The 10 slowest-depreciating cars in 2024

Model GT3 RS | List price £192,600 | 36k/3yr resale value £151,275 | Price drop £41,325 | Retained value 78.5%

If you consider the iconic Porsche 911 to be the ulimate sports car, and the GT3 to be the ultimate version of the 911, then the RS is that car turned up to 11. 

With a heady 518bhp coming from its 4.0-litre flat six petrol engine, a 3.2-second 0-62mph sprint time and a top speed of 184mph, the 911 GT3 RS is all about big numbers. Yet despite losing more than £41,000 in value over three years of ownership, it's also the car which loses the least percentage of its value over that time.

Of course, you might argue that if you're prepared to spend almost £193,000 on a new car, and are aware that even according to official figures it'll only return 21.1mpg, that depreciation isn't among your primary concerns. However, we think even buyers at the top end of the new car market want to make sure their investment is a secure one.

Read our full Porsche 911 GT3 review

Model 4.0 TFSI V8 | List price £185,511| 36k/3yr resale value £139,875 | Price drop £45,636 | Retained value 75.4%

The Urus is one of the most exotic luxury SUVs money can buy, blending jaw-dropping pace with enough practicality to be usable every day.

The standard 4.0T FSI V8 version produces an explosive 657bhp, which launches the Urus away from a standing start with enough power to have you thinking you're in one of the brand's sleeker, more low-slung models. Don’t think the Urus is some wild beast, though; it stays remarkably upright through bends and, thanks to four-wheel steering, feels more agile than its size might suggest.

Even better, the Urus is the SUV which keeps the biggest percentage of its value after you’ve owned it for three years. However, to keep that in context, that still equates to more than £45,000 in lost value. 

Read our full Lamborghini Urus review

Model 3.0 P460e Autobiography | List price £89,980| 36k/3yr resale value £64,425 | Price drop £25,555 | Retained value 71.6%

Land Rover clearly knows a thing or two about building cars which hold onto their value, because a good number of the brand's models feature within this top 10. However, the Land Rover which keeps the largest percentage of its value once you've had it for three years is the Range Rover Sport.

In particular, this is the P460e plug-in hybrid version, which combines a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor. That motor can officially take you up t0 76 miles on electric power alone, with energy coming from the Range Rover Sport's 31.8kWh (usable capacity) battery. That means your commute, the school run, or both, might be completed without the petrol engine ever firing up.

Of course, to get the most out of any plug-in hybrid, you'll need to be able to charge it regularly. And with a maximum charging rate of 50kW, the Range Rover Sport can complete a 0-80% charge in less than an hour – far faster than the rival BMW X5 xDrive50e can manage.

Read our full Range Rover Sport review

Model G400d AMG Line Premium Plus | List price £131,335 36k/3yr resale value £88,100 | Price drop £43,235| Retained value 67.1%

Whether you plan on conquering mountains on simply cruising city streets, the G-Class is an imposing sight on any road.

This version gets you a monstrous 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine under the bonnet, which is capable of hauling this heavy SUV to 60mph in just 6.3sec. If you want even more power, then there's also a petrol-engined V8 version on offer in the range-topping G63.

Despite its size, the G-Class isn't especially practical, with rival SUVs offering more versatile seating, and even more space for luggage in their boots.

No matter which version of the G-Class you go for, you can expect to spend a lot of time at the pumps – but at least you'll get a good chunk of your money back when you come to sell it on.

Read our full Mercedes G-Class review

Model 110 2.0 P400e X | List price £91,825 36k/3yr resale value £61,450 | Price drop £30,375| Retained value 66.9%

Like the Mercedes G-Class above, the Land Rover Defender excels when the going gets tough – but unlike previous iterations of the Defender, the latest version is also good on the road.

While there are multiple petrol and diesel-engined versions of the Defender to choose from, and even a fully electric model on the way, the version which holds onto its value the best is this P400e plug-in hybrid, which combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. It's officially capable of tacking you up to 27 miles on electric power, but you'll only get the most out of it if you can plug it in regularly.

Elsewhere, 110-badged versions of the Defender offer plenty of space for rear passengers – even if you need to seat three abreast on the rear bench – and you can fit more into its boot than you could into the Jeep Wrangler. Still, luxury SUVs including the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 can hold even more, but neither performs as well as the Defender on depreciation.

Read our full Land Rover Defender review

Model 2.0 TDI Beach Camper| List price £62,682 36k/3yr resale value £41,325 | Price drop £21,357| Retained value 65.9%

Many of us like to holiday within the UK, and driving a camper van is a great way to see all that our island has to offer. After all, what’s better than taking everything you might want along for the journey with you? The Volkswagen California is a good example of the breed, offering a gutsy 2.0-litre diesel engine that shrugs off the weight of this heavy car, without saddling you with massive running costs.

Indeed, all Californias barring the four-wheel drive versions will return more than 30mpg officially, though how much you acheive in the real world will depend on how loaded up you are with people and luggage.

This Beach version comes with everything the modern traveller could want, from a rear seats that form to create a bed, to a fold-out kitchen with a single hob for al-fresco dining. When you come to sell it on, you'll find that the California out-performs every other van-based camper for resale value – doing even better than the What Car? Award-winning Mercedes V-Class Marco Polo.

Read our full Volkswagen California review

Model 3.0 P400 SE| List price £107,320 36k/3yr resale value £66,725 | Price drop £40,595| Retained value 62.2%

If you want something with a bit more luxury than the Land Rover Defender we saw earlier, and with a bit more space than the Range Rover Sport further up this list, then logic will likely lead you to the driver's door of the Range Rover.

The latest Range Rover offers comfortable and spacious transport for your family over any kind of terrain, and for the few who can afford to buy – and run – one, it's a sublime driving experience. Indeed, the 396bhp offered by this P400 petrol-engined version gives the Range Rover the kind of agility which you wouldn't expect from a 2.5-tonne SUV.

There are a few pitfalls, however, because Land Rover's reliability record is questionable, with the brand coming 28th out of 32 car makers in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey. And while the latest Range Rover is too new to feature in our survey results, the previous-generation model ranks among the most unreliable cars of its kind.

Read our full Range Rover review

Model 4.0 V8 Azure| List price £212,760 36k/3yr resale value £122,500 | Price drop £90,260| Retained value 57.6%

Now we're not going to suggest that owners who can afford to put a Bentley Flying Spur on their driveways will be overly worried about depreciation, but even if they were, they needn't be, because this luxury grand tourer holds on to its value better than a banker with their bonus cheque.

It's also immensely powerful, with buyers able to choose between a 5.0-litre V8-engined versions with 542bhp, or a fire-breathing 626bhp 6.0-litre W12. It's the latter which will hold its value the best, and it's still indecently fast, dispatching the 0-60mph sprint in just 4.0sec.

As you'd hope, the interior of the Flying Spur features world-class craftsmanship and the finest materials, plus an infotainment system that's relatively easy to get along with, and offers access to all the functions you'd expect, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

Your passengers get lots of room to stretch out inside the Flying Spur, but it's worth noting that long-wheelbase versions of the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class offer even more room.

Read our full Bentley Flying Spur review

Model 2.0 D165 S 2WD| List price £43,665 36k/3yr resale value £24,075 | Price drop £19,590| Retained value 55.1%

Think of the Range Rover Evoque as being a kind of halfway house between the brand's more rugged models, and the luxurious full-fat Range Rover. 

The version which holds its value the bet is the mid-range diesel, which should offer plenty of low-down pulling power and might be the top choice if you regularly plan on towing. No matter which version you go for, expect a comfortable ride and assured handling – even though the Evoque is no Porsche Macan through the corners.

With its high-set driving position and high-quality materials, the Evoque's interior is a nice place to spend time, and it's roomier than most other family SUVs for your rear passengers.  

Read our full Range Rover Evoque review

Model Tiptronic S| List price £90,760 36k/3yr resale value £48,475 | Price drop £42,285 | Retained value 53.4%

Both the Cayenne Coupé and the regular Porsche Cayenne perform exceptionally well in terms of depreciation, but the swoopy coupé just edges the lead here, especially in S form, which comes with a 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine developing a heady 434bhp. That's enough to haul this heavy SUV to 62mph in just 5.0sec.

The Cayenne Coupé isn't just fast, though – it's also practical. Leg room is generous in the rear, eaning a tall adult can sit behind an equally lanky driver in comfort, and your holiday luggage is unlikely to trouble the boot.

We just wish the list of standard kit wasn't so stingy – most things you want are an optional extra – and that the running costs weren't so high. 

Read our full Porsche Cayenne Coupé review

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