10 Crossovers with the Best Resale Value

2015 Mercedes Benz GLA CLASS profile

It’s a fool’s game to buy a new car with the hopes it’ll go up in value. However, buying a vehicle that holds its value well is another story entirely. Kelley Blue Book, which tracks cars’ resale data after 36 and 60 months, recently released its annual list of vehicles that retain the most value. Our list incorporates all types of crossovers, even though some wouldn’t have made the cut in a list ranked strictly by resale. Compact and midsize crossovers have the best resales, and large crossovers have some of the worst, but we looked at the entire category. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 10 crossovers with some of the best resale values on the market.

1) 2016 Subaru Crosstrek—64.7% after 36 months

If you’re shopping for an affordable crossover with an excellent resale value, take a look at the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek. According to KBB, this compact crossover should retain 64.7% of its value over the next few years, and if you opt to hold onto it a little longer, it’ll be worth 49.7% of its original value after 60 months. Drive it for five years and it’s still worth half of what you paid for it—not a bad deal, right? This 5-passenger vehicle comes standard with Subaru’s all-wheel-drive system. That’s rare in this class, which helps improve the Crosstrek’s value. When it’s time to upgrade from this competent commuter car, its high resale will help you get into something else awesome.

2) 2016 Porsche Macan—64% after 36 months

The 2016 Porsche Macan has a high price compared to most of the other vehicles on our list of 10 crossovers with the best resale value, but there’s an upside — after 36 months, the Macan will still be worth quite a bit compared to most of its budget-oriented competitors. After 60 months, the experts at Kelley Blue Book predict the Macan can be sold to a lucky new owner for 43% of its original price. In the meantime, this powerful and athletic vehicle will be a blast to drive. The Macan’s a relatively new entry to the market, so only time will tell if it retains its status as the highest resale luxury crossover, but if the brand’s sports cars are any indication, it should be a given.

3) 2016 Toyota Highlander—63.6% after 36 months

If you’re looking for a new midsize crossover with one of the best resale values on the market, the 2016 Toyota Highlander is a great bet. After 36 months, this vehicle will still have nearly two-thirds of its original value, and after 60 months, its value should be at about 49%. And, in the meantime, it’s a smart option for getting your family around. With three rows and seating for up to eight passengers, the Highlander is considered one of the best family cars in its class—and why it remains so desirable after a few years. Chances are, the Toyota Highlander will do you right while on active duty, and when it’s time to trade up.

4) 2016 Lexus RX 350—62% after 36 months

The Lexus RX 350, which has been fully redesigned for the 2016 model year, is a good choice if you want a fresh-looking upscale new crossover with one of the best resale values in its class. This Lexus achieves its top 10 resale status due to Kelley Blue Book’s calculations that, after 36 months on the road, the RX 350 will retain 62% of its original value, and after 60 months, it’ll still have 44.5%. While you’re driving your new RX 350, be confident in the fact that it has aced safety testing and it earns excellent reliability scores from J.D. Power and Associates, both factors that add to the RX's desirability when it’s time to sell.

Photo by Lexus Media

5) 2016 Lexus RX 450h—60.5% after 36 months

According to Kelley Blue Book, the Lexus RX 450h is the hybrid crossover with the best resale value. Buyers can expect a 2016 RX 450h to hold 60.5% of its original value after 36 months, and 44.5% after 60 months. This hybrid version of Lexus’ midsize luxury SUV has topped its class on the Kelley Blue Book list for the past several years, and it’s also the best-selling hybrid SUV in the Lexus lineup. With EPA estimated fuel mileage of up to 31 MPG city and 30 MPG highway, the RX 450h is desirable, new or used. If the Lexus RX isn’t your style, the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid and Toyota Highlander Hybrid are excellent alternatives with good resale values.

6) 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class—60% after 36 months

The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is another compelling option for a crossover with best-in-class resale value. This compact luxury crossover is a recent addition to the market, delivering stylish looks and athletic driving dynamics. And, even better, it’s expected to retain its value very well. There aren’t any 36-month-old GLA-Classes on the roads yet, but the experts at Kelley Blue Book predict the 2016 GLA-Class will hold 60% of its value after that timeframe, and 40% of its value after 60 months. Despite its compact footprint, this Mercedes is packed with power and amenities similar to its much larger siblings, making this crossover a great value in the super-competitive luxury segment.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

7) 2016 Subaru Forester—59.3% after 36 months

The 2016 Forester isn’t the first Subaru to make our list of crossovers with the best resale value, nor will it be the last. Subarus are a pretty good value right off the lot, and with the Forester’s projected resale values—59.3% after 36 months and 47.3% after 60 months—it’s easy to make a case for this affordable compact SUV. The Subaru Forester is a willing and able companion for your family adventures, and thanks to its standard all-wheel drive, it can reach your campsite or your favorite secluded beach spot with ease. Enjoy the Forester now, pass it on to another family in a few years, and reap the rewards of owning a crossover with such a high resale value.

8) 2016 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid—57% after 36 months

If you’ll recall, the Subaru Crosstrek kicked off this Autobytel article as the 2016 crossover with the best resale value. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t enjoy the quite the same honor. That said, buyers who choose the Crosstrek Hybrid over its more mainstream stablemate will benefit from better fuel economy and many of the same benefits, right down to the standard all-wheel drive. In 36 months, the Crosstrek Hybrid will fetch 57% of its original value; in 60 months, that figure drops to 42%. If it’s any consolation, the Crosstrek Hybrid isn’t the only gas-electric crossover to suffer from relatively low resale values as compared to its traditional gas counterpart—even though it’s still one of best crossovers in terms of resale value.

9) 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid—56.5% after 36 months

Buyers can expect the Toyota Highlander Hybrid to hold slightly more than half its value after three years, but after 60 months, that figure drops to 42%. It’s hard to speculate why these numbers are so much lower than for the regular version of the Highlander (which sits near the top of our list of crossovers with the best resale value). A new Highlander Hybrid has a pretty serious price premium over the regular gas version of the Highlander, so if you really like this comfortable, family-friendly midsize SUV, and you’re in the market for a new-to-you vehicle, perhaps you can use these relatively low resale values to your advantage and pick up a clean used Highlander Hybrid.

Photo by Toyota

10) 2016 Ford Explorer—54.6% after 36 months

The Ford Explorer is the only full-size crossover to earn a spot on this list, and it just barely makes the cut. Though other full-size models boast slightly better resale values than the Explorer, the Explorer was the only full-size crossover ranked out of a sea of true SUVs, and full-size crossovers and SUVs fared worse overall than compact and midsize models. The Ford Explorer, which offers handsome styling, a competitive entry-level price, and a range of peppy EcoBoost turbocharged engines, should retain 54.6% of its value after the first 36 months, and 41% of its value after the first 60 months. The Explorer’s helped set off the SUV craze, and clearly, its legacy remains strong.

Photo by Ford