When you purchase a new vehicle, it may not be at the top of your checklist, however you should always consider its future value.  In the auto industry, this is typically referred to as resale or residual value.  Although you may not plan to sell or get rid of your vehicle sooner rather than later, there’s always a chance that may need to happen. Cars.com has established and published a list of the 2010 models that are expected to hold the most of their original value within their vehicle class after three years.  From their site, here are the cars with the best resale value.

Compact Car – Honda Fit

Mid-Compact Car – Mazda 3

Midsize Car – Honda Accord

Full-Size Car – Nissan Maxima

Sporty Car – Mini Cooper

Near-Luxury Car – BMW 1 Series

Luxury Car – Lexus LS 460

Luxury Sports Car – Audi S5

Compact Utility Vehicle – Subaru Forester

Midsize Utility Vehicle – Subaru Outback

Large Utility Vehicle – Toyota Sequoia

Near-Luxury Utility Vehicle – Lexus RX 350

Luxury Utility Vehicle – Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Compact/Midsize Pickup – Toyota Tacoma

Full-size Pickup – Ford F-150

Minivan – Honda Odyssey

Hybrid – Toyota Prius

Insider tip:  Resale or residual value plays a major role in determining prices for auto leases.  The higher the value, the less you repay, which means lower monthly payments as a consumer.

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