Most new SUVs lose roughly 40% of their value within five years of rolling off the lot. But a handful of models consistently defy that curve, returning thousands more to their owners at trade-in or resale. Three of the most widely cited automotive research firms, Kelley Blue Book, J.D. Power’s ALG division, and Edmunds, have each published 2025 resale-value analyses covering the 2026 model year, and their findings overlap in telling ways.
Below are eight SUVs that top those rankings, organized by size class, along with the evidence that backs each pick.
Subcompact: Subaru Crosstrek
The Crosstrek won the subcompact SUV/crossover category in Kelley Blue Book’s 2025 Best Resale Value Awards, which project retained value over a 60-month ownership period. KBB states that its category winners are selected from the top 10 models with the highest projected resale value in each segment, as described on the firm’s awards page. Standard all-wheel drive, a loyal owner base, and Subaru’s reputation for durability in harsh climates all contribute. The 2026 Crosstrek starts around $32,000, and strong demand on the used market keeps resale premiums high relative to other subcompacts. However, KBB does not publish the specific retained-value percentage for each winner in its public award announcement, so the exact projected residual figure is not independently verifiable from the source linked here.
Subcompact: Toyota Corolla Cross
Toyota’s entry-level crossover has appeared on multiple residual-value shortlists since its 2022 launch. J.D. Power’s ALG division, which projects how much of a vehicle’s original MSRP it will retain after three years, has recognized the Corolla Cross in its annual residual value awards, though the specific retained-value percentage and exact award category name from ALG’s public materials have not been independently confirmed for this article. A hybrid powertrain option, Toyota’s parts availability network, and conservative styling that ages well on dealer lots all work in its favor. Starting MSRP for the 2026 model sits near $24,000, making it one of the most affordable SUVs on this list.
Compact: Honda CR-V
The CR-V took the compact SUV/crossover award in KBB’s 2025 rankings. It is one of the best-selling vehicles in America regardless of segment, and that volume creates a deep, liquid used market where buyers compete for clean examples. The current generation offers both a conventional 1.5-liter turbo and a hybrid powertrain, and Honda’s reputation for low long-term maintenance costs gives lenders confidence when setting residual projections. Expect a starting price near $33,000 for the 2026 model year. As with the other KBB winners, the exact five-year retained-value percentage is not published in the firm’s public award materials.
Compact: Toyota RAV4
Few nameplates carry as much resale momentum as the RAV4. Edmunds’ transaction-based analysis, syndicated by the Associated Press, placed the RAV4 among the compact SUVs whose actual used-sale prices stay closest to original sticker, though the AP article does not publish a specific retained-value percentage or numerical ranking for the model. The RAV4 Hybrid, in particular, commands premiums on the secondary market thanks to strong fuel economy and limited dealer inventory. With a starting MSRP around $33,000 and hybrid versions near $35,000, the RAV4 remains a benchmark for retained value in the compact class.
Midsize: Toyota Grand Highlander
The Grand Highlander, Toyota’s stretched three-row crossover, won KBB’s midsize SUV/crossover category for the 2026 model year. It slots above the standard Highlander with more cargo room and a longer wheelbase, addressing the chief complaint families had about the original. A hybrid Max powertrain option delivers roughly 360 horsepower while returning competitive fuel economy, a combination that appeals to second and third owners as much as the first. Pricing starts near $45,000.
Midsize: Kia Telluride
Kia’s flagship three-row SUV has been a resale standout since its 2020 debut. Dealer markups during the pandemic-era inventory crunch pushed used Telluride prices above original MSRP in some cases, and while that frenzy has cooled, the model continues to hold value well. J.D. Power’s ALG residual projections have recognized the Telluride in its annual awards, though the specific retained-value percentage and exact ALG award category name have not been independently confirmed for this article. Edmunds’ used-price data supports the broader trend of strong Telluride resale performance. A starting MSRP near $37,000 and a generous standard-feature list make it a strong value proposition that translates directly into slower depreciation.
Luxury: Lexus RX
The Lexus RX claimed the luxury SUV/crossover spot in KBB’s 2025 awards. As the best-selling luxury SUV in the United States for more than two decades, the RX benefits from massive brand recognition and a buyer pool that skews toward long-term ownership. The current generation offers a plug-in hybrid (RX 450h+) alongside conventional and hybrid powertrains, broadening its appeal. Starting around $50,000, the RX retains a larger share of its sticker price than most competitors in the same bracket over a five-year period, according to KBB’s category ranking, though the firm does not publish the specific percentage in its public award announcement.
Luxury: Porsche Cayenne
Porsche has long been an outlier in depreciation data. The Cayenne, the brand’s midsize luxury SUV, has appeared on ALG’s residual-value award lists, though the specific retained-value percentage and exact ALG category name have not been independently confirmed for this article. Limited production relative to demand, a performance-oriented brand image, and high build quality all contribute to its strong resale performance. The 2026 Cayenne starts above $80,000, but owners who sell after three to five years typically recover a higher percentage of that outlay than buyers of competing models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Audi, based on the pattern reflected in multiple resale rankings.
Why these models keep winning
Several patterns emerge across all eight picks. Reliability-focused Japanese manufacturers, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and Lexus, account for six of the eight. Each of those brands scores well in long-term dependability studies, which reassures second and third buyers that they are not inheriting expensive problems. The two non-Japanese entries, Kia and Porsche, succeed for different reasons: the Telluride offers feature-rich value that sustains demand, while the Cayenne benefits from Porsche’s scarcity-driven pricing power.
Hybrid and electrified powertrains also show up repeatedly. The CR-V, RAV4, Grand Highlander, and RX all offer hybrid variants, and those versions tend to hold value even better than their gas-only counterparts. As fuel prices fluctuate and buyers grow more comfortable with electrified drivetrains, hybrid SUVs occupy a sweet spot: better efficiency without the range anxiety or charging-infrastructure concerns that still weigh on fully electric models in the used market.
What the data cannot tell you
No resale ranking is a guarantee. KBB’s methodology relies on proprietary pricing models and does not publish specific retained-value percentages for individual winners in its public award materials. J.D. Power’s ALG awards are forward-looking projections, not records of completed sales, and the specific residual percentages are available only to subscribers. Edmunds draws on real transaction data, but its underlying datasets are not open for independent audit, and the AP-syndicated article does not include model-specific percentages or numerical rankings. A model that tops one list may not appear on another simply because the measurement window or methodology differs: KBB evaluates retained value after 60 months, ALG projects after 36, and Edmunds compares current used prices to original sticker.
Trade policy adds another variable. SUVs assembled domestically with a high percentage of U.S.-sourced parts could see different depreciation curves than those relying heavily on imported components, but as of June 2026, no published analysis quantifies that effect for specific models. Buyers who want the most reliable resale signal should cross-reference all three sources rather than relying on any single list.
How to cross-check three resale sources before you buy
Start with the current KBB and ALG category winners for the model year you plan to purchase, then compare those picks against Edmunds’ most recent used-price analysis. That three-source cross-check takes less than an hour and can surface models that hold up across different analytical lenses. If a vehicle appears on two or more of those lists, the resale signal is strong. If it appears on all three, you are looking at one of the safest bets on the market for protecting your investment over a typical five-year ownership cycle.
More from Morning Overview
*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
