Estimate how much your car will be worth over time
Updated October 2026Built and checked by MaverickHow it's calculatedReport an error
Future value
$22,894
after 5 years
Total depreciation
$22,106
from $45,000
Year 1 drop
$5,689
12.6% of purchase
Annual rate
12.6%
compounded yearly
At the steady yearly rate implied by your resale estimate. Real values usually fall faster early on.
At a steady rate the dollar loss is largest in year 1, because the car is worth most then.
Cars lose value as they age, and it's often the biggest cost of owning one. How fast depends on the model, its kilometres and condition, and the market - there's no public table of depreciation rates. The most reliable guide is what the same model sells for a few years older. Enter that from current listings or a valuation guide, and this calculator works out the yearly rate and projects your car's value.
A $50,000 new SUV. The same model three years old sells for about $34,000. Projecting 5 years.
That works out at 12.1% a year. After 5 years the SUV is worth about $26,300 - $23,700 less than it cost, or about $4,700 a year. The first year alone is about $6,000.
A $30,000 three-year-old car. The same model three years older again sells for about $21,000. Projecting 3 years.
That works out at 11.2% a year, so over the next 3 years the car loses about $9,000, or $3,000 a year - less in dollars than a new car, because it starts from a lower price.