These cars lose the most money on resale in France

Selling your car can lead to unpleasant surprises: some models lose more than 60% of their value in just five years.

Depreciation is one of the main expenses of owning a car, far ahead of maintenance or fuel costs. Yet, it is often underestimated at the time of purchase. A study published by the automotive data specialist carVertical reveals which models depreciate the most rapidly in the French market. Unsurprisingly, electric cars occupy most of the top spots.

The Renault Zoe is the vehicle that loses the most value in France. According to data from carVertical, its value declines by an average of 62.8% after five years. It is followed by the Nissan Leaf (-62.2%), the Volkswagen ID.3 (-58.1%), the Audi e-tron (-56.7%), and the Tesla Model 3 (-56.2%).

Technology catches up with used cars

This significant depreciation is particularly explained by the rapid evolution of technologies. Advances in batteries and range make older generations less attractive in the used car market. Additionally, high purchase prices when new and sometimes considerable repair costs further weigh on their resale value.

This phenomenon also extends beyond French borders. On a European scale, the Jaguar I-Pace shows the highest depreciation at -73.1%, followed by the Range Rover (-70.1%), the Nissan Leaf (-62.4%), the Audi e-tron (-60.9%), and the Jaguar XF (-59.9%).

Conversely, some models limit their depreciation more effectively. The Opel Insignia retains its value best in France (-53.6%), followed by the Hyundai Ioniq (-53.9%), the BMW 7 Series (-54.1%), the BMW i3 (-54.5%), and the Ford Mondeo (-54.8%). According to carVertical, mainstream models generally benefit from more stable demand in the used car market and more manageable operating costs.

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The study is based on historical reports generated by carVertical users between January 2023 and December 2025. It analyzes vehicles manufactured in 2020 and compares their manufacturer’s recommended retail price to their average market value five years later, in order to establish their depreciation rate. These results accompany the evolution of the “Market Value” tool developed by carVertical, which is designed to help motorists better anticipate the resale value of their vehicle.

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