlander

  • Full-Size SUV: Toyota Sequoia

  • Luxury Compact SUV: Lexus NX

  • Electric Car: Tesla Model 3

  • Electric SUV: Rivian R1S

  • Midsize Pickup Truck: Toyota Tacoma

  • Full-Size Pickup Truck: Toyota Tundra

Would you like me to create a specific table comparing the projected five-year savings between the top-rated models and the industry average?