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Top 3 Brand-New Trucks With Best Resale Values According to KBB

Buying a brand-new pickup truck could quickly become a financial nightmare if you don't stop and consider your vehicle's future resale value. To help you avoid a massive mistake, Kelley Blue Book put together a list of the 2021 trucks that'll offer the best resale values after a five-year ownership period. Here's what should be on your radar.

Buying a brand-new pickup truck could quickly become a financial nightmare if you don’t stop and consider your vehicle’s future resale value. Let’s face it. While most consumers often finance a new truck with the intent of keeping it long-term, a sizable portion decides to upgrade after just a few years. As a result, picking a truck that’ll hold its value can seriously pay off, even in the short term.

To help with this, Kelley Blue Book compiled a list of the top 3 models with the predicted resale value after a five-year period. Instead of running through dozens of models, we’ll look at the best options within each segment. Spoiler alert, two of the top three are Toyotas.

Best midsize truck: 2021 Toyota Tacoma

2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road with TRD Lift Kit, one of the trucks with the best resale values.
2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road with TRD Lift Kit | Toyota

Starting off this list of trucks with the best resale values is the 2021 Toyota Tacoma. If you’re a fan of midsize trucks, this result won’t surprise you. In fact, the Tacoma is so popular that buyers are willing to pay over MSRP for one given the recent new-vehicle shortage.

Regardless of which trim level you go for and how much you end up paying, the Tacoma is a solid choice long-term. That’s because KBB estimates that this midsize model will retain at least 55.8 percent of its original value after five years. For context, NerdWallet estimates that most cars will lose at least 60 percent or more of their value during the first five years. As a result, the Tacoma is a solid buy.

When looking at the 2021 Toyota Tacoma, it’s not hard to see why it has one of the best resale values around. Unlike most brand-new trucks, the Tacoma doesn’t feature a complex powertrain. Instead, you get a body-on-frame design, robust styling, and a naturally aspirated engine that’ll last forever.

Best full-size truck: 2021 Toyota Tundra

An image of a Toyota Tundra outdoors.
Toyota Tundra | Toyota

Next up in this list of trucks with the best resale values is another contender from Japan with the 2021 Toyota Tundra. While the Tundra hasn’t received any major powertrain updates for over a decade, this is actually a good thing. Like with the Tacoma, the Tundra’s simple-yet-robust powertrain ensures that customers routinely see long-term ownership experiences with minor issues.

As a result of these upsides, it won’t surprise you to learn that the Tundra should retain around 59 percent of its original value after five years. Aside from beating the industry average by a considerable amount, this Toyota has the best resale value of any brand-new truck, says KBB.

As mentioned earlier, this is especially significant because this Japanese truck is beating the best America can put out, despite being 14 years old.

Best heavy-duty truck: 2021 GMC Sierra HD

An image of a 2021 GMC Sierra HD parked outdoors.
2021 GMC Sierra HD | GMC

Rounding up this list of trucks with the best resale values is one of America’s largest and more powerful offerings with the 2021 GMC Sierra HD. With a max towing rating of 36,000 lb, the Sierra HD is equally capable as a daily commuter or a work vehicle. As a result of this robust construction, you might want to buy one and keep it for a considerable amount of time.

If you decide to pull the trigger on one, KBB estimates that it’ll retain around 56.8 percent of its value after five years. If you intend to utilize it as a work vehicle, you can even trade up after a few years while paying a lighter penalty than all of its competitors.

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