The Cheapest New BMW of 2023 Has Surprisingly Great Resale Value
BMW isn’t typically known for value. The German luxury brand’s cars have a reputation for high MSRPs and high ownership costs. However, there are exceptions. The cheapest BMW boasts a lower purchase price, better ownership experience, and higher resale value than you might expect.
What is the cheapest new BMW of 2023?
The BMW model with the lowest starting price is the 2 Series. Specifically, it’s the BMW 228i Gran Coupe with front-wheel drive. This four-door compact sedan with a coupe-like body boasts BMW aesthetics and driving dynamics. And it starts at just $38,440. The two-door coupe version of the 2 Series starts at $38,800 for the rear-wheel-drive-equipped 230i.
Although luxury sedans and coupes don’t normally hold their value exceptionally well, the BMW 2 Series is an exception. J.D. Power awarded the 2023 2 Series a “great” 81 out of 100 in resale value. That’s a higher score than other BMW cars, including the 3 Series (79), 4 Series (79), 5 Series (71), and 7 Series (66). So, the larger the Bimmer and the higher the MSRP, the worse the resale value rating.
BMW SUVs don’t fare much better in depreciation. The highest-scoring BMW SUV in resale value per J.D. Power ratings is the X4, with an “average” 80/100. The other crossovers rate in the 70s.
BMW 2 Series Coupe vs. 2 Series Gran Coupe: What’s the difference?
J.D. Power doesn’t specify individual resale values for the two-door BMW 2 Series Coupe and the four-door Gran Coupe. However, the car research site iSeeCars does.
According to iSeeCars, the two-door has much better resale value than the four-door. It shows that the BMW 2 Series Coupe holds 57.4% of its value after five years, and the four-door Gran Coupe holds only 50.1% of its value in the same period.
The only compact luxury cars with better resale value than the BMW 2 Series Coupe are the Lexus RC, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz CLA, and BMW M3, the high-performance variant of the 3 Series.
Why does resale value matter?
Resale value is important for new car shoppers planning to sell or trade in their cars every few years. If you buy a car with the intention of owning it for more than five years, depreciation and resale value don’t matter as much. However, if you trade in every three years or so, a car with great resale value can save you a considerable amount of money.
For example, if you get a BMW 2 Series Coupe that holds 57.4% of its value after five years instead of an Audi A4 that holds only 47.5%, the 2 Series will get you more money when you sell or better trade-in value at the dealer.
iSeeCars says the average price of a 5-year-old Audi A4 is $25,427, but the average for a 2 Series Coupe after five years is $29,137. So, you pay less for the 2 Series when you buy it new, and you get more money for it when you sell it as a used car. That’s a win-win for the owner.
