Key facts
- 41.8% average five-year depreciation across all vehicles in 2026, a 3.8-point improvement from 45.6% in 2025; every segment retained more value year over year (iSeeCars depreciation study).
- 57.2% average five-year loss for full-electric vehicles, the worst of any powertrain; secondary outlets round this to a "57-59%" band (iSeeCars; Forbes).
- 35.4% hybrid depreciation, 34.2% trucks, 44.9% SUVs, so EVs lose about 22 points more value than hybrids.
- Nissan LEAF 63.1% is the worst-depreciating model in the overall top-25; EVs and luxury make up 24 of the 25 biggest value losers.
- 60.1 days to sell a non-Tesla used EV (a 20.0% year-over-year slowdown) vs 32.4 days for a Tesla; gas cars average 54.1 days, hybrids 54.4 days (iSeeCars market study, Q1 2026).
- Nine of BMW's ten fastest-depreciating models are EV or PHEV, led by the i7 at 73.6% (iSeeCars via BMWBlog).
- Non-Tesla used EV prices fell 10.3% year over year in Q1 2026; Tesla EV prices were essentially flat at -0.1%.
Which used EVs lose the most value in 2026?
The Nissan LEAF is the worst-depreciating model on iSeeCars' overall top-25 list at 63.1% over five years, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 (62.1%), Tesla Model S (62.0%), Tesla Model X (61.2%) and Ford Mustang Mach-E (60.8%). iSeeCars states that electric vehicles and luxury models make up 24 of the 25 cars that lose the most value. The Jaguar I-Pace is cited by several outlets as the single worst-depreciating EV at 72.2%, but that figure appears in EV-specific rankings and does not sit inside iSeeCars' published overall top-25, likely a low-volume or discontinued exclusion.
| Model | Powertrain | 5-yr depreciation | Segment days-to-sell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaguar I-Pace | EV | 72.2% (EV-specific; not in overall top-25) | 60.1 days (non-Tesla EV) |
| Nissan LEAF | EV | 63.1% (worst in overall top-25) | 60.1 days |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | EV | 62.1% | 60.1 days |
| Tesla Model S | EV | 62.0% | 32.4 days |
| Tesla Model X | EV | 61.2% | 32.4 days |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | EV | 60.8% | 60.1 days |
| Tesla Model Y | EV | 57.8% | 32.4 days |
| Tesla Model 3 | EV | ~54.6% loss (best-retaining EV) | 32.4 days |
Depreciation figures are from the iSeeCars five-year study (950,000-plus cars, sold March 2025 to February 2026, original MSRP adjusted to 2026 dollars). Days-to-sell is reported by segment, not per model.
Why do EVs depreciate faster than gas cars and hybrids?
Full-electric vehicles lose 57.2% of their value over five years, far more than hybrids at 35.4%, trucks at 34.2% and SUVs at 44.9%, per iSeeCars' 2026 depreciation study. The gap is powertrain-specific: falling new-EV prices, incentives, and battery and technology concerns weigh on used EV resale in ways gas and hybrid cars avoid. The pressure is still active. In the Q1 2026 market study, all EVs fell 3.0% year over year, but non-Tesla EVs dropped 10.3% while gas fell 2.8% and hybrids 1.4%.
The 2026 headline is that overall depreciation improved, not that EVs recovered. Average five-year depreciation fell to 41.8% from 45.6% a year earlier, a 3.8-point gain, and every segment retained more value. EVs improved off a very low base and still lose the most.
Is a used Tesla a safer resale bet than a non-Tesla EV?
By sales velocity and price stability, yes. iSeeCars' Q1 2026 market study shows Tesla EVs sell in 32.4 days while non-Tesla EVs take 60.1 days, nearly twice as long and about six days longer than the average gas car (54.1 days). Tesla used prices were essentially flat year over year at -0.1%, while non-Tesla EV prices fell 10.3%. For a buyer, a non-Tesla EV that has been sitting is direct leverage: weak demand plus falling prices means more room to negotiate.
Do BMW electric and plug-in-hybrid models hold value worst?
Yes. Per iSeeCars data reported by BMWBlog on July 22, 2026, nine of BMW's ten fastest-depreciating models use either a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain. The lone exception is the gas 7 Series.
| Rank | Model | Powertrain | 5-yr depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BMW i7 | EV | 73.6% |
| 2 | BMW i5 | EV | 70.0% |
| 3 | BMW iX | EV | 68.6% |
| 4 | BMW 7 Series PHEV | PHEV | 65.1% |
| 5 | BMW i3 | EV | 64.9% |
| 6 | BMW i4 | EV | 64.5% |
| 7 | BMW 7 Series | Gas (only non-electrified) | 61.8% |
| 8 | BMW 5 Series PHEV | PHEV | 59.2% |
| 9 | BMW XM | PHEV | 58.1% |
| 10 | BMW X5 PHEV | PHEV | 56.4% |
These BMW model figures come via BMWBlog citing an iSeeCars 2026 resale-value cut of 3 million-plus vehicles, a different dataset than the 950,000-car headline study, and they exceed that study's top-10 cap. Depreciation is not brand-wide: several BMWs were among the biggest one-year value gainers in the market study, including the X2 (+23.5%), 3 Series (+9.0%) and Z4 (+9.0%).
By the numbers
- 41.8% all-vehicle five-year depreciation (2026), improved 3.8 points from 45.6%.
- 57.2% EV five-year loss; 35.4% hybrid; 34.2% truck; 44.9% SUV.
- 60.1 days non-Tesla EV days-to-sell vs 32.4 days Tesla; 54.1 gas; 54.4 hybrid.
- -10.3% non-Tesla EV price change year over year (Q1 2025 to Q1 2026); -0.1% Tesla.
- 63.1% Nissan LEAF, worst in the overall top-25; 73.6% BMW i7, worst BMW.
Based on two iSeeCars 2026 studies: the five-year depreciation study (950,000-plus vehicles, sold March 2025 to February 2026, MSRP in 2026 dollars) and the used-car market study (6.7 million vehicles, Q1 2025 vs Q1 2026). Dossier assembled and verified 2026-07-23.
What a VIN check can and can't tell you here
The iSeeCars depreciation and days-to-sell figures are market and segment averages. They describe model classes, not the exact car in front of you. Zilocar's role is to verify that individual vehicle by VIN and let you check it against those benchmarks. When you shop, run NHTSA's free VIN lookup first for recall presence, then use a listing-history and valuation tool for the negotiation data.
| Question | VIN check | Cede to NHTSA / dealer |
|---|---|---|
| Has this exact car been sitting or re-listed with price cuts? | Yes, past and current listings, asking prices, mileage, days-on-market | — |
| Is the asking price above market? | Yes, current market valuation figure | — |
| Accident, damage, airbag-deployment history | Yes | — |
| Odometer rollback, theft (NICB), junk and salvage auction records | Yes | — |
| Ownership history, specs, NHTSA and IIHS safety ratings | Yes | — |
| Recall presence and count | Yes (like NHTSA's free tool) | — |
| Was a recall actually remedied or flashed? | No | NHTSA / dealer |
| Open NHTSA investigations (PE/EA) or firmware status | No | NHTSA |
| Legal title-brand classification | No (shows salvage/junk auction records, not the title brand) | State DMV / title |
| A prediction of this car's future resale value | No | — (iSeeCars figures are historical/segment data) |
To be clear on the limits: a VIN check does not produce a proprietary depreciation forecast. The 57.2% and 41.8% figures belong to iSeeCars and are historical, segment-level data. What a VIN check adds is proof of how a specific car has actually behaved on the market, its listing history and valuation, which you then read against the iSeeCars context.
Before you make an offer, a Zilocar VIN check screens for recall presence and count and surfaces that car's accident and airbag-deployment records, salvage and junk-auction history, odometer and theft checks, ownership, sales-listing history with days-on-market, specs, NHTSA and IIHS ratings, and a current market valuation. Pair the listing history with the iSeeCars benchmarks above, then negotiate on what the individual car shows.
