What Is My Car Worth?
Get a free estimate right away. For this, you need no account, email address or ZIP code.
Typical values at a glance
- A 1-year-old car
- $23,700–$26,700 for private party sales, with $30,000 as the new price
- A 3-year-old car
- $17,200–$19,400 for private party sales, with $30,000 as the new price
- A 5-year-old SUV
- $15,200–$17,200 for private party sales, with $38,000 as the new price
- A 5-year-old truck
- $21,500–$24,300 for private party sales, with $45,000 as the new price
All-car average. The remaining value is 84% at 1 year, 61% at 3 years, 45% at 5 years and 27% at 10 years
This model works out the figures for a Good condition car averaging 12,000 miles a year. It relies on the default new price, Kelley Blue Book, iSeeCars 2026 and the BLS used-car index for September 2026.
How to use this car value estimator
- Type your VIN, or pick the vehicle's year and type.
- Add the mileage first. Next, choose the condition that accurately fits your car.
- Review each of the three ranges. For a more precise estimate, add your car's make, model name and original price.
Your car has a 17-character code of its own, called the VIN (vehicle identification number). You may leave it out, since the year and vehicle type are enough on their own.
How the estimate is worked out
The starting point is what the car cost back when it was new. Age, extra miles and wear all lower a car's value. We call this loss of value over time depreciation and subtract it in stages.
We get our yearly figures from two sources.
- Car prices come from Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the well-known guide.
- Research by iSeeCars, a car shopping website, covered 950,000 cars that were five years old. Trucks hold onto their price best, and hybrids do the same. An electric motor and a gas engine work together in a hybrid. Electric cars lose more value than any other kind of vehicle.
It helps with planning and doesn't serve as an offer to buy your vehicle.
Show the math
The starting value comes from your car's original price, then age, mileage and wear reduce it.
- We use Kelley Blue Book's published depreciation averages to set the starting point for our calculation. After one year, about 84% of the car's price remains. After two years, 72% of the value remains, followed by 61% after three and 52% after four years. After five years, 45% of the car's price remains. From year five on, the car loses roughly 10% annually.
- The vehicle type factor comes from iSeeCars' 2026 analysis, a study of 950,000 five-year-old cars. Trucks lost 34.2%, while hybrids lost 35.4%. The average loss for a car was 41.8%. For SUVs 44.9% was lost, compared with 57.2% for electric cars.
- We measure mileage against 12,000 miles a year, and the car's condition also affects the estimate. Our assumption accounts for 3% of value for every 10,000 miles.
- For a model we know, we apply the published five-year rate.
- Market conditions today affect the result, as the index of used-car prices from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows.
Estimated value = price when new × age factor × vehicle-type factor × model factor × mileage factor × condition factor
- A dealer has to get the car ready and sell it, so Trade-in comes in 15% under the private party figure.
- The Dealer retail figure runs 18% above the private party figure.
- Every range runs from roughly 6% under the midpoint to roughly 6% over it.
- We round every amount to the nearest $100.
These amounts are only estimates. They aren't offers, and they aren't a book value.
| Age | Lost that year | Value left |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 16% | 84% |
| 2 years | 12% | 72% |
| 3 years | 11% | 61% |
| 4 years | 9% | 52% |
| 5 years | 7% | 45% |
| Vehicle type | Lost in 5 years |
|---|---|
| Car (all-vehicle average) | 41.8% |
| SUV | 44.9% |
| Truck | 34.2% |
| Hybrid | 35.4% |
| Electric | 57.2% |
The four condition ratings explained
Kelley Blue Book rates cars as Excellent, Very Good, Good or Fair. Only about 3% reach the "Excellent" level. Most cars receive a "Good" rating. Four ratings are used here: Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor.
- Excellent: this car appears new and doesn't need any work of any kind. Its matching tires appear new, the car has never had paint or body repairs, its title is clean and all service jobs are recorded.
- Good: this group covers the Very Good and Good ratings from KBB. You may see small marks or scratches, but there are no major problems with the engine or any other moving parts. Its tires still have at least half their grooves, and the title is clean.
- Fair: the engine or other moving parts need work, and marks and dents need repairs. The tires may need replacing. It still runs, and the title is clean.
- Poor: significant problems, may not pass inspection.
Each KBB rating ranks higher than the Poor level we added. If the car has serious trouble with its engine or body, it may not pass a state safety inspection that checks for safe driving.
KBB offers this general guide: salvage or rebuilt titles lower value by an extra 20 to 40%.
A car's title is the document that identifies its owner.
- No insurance company has called a clean-title car a total loss. A car with damage that isn't worth repairing is known as a total loss.
- An insurer declared the vehicle a total loss, which means it now has a salvage title.
- A rebuilt title shows that repairs were made to the salvaged car and that it later passed an inspection.
Trade-in value vs private party value vs dealer retail
- A dealer pays you your car's trade-in value. That amount usually comes off what you pay for your next vehicle at that dealer, so it is the lowest of the three figures.
- When you sell the car yourself with no repairs and no promises, its Private party value shows what a buyer would pay for it as it is now.
- Dealer retail value is the asking price a dealer sets for the car. Pre-sale repair and cleaning costs, warranty expenses and the dealer's profit are all covered, which makes this the highest figure. Under a warranty, the dealer promises to fix problems for a fixed period.
The how we value cars guide covers each step, with the complete car model table and two examples based on real numbers.
More ways to check your car's value
- Trade-in tool: displays a probable dealer offer and how that amount compares with a private sale
- Car value by VIN: type the VIN, and the tool fills in the car for you
- Car depreciation calculator: shows your car's value today and its value for each of the next five years
- Truck values: lists truck prices plus the value drop over five years across 12 pickups
- What's my Tesla worth?: includes Model 3, Y, S and X values, along with the battery question
Common questions people ask
How do you figure out a car's value?
The price of a car when it was new sets the starting point. Each year that passes lowers its value. Based on Kelley Blue Book's averages, one year leaves a car with about 84% of its price, and five years leaves about 45%.
Next, we adjust that result based on vehicle type, mileage and condition. Drivers travel about 12,000 miles each year on average. Dealers usually offer less than private buyers, then charge more when they sell the car.
How much value does a car lose every year?
Its price falls by about 16% on average during the first year. Five years later, Kelley Blue Book says the car keeps about 45% of its original cost.
In 2026, iSeeCars research found the largest five-year losses among electric cars and the smallest among trucks and hybrids.
What is the difference between trade-in value and private party value?
A dealer's offer for your car is its Trade-in value, which most often applies when you buy your next car there. The dealer pays to prepare and resell the vehicle, so this amount is lower.
If you handle the sale yourself, the Private party value shows what another person might pay for the car as it is. A dealer sets the car's asking price, which is the Dealer retail figure.
Does Kelley Blue Book give you its value?
No. Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds and Carfax are all well-known car price guides. Private records of real car sales form the basis of their values. We use published averages to find the rate of value loss, then show every step.
Look through one of those guides before selling, and take this only as a rough estimate.
Why is there no request for my email address or ZIP code?
Your name or number isn't given to dealers. You can get an estimate without those details. We won't guess, since dependable free information isn't available and prices change with location.
How much value does a salvage title take from a car?
The normal value should be reduced by 20% to 40%, according to Kelley Blue Book's general guidance. Kelley Blue Book advises getting a separate expert assessment for a car whose title is salvage or rebuilt.
Where is my VIN located?
Look on the driver's side, at the joint where your dashboard and windshield meet, to find the 17-character VIN. Inside the driver's door frame, look for a sticker with the VIN.
You'll also find it on the registration card your state issues and on your insurance card. The letters I, O or Q never appear in a VIN.
