Best Resale Value Cars: These 12 Used Vehicles Top Our List

You can find these used vehicles and more in our inventory here. No pressure, but if and when you're ready to buy from us, keep in mind all our vehicles have completed a 150 Point Inspection, comes with a no-charge 30 Day / 1,500 km warranty, and is covered by our 7-Day money back return policy.

First, a quick look at how depreciation impacts a car’s resale value

With very few exceptions, all cars and trucks depreciate as they age, with the only difference being how quickly that depreciation happens.

A vehicle’s rate of depreciation is determined by factors like its reputation for durability, what kind of incentives were offered when it was new, and how much demand exists for it in the used-car marketplace. 

Depreciation is an important measurement because it helps used-car dealers ask fair selling prices and is the basis for lease payments on new models, which are set by predicting future depreciation. We take a much closer look at depreciation’s effect on a car’s worth & trade in value in this article. Below, and from this article, a look at a typical depreciation curve in Canada:

As a consumer, you can use information about depreciation to help you find good deals in the used market, or choose a car that will hold its value so you can recoup more of its purchase price when it’s time to sell or trade it in. Here are five simple ways to help boost your vehicle’s worth.

To help get you started in your search, we’ve compiled a list of a dozen vehicles that have been recognized by the auto industry analysts at Canadian Black Book and Automotive Lease Guide for strong resale values, impressive future residual values, or both. 

The price ranges we present here are based on asking prices for used vehicles listed Canada-wide at AutoTrader.ca in September 2022 and may vary depending on where in Canada you live.

After you’ve decided on a vehicle, let Canada Drives help you find it and get you pre-qualified for financing here.

1. Best family car: 2019 Toyota Camry LE

• $25,498 - $30,590

2019 Toyota Camry | Photo: Toyota 

If no-nonsense transportation is all you need, look to the Toyota Camry, a car with one of the industry’s best reputations for reliability and resale value.

In 2019 – a year after the 11th-generation model’s debut – the entry-level Camry LE came with heated front seats with power driver adjustments and alloy wheels, and buyers could add an upgrade package of dual-zone climate control, blind spot monitor, passive keyless entry, and wireless phone charging. A 2.5L engine provides 203 hp, and fuel consumption is estimated at 8.4/6.1 L/100 km (city/highway). 

2. Best compact luxury car: 2019 Lexus IS 300 AWD

• $32,888-$41,998

2019 Lexus IS 300 AWD | Photo: Lexus 

The Lexus IS 300 AWD compact sport sedan provides smooth, swift performance with a 260-hp V6 engine and, as its name suggests, standard AWD. Standard features included 10-speaker audio, heated seats, dual-zone A/C, passive keyless entry, and an auto-dimming mirror. 

Options were bundled into Premium, Luxury, and F Sport packages that added items like navigation, a larger touchscreen, adaptive headlights, and parking sensors. Fuel consumption is estimated at 12.3/9.1 L/100 km (city/highway).

3. Best large luxury car: 2019 Lexus LS 500

• $75,000-$90,000 (estimated)

2019 Lexus LS 500 | Photo: Lexus 

If a full-size luxury sedan is what you’re after, consider the Lexus LS 500, a posh four-door that not only holds its value well but is also a strong value compared to its European competitors. Under the hood is a turbocharged V6 with 416 hp and all-wheel drive. 

The cabin is equipped with a heated wood-trimmed steering wheel, navigation, 23-speaker audio, a 28-way power driver’s seat, heated rear seats, and hands-free trunk operation. Upgrades included four-zone A/C, massaging seats, and 22-way adjustable rear seats. Lexus’s fuel consumption estimates are 13.1/8.7 L/100 km (city/highway).

4. Best mid-size pickup truck: 2019 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab V6 SR5

• $41,998-$53,900

2019 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab SR5 | Photo: Toyota 

The Toyota Tacoma holds its value better than any other truck in the mid-size class. If you want a truck with comfortable seating for five at an accessible price, look for a Double Cab SR5 model, which comes with alloy wheels, an auto-dimming mirror, sliding rear window, and a 120-volt outlet in the cargo bed. 

Options available in 2019 included a sunroof, dual-zone A/C, navigation, and passive keyless entry. The 3.5L V6 makes 278 hp and is matched with four-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission. Toyota estimates fuel consumption at 13.0/10.5 L/100 km (city/highway).

Also take a look at these 9 Best Compact Pickups in Canada.

5. Best full-size pickup truck: 2019 Ram 2500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4

• $51,977-$74,909

2019 Ram 2500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 | Photo: Ram 

The Ram 2500 is the gateway to the brand’s heavy-duty truck lineup, which boasts more generous payload and towing capacities than the light-duty Ram 1500 model. Used prices vary widely as the 2500 offered new buyers plenty of upgrades even within the Big Horn trim level. 

The 2500 was redesigned for 2019 and came with a choice of a base 410-hp gas V8 and the option of a 6.7L six-cylinder turbodiesel with less horsepower but boasting 850 lb-ft of torque. With either engine, the transmission is an eight-speed automatic. Big Horn’s standard features included 18-inch wheels, electronic 4x4 shifting, chrome trim, and an overhead console.

6. Best minivan: 2019 Toyota Sienna LE 8-passenger

• $34,940-$41,000

2019 Toyota Sienna | Photo: Toyota 

In 2019, the Toyota Sienna LE was one step up from the minivan’s base specification, and included power sliding doors, heated front seats, a power driver’s seat, an auto-dimming mirror, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen. 

Power is from a 3.5L V6 with 296 hp and an eight-speed transmission. The Sienna LE’s only option in 2019 was all-wheel drive, which can increase the van’s appeal and selling price depending on where you live in Canada. Fuel consumption is estimated at 12.4/8.9 L/100 km (city/highway) for front-drive models, and 13.4/9.6 L/100 km with AWD.

Also check out these 5 Best Used Minivans [2009 to 2021]

7. Best mainstream sports car: 2020 Toyota GR Supra

• $64,995-$68,960

2020 Toyota GR Supra | Photo: Toyota 

The mainstream sports car with the highest resale values is the Toyota GR Supra. It was introduced in 2020, so that’s the year we’re using for its value comparison. So highly anticipated was the latest generation of Supra that this first-year model now regularly commands asking prices higher than its new MSRP of $63,690. 

In 2020, the Supra was offered exclusively with a BMW-built 3.0L turbo six-cylinder engine with 335 hp and an eight-speed transmission; the following year, that engine’s output increased to 382 hp and Toyota added an entry-level four-cylinder version with 255 hp. In 2020, the Supra’s fuel consumption estimates were 9.9/7.7 L/100 km (city/highway).

8. Best premium sports car: 2019 Chevrolet Corvette 1LT

• $69,990-$82,000

2019 Chevy Corvette | Photo: Chevrolet 

In 2019, the Corvette’s seventh generation was on its way out the door, but it still boasted a 460-hp V8 and a choice of seven-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions. The Corvette is another example of a car that, if anything, has actually gained value since 2019, when its starting price was $65,095. 

That year, buyers could option the base Corvette with various performance packages that incorporated suspension and chassis parts from the car’s wild Z06, all of which would increase the car’s desirability and price. Chevrolet’s fuel consumption estimates are 14.6/9.3 L/100 km (city/highway) with the manual transmission, and 15.6/9.2 L/100 for automatic cars.

9. Best compact crossover 1: 2019 Toyota RAV4 LE

• $26,980-$32,494

2019 Toyota RAV4 LE | Photo: Toyota 

We’ve included two crossover models to reflect this segment’s popularity in Canada; the Toyota RAV4 is the top compact model in Automotive Lease Guide’s (ALG) residual value awards, while Canadian Black Book recognized the GMC Terrain in its residual value ranking.

Toyota redesigned the RAV4 into a new generation in 2019. Its entry LE trim uses a 203-hp engine and comes with LED headlights/taillights, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and heated side mirrors. Fuel consumption is estimated at 8.8/6.7 L/100 km (city/highway) with front-wheel drive, and 9.2/7.1 L/100 km with AWD.

10. Best compact crossover 2: 2019 GMC Terrain SLE

• $26,995-$29,979

2019 GMC Terrain | Photo: GMC 

The 2019 GMC Terrain was carried over from a 2018 redesign that gave it a more substantial appearance. Entry-grade SLE models came standard with a turbocharged 1.5L, 170-hp engine and could be optioned with a 252-hp 2.0L turbo. 

Standard features included alloy wheels, HID headlights, heated front seats with power driver’s seat, an auto-dimming mirror, dual-zone A/C, and passive keyless entry. Terrain fuel consumption is rated at 9.2/7.9 L/100 km (city/highway) with the 1.5L engine and FWD, while AWD estimates are 9.6/8.3 L/100 km with the 1.5L and 11.2/9.0 for 2.0L versions.

11. Best compact/mid-size SUV: 2019 Jeep Wrangler Sport

• $33,875-$45,999

2019 Jeep Wrangler Sport | Photo: Jeep 

The Jeep Wrangler is a perennial award winner when it comes to resale value. Chalk that up to this SUV’s name recognition and the fact that until recently it was the only off-road-optimized compact SUV in the marketplace. 

The 2019 Wrangler and its four-door Wrangler Unlimited sibling were largely carried over from a 2018 redesign. Power is from either a 270-hp turbo four-cylinder engine or a 285-hp V6. The Wrangler’s entry Sport trim came with steel wheels, fog lights, push-button engine start, and eight-speaker audio. Fuel consumption was estimated at 10.5/9.4 L/100 km (city/highway) for a 2.0L Wrangler, and 12.8/10.4 L/100 for V6 models. 

An honourable mention in this category goes to the Ford Bronco. Introduced in 2021, it’s too new for a direct price comparison in this article, but is priced to steal some of the Wrangler’s market share. In 2022, Canadian Black Book recognized the Bronco’s strong resale value, which can be attributed in part to the truck’s highly anticipated debut last year. Engine choices are a 275-hp four-cylinder and a 315-hp V6 (both turbocharged), both of which come with standard four-wheel drive. 

Take a look at our 2022 Ford Bronco Badlands 4-Door vs 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe Rubicon comparison review.

12. Best full-size SUV: 2019 Cadillac Escalade

• $65,000-$85,900

2019 Cadillac Escalade | Photo: Cadillac 

The Cadillac Escalade is this luxury brand’s flagship model, a posh full-size SUV conceived to compete with the Land Rover Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS. In 2019, the fourth-generation Escalade was nearing the end of its run, and was replaced by a new design in 2021. 

Power is from a 420-hp V8 engine connected to a 10-speed transmission and all-wheel drive. Base trim included navigation, heated/ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, a hands-free tailgate, electric steering wheel adjustments, and 16-speaker audio. Fuel consumption is estimated at 16.6/10.9 L/100 km (city/highway).