Best resale value under R200 000
Entry-level cars under R200 000 ranked by how much of your money is still in them after three years. Updated for 2026.
- New from
- R 197 900
- Retained after 3 years
- 75%
- Worth then
- R 148 750
- ±Monthly
- R 3 459/m
#1 vs #9: the same money, very different outcomes
| # | Car | New from | Kept after 3y | Worth then |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suzuki Super Carry | R 197 900 | 75% | R 148 750 |
| 2 | Suzuki S-Presso | R 178 900 | 65% | R 116 205 |
| 3 | Suzuki Celerio | R 188 900 | 65% | R 122 701 |
| 4 | Toyota Vitz | R 182 400 | 65% | R 118 479 |
| 5 | DFSK K01S | R 189 900 | 61% | R 115 449 |
| 6 | Bajaj Qute | R 94 800 | 59% | R 56 225 |
| 7 | Renault Kwid | R 178 799 | 59% | R 106 044 |
| 8 | Tata Tiago | R 184 900 | 59% | R 109 662 |
| 9 | Proton Saga | R 199 900 | 56% | R 112 355 |
Modelled retention on current new prices, retail basis. Tap any car for its full value page.
How to read this table
Retention percentages compress a lot of money into a small number. The gap between the top and bottom of this list is 19 points, which on these prices means a difference of tens of thousands of rand walking out of your pocket by year 3. Depreciation is the single biggest cost of car ownership in South Africa, bigger than fuel for most drivers, and it is decided the day you choose the model.
A strong retainer effectively lends you a nicer car for less: you pay more per month than a cheap fast-depreciator, but you get far more back at trade-in. Check the value page of any car here before you sign, and run your own deal through the value calculator.
Common questions
Which car in this list holds its value best?
Suzuki Super Carry: it keeps 75% of its R 197 900 price after 3 years, about R 148 750 still in your pocket.
How is this ranking calculated?
We apply our 12-tier South African depreciation model to each car's current new price, adjusted for body type, fuel and price band, then rank by projected value retention after 3 years. It is modelled from market data, not a survey.
How big is the gap between the best and worst here?
19 percentage points across this table. On a R500 000 car that is a difference of about R 94 792 at resale time, which is why the model you pick matters more than the rate you negotiate.