Kelley Blue Book Announces 2026 Best Resale Value Award Winners

Toyota, Lexus Brands Hold Best Resale Value After Five Years of Ownership

ATLANTA, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- While most new-car shoppers understand that their vehicle will lose value over time, many would be shocked to learn that depreciation can be the single largest expense they will incur. Beyond that, the extent to which one car's resale value can vary in comparison to another can be staggering, often making the difference of hundreds-to-thousands of dollars over the first years of ownership. 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 24^th annual Best Resale Value Awards, recognizing vehicles for their projected retained value through the initial five-year ownership period.

"For the sixth consecutive year, Toyota holds the top spot for Best Resale Value Brand, along with its sister company Lexus winning Best Resale Value: Luxury Brand for the fifth consecutive year," said Rheia Szymczyk, senior manager, valuation and analysis operations for Kelley Blue Book. "Toyota and Lexus continue to reign supreme with top average residual values, meaning their vehicles are projected to retain more of their original MSRP over the first five years of ownership in comparison to other mainstream and luxury brand averages, respectively. Kelley Blue Book's 2026 Best Resale Value: Brand winner Toyota boasts an overall resale value average of 53%, while the Best Resale Value: Luxury Brand winner Lexus features an overall resale value average of 47%."

This year marks the 10^th Best Resale Value: Brand win for Toyota, which previously captured the same honors in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. For 2026, Lexus celebrates its fifth consecutive win, and seventh time overall taking home the award for Best Resale Value: Luxury Brand.

(Residual values used for award calculations are based on the 2026 model-year vehicles that appear in the January/February 2026 Kelley Blue Book® Residual Value Guide. Top 10 models appear in alphabetical order).

Many new-car buyers do not realize that depreciation often is the greatest expense incurred by drivers during the first five years of vehicle ownership. An average 2026 model-year vehicle will only retain about 45% of its original value after a five-year ownership period, meaning a $50,000 new car today will only be worth somewhere close to $22,500 after five years. In comparison, all vehicles in Kelley Blue Book's Top 10 for Best Resale Value in 2026 are projected to retain around 55% or more of their MSRP after the initial five-year ownership period.

Resale value for new vehicles can vary greatly. Vehicles with average or below-average resale values generally are plentiful in the marketplace and easy to find, but certain vehicles are projected to hold their value better than others. While much of a vehicle's resale value is based on supply and demand, as well as current and projected future market conditions, vehicles that retain their value best typically are discounted the least and tend to generate high levels of consumer interest.

Now in its 24^th year, Kelley Blue Book's Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book^® Official Residual Value Guide. Kelley Blue Book^® Residual Values are established by experienced automotive analysts that review the output from statistical models built upon millions of transactions. Vehicles that earn the highest five-year residual values, expressed as a percentage of their original Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), are selected for these prestigious awards. Low-volume vehicles are excluded from award consideration, except in the electric, luxury and sports car categories.

Residual values reflect projected future auction values for vehicles in average condition with 75,000 miles at the end of a five-year lease or ownership period. Kelley Blue Book's residual values are used by manufacturers, banks, financial institutions and the automotive leasing industry. For more information about Kelley Blue Book's Best Resale Value Awards, visit https://www.kbb.com/awards/best-resale-value-cars-trucks-suvs.

About Kelley Blue Book 
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry for nearly a century. As the industry standard for generations, Kelley Blue Book provides transparent, objective information and data-driven, innovative tools for consumers, automotive dealers and manufacturers. Kelley Blue Book publishes millions of market-reflective values weekly on its top-rated website KBB.com, from its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values to the Kelley Blue Book® Price Advisor tool, which offers a range for what consumers reasonably can expect to pay for a vehicle in their area. KBB.com editors rate and review hundreds of new vehicles each year to help consumers understand the Best Cars and Best SUVs to meet their needs. Kelley Blue Book^SM Instant Cash Offer provides a redeemable trade-in offer to transaction-ready consumers and conveniently connects them to local participating dealers. Kelley Blue Book's Service Advisor provides guidance on how much to pay for service and repairs, allowing consumers to schedule service with local dealers on KBB.com. Kelley Blue Book also provides vehicle values to finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book is a Cox Automotive brand.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive is the world's largest automotive services and technology provider. Cox Automotive powers industry-leading solutions for car shoppers, auto manufacturers, dealers, lenders and fleets through proprietary technology and insights derived from billions of annual online interactions. The company has 29,000+ employees on five continents and a portfolio of industry-leading brands that include Autotrader®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, vAuto®, Dealertrack®, NextGear Capital™, CentralDispatch® and Cox Fleet®. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately owned, Atlanta-based company with $23 billion in annual revenue. Cox Automotive has been included on Glassdoor's Best Companies in Tech & AI 2026 and Best Place to Work in 2026 lists. Visit coxautoinc.com or connect via @CoxAutomotive on X, CoxAutoInc on Facebook or Cox-Automotive-Inc on LinkedIn. 

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book