The website iSeeCars analyzed more than 18.5 million new cars sold between 2023 and 2024 to find out which vehicles and brands were resold as used in the first year.
The analysis found that the average first-year resale rate for new cars is 3.6%, while the resale rate for the ten most popular models is four to eight times higher.
“Several factors can contribute to a new car selling so quickly,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.
“Owner dissatisfaction is the most obvious cause, but financial difficulties and even poor dealer accounting can also increase this number. Some retailers record demo vehicles as sold to increase sales for their stores and the manufacturer.”
Top 10 resold brands after one year: Luxury brands are again at the top Porsche is the brand with the most resales after one year, 16% of the cars were returned to dealers.
The Macan leads the ranking, but the Cayenne is also among the 20 best-selling models. Jaguar is second with 10.7%, followed by Mercedes-Benz with 9.1%, Land Rover with 8.9% and INFINITI with 6.5%.
| Luxury car brands are most likely to be resold in a year | |||
| position | Mark | % chance of return | Average new price |
| 1 | Porsche | 16.0% | $92,745 |
| 2 | jaguar | 10.7% | $73,025 |
| 3 | Mercedes Benz | 9.1% | $71,746 |
| 4 | Land Rover | 8.9% | $84,756 |
| 5 | INFINITI | 6.5% | $61,192 |
| 6 | BMW | 6.2% | $72,141 |
| 7 | genesis | 6.1% | $63,793 |
| 8 | Audi | 6.0% | $63,495 |
| 9 | MINI | 6.0% | $40,146 |
| 10 | Maserati | 5.7% | $90,878 |
| General average | 3.6% | $46,773 | |
“Beyond these top 10 brands, luxury brands are in the top 12, further evidence that premium vehicles are the most common resale models,” Brauer said.
“Is this a reflection of temperamental buyers who can’t commit, or of dealers using demo cars and creative accounting to increase sales? Probably both.”
Selling a new car soon after purchase can depend on several factors, but one thing is certain:
These cars represent excellent opportunities for buyers looking for a virtually new vehicle at a price significantly less than a new car.
Buyers should also make sure to preserve the remainder of the new car warranty when purchasing one of these lightly used vehicles.
methodology
iSeeCars.com analyzed more than 18.5 million individual sales of new vehicles from the 2022-2025 model years in 2023 and 2024.
Each vehicle’s vehicle identification number (VIN) was used to determine whether it returned to the used car market between four months and one year after the sale date and whether it was subsequently sold.
Used vehicles with less than 4,000 miles, models not manufactured in the 2024 model year, heavy-duty vehicles, ultra-premium vehicles and low-volume models were excluded from the analysis.