Fastest-depreciating cars for less than £50,000

If you've ever bought a car, new or used, then you'll have experienced depreciation – even if you weren't quite sure of what it was. Put simply, depreciation is the effect that driving, using or simply owning your car has on its value. And that's because with every minute and mile, almost every car loses a portion of its value.

That rate of depreciation affects how much of your money you'll be able to get back when you sell it on – so it's in your best interest to choose a model which keeps as much of its value as possible. If you've read our lists of the fastest and slowest-depreciating new cars, you'll see that there are some very expensive models at both ends of the depreciation scale, which is why in this story we're limiting our budget to £50,000.

We've used our resale data to reveal the models which lose the biggest percentage of their original value over a typical ownership period of three years and 36,000 miles. You'll see plenty of electric cars on this list, but also some combustion-engined cars. There's also a mix of premium and mass-market brands, and body styles.

While the cars listed here are the worst offenders for depreciation, we've also noted the slowest-depreciating cars for less than £50,000 in a separate story.

In each case we've highlighted the model which performs best in terms of depreciation, and you can find out more about the specific version we've noted, or the car's range as a whole, by following the links through to our in-depth reviews. You can also see how much you can expect to pay using our New Car Deals service.

*All prices correct at the time of writing

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Model B200d Sport Executive List price £37,065 36k/3yr resale value £12,325 Price drop £24,740 Retained value 33.3%

Finding a use case where a diesel engine is going to be the best fit for your next car might seem like sorting through a haystack to find a needle right now, but if you cover big miles and regularly need to fill your car with people and luggage, this diesel-engined version of the Mercedes B-Class people carrier can make a lot of sense.

The 148bhp produced by the B200d diesel engine makes for lively progress, especially from low revs, which makes the B-Class ideal for towing. And while the B-Class prioritises a comfortable ride over agile handling, the B-Class does a good job of concealing its top-heavy mass through corners – indeed, it's not far behind the smaller Mercedes A-Class for cornering ability.

While the rival BMW 2 Series Active Tourer feels a little better built inside, the B-Class trumps that model for visual pizazz, with almost every surface positively gleaming under showroom lights. It's a tech-fest inside, too, with a 10.3in infotainment screen working alongside a digital instrument cluster of the same size.

Being worth exactly a third of its original value after three years isn't good news for anyone buying a new B-Class – but makes the car a potentially good investment for used car buyers.

Strengths

• Stunning interior
• Comfortable ride
• Lots of passenger space

Weaknesses

• No seven-seat option
• Some road noise and the petrol engine could be quieter
• There are cheaper alternatives

Model Advance List price £43,950 36k/3yr resale value £14,325 Price drop £29,265 Retained value 32.9%

It might not be as fun to drive as the best small electric SUVs, but there's no denying that with 201bhp on offer, there's a healthy amount of power flowing through the front wheels of the Honda e:Ny1. Indeed, its 0-60mph sprint time of 7.7sec is comparable with similarly specced versions of the rival Kia EV3 and Smart #1.

Despite being quite pokey, though, you'll want to stick to Honda's Eco driving mode as much as possible. Doing so will let you make the most out of the 61.1kWh (usable capacity) battery, which offers an official range of 256 miles – expect to see around 190 miles from a charge in real-world conditions.

Inside, the e:Ny1 offers a comfortable driving position and decent rear visibility, and most of its interior fixtures and fittings feel built to last. There's lots of rear leg room for your passengers, too, even if taller folk may find their heads touching the roof lining.

Strengths

• Great body control
• Nippy performance
• Lots of rear leg room

Weaknesses

• Slow charging speed
• Rivals are more fun to drive
• Interior has lots of scratchy plastics

Model Allure List price £30,050 36k/3yr resale value £9775 Price drop £20,275 Retained value 32.5%

It's a shame that you'll pay more for a Peugeot e-208 than you would than for rivals including the BYD Dolphin and MG4, because the Peugeot will also be worth less than both of those rivals at the end of a typical three-year ownership period. And this mid-tier Allure trim level suffers from the worst depreciation, even though it comes with a good haul of tech, including a digital driver's display, front parking sensors and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

This version of the e-208 comes with the smaller of two battery options. The 46.3kWh (usable capacity) battery offers an official range of 224 miles between charges, which is more than you'd get from any version of the Fiat 500e. The 134bhp motor, meanwhile, allows the e-208 to reach motorway speeds in around eight seconds.

Despite being a relatively small car, the Peugeot e-208 is deceptively spacious. Indeed, so long as you avoid the optional panoramic sunroof – which lowers the roof height for rear passengers – there's a fair amount of space on the Peugeot's rear bench. And you can fit more into its boot than you can in the Fiat 500e, although the Dolphin and MG4 can carry more still.

Strengths

• Smart interior
• Decent to drive
• Well equipped

Weaknesses

• Expensive
• Cramped in the back
• Driving position won’t suit everyone

Model 1.6 PHEV 225 Etoile Nappa EAT8 List price £46,590 36k/3yr resale value £15,100 Price drop £31,490 Retained value 32.4%

Like the DS 3 E-Tense which tops this list, the DS 4 is something of a left-field choice. To put one on your driveway, you first have to eschew more conventional small SUV rivals including the Ford Puma and Volkswagen T-Roc – cars which are, in most respects, better all-rounders.

Still, if you are set on a DS 4 then there are things to like. This plug-in hybrid model is the fastest in the line-up, needing just 7.7sec to reach 62mph. And with an official 38 miles of all-electric range, your weekday commute could conceivably be covered without the need to use any petrol.

Make no mistake, though, the DS 4 isn't a car which enjoys being hustled along a country road. Its ride falls short of the best small SUVs, and its steering feels rubbery and uncommunicative.

There's a decent amount of space up front in the DS 4, but the rear seats aren't as generous. And while the boot has enough space for a couple of holiday suitcases, most rivals can carry more.

Strengths

• Classy interior
• Supple ride
• Fairly refined

Weaknesses

• Rather cramped in the back
• Jerky gearbox
• Rivals offer sharper handling

Model Pure List price £24,995 36k/3yr resale value £8075 Price drop £16,920 Retained value 32.3%

This small electric car, previously known as the Funky Cat, has a fair amount going for it on paper. The official range of 193 miles, for example, should be enough for most people, and the 0-60mph sprint time of 8.4sec is peppy enough for most situations.

The reality, however, is a little disappointing. In our real-world range tests, the Ora 03 managed just 130 miles before needing to recharge – far less than most rivals. And managing the power from the 03's motor is difficult – pressing down on the accelerator can all too easily result in you spinning the front wheels. This is not a particularly rewarding car to drive.

Inside, you've got plenty of opportunities to make your 03 your own, with a huge choice of colours available. Sadly, most of the materials used inside the car aren't up to the standards of most rivals – the Mazda MX-30, for example, is in a different league entirely. And while there's a decent amount of space up front for the driver and front passenger, rear head room can be tight. Plus, the 03 can't carry as much in its boot as the rival MG4 or Renault Megane E-Tech.

Strengths

• Great level of safety
• Good rear seat space
• Long warranty

Weaknesses

• Tiny boot
• Poor infotainment system
• Many rivals ride and handle better

Model Plus M List price £31,240 36k/3yr resale value £9900 Price drop £21,340 Retained value 31.7%

If you don't fancy an SUV but still want a large and airy car, a traditional MPV or people carrier can still make a lot of sense – and the e-Berlingo is certainly a spacious choice. This M version will only let you seat five, but you can opt for a larger version with seating for seven. The good news is that everyone will have plenty of space to stretch out, and enough room in the boot to store just about anything you might want to take with you.

No matter which version of the e-Berlingo you go for, you'll get a 134bhp electric motor driving the front wheels. And while the 0-62mph sprint time of 11.5 seconds isn't especially fast, it feels peppy enough around town. The 52kWh (total capacity) battery, meanwhile, offers an official range of 213 miles – which shortens to 208 miles in the seven-seat L model.

You'll pay less for the e-Berlingo than you would for its badge-engineered siblings, the Peugeot e-Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life Electric, but out of all three it's the Citroën which loses its value the fastest. At least the Plus version chosen here comes with a decent haul of kit, including air conditioning, cruise control and a 10.0in infotainment touchscreen.

Strengths

• Great practicality
• Competitive pricing
• Lots of standard safety kit

Weaknesses

• Upper trim gets more flexible seating
• Could do with more range
• Brake pedal feel is inconsistent around town

Model 42kWh List price £28,035 36k/3yr resale value £8750 Price drop £19,285 Retained value 31.2%

There are both hybrid and fully electric versions of the Fiat 500 available, but it's the fully electric model which drops its value the fastest.

This model comes with the larger of the two battery options available, at 42kWh. That's enough for an official range of up to 199 miles depending on the trim you chose, which should be enough for most commutes. Going for the bigger battery also gets you a more powerful motor with 117bhp, which is enough to get the tiny Fiat up to motorway speeds in 8.0sec.

If you've seen any of the countless Fiat 500s on the road in recent years, then you'll already know that it's a small car. Still, if you view it as an occasional four-seater, then it's perfectly fit for purpose. Indeed, we think a couple of adults will be perfectly comfortable on the rear bench, provided the journey you're taking them on isn't too long. There isn't much hope for luggage, though, with space for just two carry-on suitcases.

Strengths

• Decent range between charges
• Fun to drive around town
• Stacks up well financially

Weaknesses

• Tiny rear seats
• Noisy on the motorway
• Rivals have longer electric ranges

Model 50kWh Design List price £32,430 36k/3yr resale value £9900 Price drop £22,530 Retained value 30.5%

The Mokka Electric isn’t among the cheapest electric SUVs to buy to begin with, and after three years it’ll have shed more of its original price than most rivals. Plus, while your head might be turned by its looks, its performance is rather less striking, lacking the kind of instant shove you get in the rival Kia EV3 and Smart #1. Those models can take you farther on a charge, too.

When hustled along, the Mokka Electric leans more through bends than the best electric SUVs. However, it also deals with lumps and bumps in the road better than some rivals and is less bouncy than the DS 3 E-Tense.

Rear passengers might feel a bit hard done by in the Mokka Electric, because its tall window line and tapered roofline can make the rear seats feel hemmed in. Plus, while head room is decent, leg room is tight, meaning six-footers won't want to be on the rear seats for long. The Mokka Electric’s boot is small, too, taking just four carry-on suitcases in our test.

Entry-level Design trim has most of your equipment needs covered, with 17in alloy wheels, climate control and rain-sensing wipers coming as standard.

Strengths

• Pretty comfortable
• Decent electric range
• Plenty of standard kit

Weaknesses

• Depreciates quickly
• Cheap-feeling interior
• Not that quick by electric car standards

Model 50kWh Design List price £29,725 36k/3yr resale value £8100 Price drop £21,625 Retained value 27.2%

The Design trim level brings the Corsa Electric’s price tag down, but being cheaper to buy doesn’t protect this electric hatchback from the spectre of depreciation.

Design trim is available only with the smaller of the two batteries the Corsa Electric offers; that means an official range of 222 miles, which is competitive against the entry-level MG4 but behind plenty of rivals.

Acceleration from the 134bhp electric motor is decent, though, and the Corsa Electric has plenty of punch for overtaking. However, it doesn’t feel especially sporty to drive, with vague steering and a fair bit of body lean through the corners. The closely related Peugeot e-208 is more fun to thread along a country road.

The Corsa’s interior is nice enough, and we’re happy to see most functions controlled using physical buttons and dials, but the thick windscreen pillars and tapering roofline can make it hard to see out of. Luckily, rear parking sensors come as standard, but you’ll need to step up to GS trim to get a rear-view camera thrown in.

Strengths

• Relatively well priced
• Respectable charging speeds
• Plenty of standard kit

Weaknesses

• Disappointing Euro NCAP safety rating
• Rivals are nicer to drive
• Reliability could be better

Model Pallas List price £39,210 36k/3yr resale value £9675 Price drop £29,535 Retained value 24.7%

There's no getting away from the fact that the DS 3 E-Tense is a niché choice, but it's one which counts the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia EV3 among its rivals.

Performance from the car’s 154bhp electric motor will be plenty quick enough for most drivers, and it’s impressively quiet. Ride quality is generally good, too, but the steering isn’t as precise as that of the rival EV3, and there’s quite a lot of body lean in corners.

When it comes to range, the E-Tense’s 50.8kWh (usable capacity) battery offers an official 248 miles, and that means plenty of rivals can take you farther between charges.

The DS 3 is big on visual appeal inside, but its touch-sensitive ‘buttons’ can be hit-and-miss to use, and some controls – including for the air-con – are buried in infotainment menus. The EV3 is easier to get along with, plus it’s much more spacious in the back.

You'll pay more to put a DS 3 E-Tense on your driveway than you would for most of its rivals, so it's even more of a shame that it loses more value too – indeed, it tops our list as the fastest-depreciating car for less than £50,000.

Strengths

• Plush and classy interior
• Quiet cruising manners
• Plenty of standard kit

Weaknesses

• Expensive to buy new
• Sub-par electric range
• Cramped rear seats