Top ten: Cars that held their value best in 2011 and are star buys for 2012

By Lee Boyce
UPDATED: 04:50 EST, 30 January 2012

When you buy a new car, it loses value as soon as you drive it off the forecourt - it's a fact of purchasing a motor.

But some cars keep their value far better than others – so with a bit of savvy buying, your vehicle might not lose as much value as you think.

This is Money, alongside Motors.co.uk, reveals the cars that held their value the most last year – making them theoretically the best cars to buy this year.

And according to the Motors.co.uk research, it seems that smaller cars are top of the car value charts…

1. BMW 1-Series

An ever popular car among businessmen and families alike, the 1-series will set you back around £19,197 for a 2010 model, and has the added bonus of an amazingly low depreciation value.

On average, a new model costs just over £20,329 – that’s equates to just  a small 5.6 per cent drop and makes it the car that has lost the least value over the last year, making it the best new car investment.

2. Ford Focus

If you’re thinking of purchasing a Focus for you and your family, you’d be well advised to snap up this great car.

It appears many motorists agree - according to statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) it was the second biggest selling vehicle of last year, just behind the Ford Fiesta.

With a tiny 6 per cent drop in value in just one year, a new model bought at £11,919 last year is now worth £11,207.

3. Fiat 500

An immensely popular first car, if you’re looking for a smaller size vehicle you should look at the Fiat 500.

The supermini benefits from great fuel efficiency - the twin air model does 68.9 miles per gallon - and rated the best fuel efficient car of the year by us at the start of last year.

A model bought brand new at £9,815 is fetching £9,137 second hand. That’s just a 7 per cent drop, making both a 2011 and 2010 version well worth a look.

4. BMW 5-Series

German class comes out top in the form of gentleman’s favourite the BMW 5-series.

A year ago, one of these beauties would have set you back £35,590 on average.

The value of the same car now has only fallen by 11 per cent and is worth around £31,758, making the classic BMW easy on both your eye, and on your wallet.

5. Audi A3

Renowned as the Golf’s slightly higher end competitor, the Audi A3 slots in to fifth with a 12 per cent depreciation.

The family car is a desirable, high-quality car with strong resale values.

For this reason, a new model of this vehicle costing £20,994 is now on the market for £18,437 with just a year on the clock.

 

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6. Vauxhall Corsa

The Corsa is one of the UK’s most popular and biggest selling cars, selling the third most units last year according to the SMMT figures.-

It makes the top 10, as a £9,475 model has dropped just 13 per cent to £8,206 in a year.

This car remains a great option for young drivers wanting a reliable first car, with a great resale value.

7. Ford Ka

Another Ford comes in on the list, with the Ford Ka seeing just a 13 per cent drop in price in a year.

A model which set its owner back around £8,866 last year would now fetch an impressive £7,659.

8. Mazda 6

An extremely versatile car, ideal for stylish businessmen and families alike, you can bet it will hold its value.

Worth £18,379 if bought new last year, it is now fetching £15,876.

That’s just a drop of 14 per cent, making it a great choice if you’re looking for a car with a good resale value.

9. Mercedes C Class

A favourite in the UK, a Mercedes more than holds its weight in terms of resale value.

Just behind the rest of the German cars with an encouraging 14.2 per cent value loss, a model worth around £26,468 just 12 months ago is now worth around £22,703.

If you have your heart set on a Mercedes, now could be the perfect time to make the plunge.

10. Ford Fiesta

Another small car comes in on our top 10 list - and it happens to be the biggest selling car in of 2011, according to the SMMT.

A classic motor, the Fiesta has been a staple of the car market on these shores since its launch back in 1976.

It still stands the test of time it appears. A car worth £11,133 bought new last year, is now fetching £9,469.

That’s just a drop of 15 per cent, making a Fiesta a sound investment.

And what about cars that are three years old?...

In separate research, car valuation specialists Glass’s Guide, looked at cars that were bought new three years ago – 58 plates – to see which motors have fallen in value the least.

Six of the seven top places are occupied by Off-Road 4x4s and Lifestyle 4x4s.

Short bouts of severe wintry weather in each of the last two years have ensured that the popularity of these sectors continues.

This year’s overall winner is the Toyota Landcruiser. Glass’s says that this model has never been the victim of distress marketing by the manufacturer and this has ensured that used examples have been in limited supply.

Glass’s also says that it enjoys the credentials of being a durable and reliable workhorse – an image that has endured for many years, and helped by exposure on the Top Gear television series in recent years.