Audi Depreciation Turns Some Luxury Models Into Serious Used Bargains
Luxury vehicles tend to suffer the most from depreciation. They cost a lot when new, and as many are aspirational vehicles, they tend to be traded in whenever a new model comes along. In general, most new vehicles lose between 50 and 60% of their purchase price over five years, and according to Caredge.com, the average Audi is just below this figure with 47.7% across all models.
This puts it slightly above BMW's 49.9% depreciation figure and just under Mercedes' 46.2%. So, it slots in-between its two main rivals, but there is a fair amount of deviation between the best and worst performing Audi models. The sedans and large SUVs tend to fare the worst while some of Audi's sportier models and smaller SUVs have performed better than average.
So, to see just how they stack up, we picked a selection of different models to see how each fared after five years of ownership.
5. Audi Q7
- 5-Year Depreciation: 57%
- 5-Year Resale Value: $28,279
The Q7 experiences the steepest decline on this list, losing more than half of its initial value within five years. This is not uncommon for large luxury three-row SUVs, where high initial MSRPs and the looming specter of high maintenance costs once the warranty wears off often scare off second-hand buyers.
The good news is that while maintenance costs may be higher as vehicles get older, a depreciation figure of 57% makes the Q7 a great used deal as long as you find one with a solid service history.
4. Audi Q5
- 5-Year Depreciation: 54%
- 5-Year Resale Value: $24,657
Audi's most popular SUV does a little better than its bigger brother, but because there are plenty to choose from, it's a buyer's market. It offers a lot of car for the money, though, but bear in mind that its Consumer Reports predicted reliability score of just 40/100 means that it may be more costly to maintain than some of its rivals.
Still, the Q5 isn't popular without reason, and a well-maintained example could be a good buy, especially at these prices.
3. Audi A6
- 5-Year Depreciation: 49%
- 5-Year Resale Value: $31,960
Executive sedans like the A6 have always been some of the highest depreciating vehicles around. Yet this mid-sixed luxury sedan managed to outperform its more popular SUV stablemates, by retaining 51% of its value after five years. Interestingly, the A6 Allroad variant, which is a great al-rounder but not a great sales success, performed even better, retaining roughly 55% of its value.
This is likely to its niche appeal among wagon enthusiasts. For the standard A6 sedan, its strong tech suite and timeless styling help it stay relevant in a market increasingly dominated by SUVs.
2. Audi RS 5 Sportback
- 5-Year Depreciation: 43%
- 5-Year Resale Value: $46,273
The RS 5 proves that performance sells. Despite a high initial MSRP, it has managed to retain 57% of its original value after five years, outperforming most of its more pedestrian siblings. This is common across several high-performance Audis, as low sales volumes and a keen enthusiasts community keep prices higher than you might expect. While the RS5 you see here was discontinued in 2024, its imminent replacement promises to be even more extreme.
The RS7 matches the RS5's depreciation performance, while the RS6 is just 1% behind these two. With many new RS models now costing well over $100,000, there is a strong market for the used models, especially considering that their performance is still up there with some of the latest offerings from rival brands.
1. Audi Q3
- 5-Year Depreciation: 38%
- 5-Year Resale Value: $24,816
Luxury compact SUVs are a popular category, and the Q3 proves just how much people are willing to pay for a premium driving experience at the lower end of the market. Having retained an impressive 62% of its value after five years, it is one of the best performing Audis, in terms of retained values.
Its success comes from its entry-level positioning, which makes it more affordable than Audi's larger SUVs, and it has seen a big increase in sales over the past few years as cash-strapped buyers move away from pricier alternatives. Overall maintenance costs should also be lower due to fewer complex electronics and the lack of troublesome air-suspension systems.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 2:15 PM.