It's a well-known fact that anyone who buys a brand-new car is going to suffer from the effects of depreciation when it comes to selling that car. The longer you keep the car, the more of the value you'll lose, but the rate of depreciation is steeper in the first few years, so it does actually make good sense to keep your car for a good long while. This is because, if you keep buying a new car after just two or three years of ownership, then each time you suffer the highest rate of depreciation.
People who do prefer a new car every couple of years tend to go for leasing instead of financing or paying cash, as this does reduce the burden of depreciation. However, for those who do prefer to buy instead of lease, it pays to do your homework and find out which cars suffer the most from depreciation. Fortunately, there is no need to peruse countless listings over time, as iSeeCars has already done the hard work for you.
A recent survey from iSeeCars has taken into account over 800,000 five-year-old used vehicle sales from between March 2024 and February 2025, in order to evaluate which brands have lost the most amount of money relative to their msrp. It's bad news for EV owners, as on average, fully electric cars are losing 58.8% of their new value after just five years. The winner though, as it were, is the Jaguar I-Pace, which loses a staggering 72.2% of its value in the same period.
Read more: 10 Chevrolet Models With Terrible Resale Value
Here's Why The Jaguar I-Pace Loses So Much Value
For those who aren't aware, the Jaguar I-Pace is the first all-electric car from the storied British brand. As with all Jaguar models, the I-Pace is packed full of luxurious amenities, such as a full leather interior, an 825-watt Meridian sound system, and air suspension for a supple ride. It's pretty capable too, with 394 horsepower and 512 lb-ft of torque courtesy of two electric motors, which also provide a respectable 246 miles of EPA-rated range. That all sounds pretty fantastic, so why does this Jag lose so much value, and so quickly?
First off, brand image has taken a nosedive in recent years thanks to a rather poorly received rebrand from the company. Jaguar has also stopped making and selling new cars, which undoubtedly leads to some concerns about how well the automaker is coping behind the scenes. This uncertainty may not be solely to blame for the I-Pace's poor residual values, but it definitely won't be helping much.
In addition, the I-Pace fights in a particularly fierce battle in terms of maintaining resale value. Not only are EVs losing more than hybrid and gas-powered cars in recent years, as demonstrated by the aforementioned iSeeCars data, but executive and luxury cars have always famously suffered too. Combine these two segments, and it should come as no surprise to see Jag's luxury EV struggling to maintain a decent resale value five years into ownership.
Recalls And Reliability Concerns Have Also Plagued The I-Pace's Reputation
Not only is the I-Pace suffering as a result of Jaguar's recent rebrand, and the fact it's a luxury EV, but it turns out it's a pretty problematic product, too. These aren't little issues, either. The I-Pace has been recalled no fewer than five times across numerous different markets as a result of battery failures. In response, Jaguar has agreed to buy back 2,760 examples of the $70,000+ EV just in the U.S. alone.
The news is that these batteries, sourced from LG, are prone to thermal overload, and therefore pose a real fire risk. There have even been images from the U.K. showing nearly-new examples of this pricey EV already piled high in scrapyards, showing how quickly they've fallen from being a desirable new luxury car, to not even worth repairing. It's reported that these scrapped examples were recalled units purchased back by Jaguar. While a Jaguar I-Pace isn't the most valuable car to ever wind up in a scrapyard, it is particularly unusual -- and wasteful -- to see such a new car suffer this demise only a few short years into its life.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
