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These are the cars with the best and worst depreciation after 5 years

The average new vehicle sold in America loses nearly half of its initial value after five years of ownership. No surprise there; we all expect that shiny new car to start depreciating as soon as we drive it off the lot. But some vehicles lose value a lot faster than others. According to data provided by iSeeCars.com, trucks and truck-based sport utility vehicles generally hold their value better than other vehicle types, with the Jeep Wrangler — in both four-door Unlimited and standard two-door styles — and Toyota Tacoma sitting at the head of the pack. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited's average five-year depreciation of 30.9% equals a loss in value of $12,168. That makes Jeep's four-door off-roader the best overall pick for buyers looking to minimize depreciation. The Toyota Tacoma's 32.4% loss in initial value means it loses just $10,496. The smaller dollar amount — the least amount of money lost after five years — indicates that Tacoma buyers pay less than Wrangler Unlimited buyers, on average, when they initially buy the vehicle. The standard two-door Jeep Wrangler is third on the list, depreciating 32.8% after five years and losing $10,824. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the least depreciation over five years. On the other side of the depreciation coin, luxury sedans tend to plummet in value at a much faster rate than other vehicle types. The BMW 7 Series leads the losers with a 72.6% drop in value after five years, which equals an alarming $73,686. BMW's slightly smaller 5 Series is next, depreciating 70.1%, or $47,038, over the same period. Number three on the biggest losers list is the Nissan Leaf, the only electric vehicle to appear in the bottom 10. The electric hatchback matches the 5 Series with a 70.1% drop in value, but since it's a much cheaper vehicle, that percentage equals a much smaller $23,470 loss. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the most depreciation over five years.

Lexus ES 350 vs. Lincoln MKZ

Despite a lineup of well-received crossovers on the Lexus showroom, the midsize Lexus ES 350 four-door continues to appeal to consumers. Many of those customers are older, so you won't see marketing budgets directed toward them; no one, other than the pharmaceutical companies, is spending money marketing to baby boomers. But a midsize, moderately expressive sedan with an easy buying experience and almost coddled ownership still has its fans, and the Lexus ES 350 delivers those attributes in spades. We'd like to say Lincoln's MKZ (pictured above) is hot on the Lexus' heels, but Lincoln's lineup remains a work in progress. The Fusion-based MKZ offers a nice mix of attributes, but Lincoln's dealer count has shrunk, and many Lincoln outlets are located within – or immediately adjacent to – Ford stores. If a Fusion-based Lincoln credibly aspires to Lexus-like attributes, the same won't be said for the Ford showrooms. Here are the offerings: The Lexus ES 350 team has, over the sedan's several variations, worked hard to separate the volume Lexus from Toyota's similar Camry, and in 2017 that separation might actually be quantifiable. To its credit, the ES 350 (pictured at left) comes with but one non-hybrid drivetrain, a 3.5 liter V6 connected to a six-speed automatic driving the front wheels. With it, the ES 350 delivers a motoring experience bordering on the sublime. With the exception of its now-predictable big mouth grille, the balance of the ES sheetmetal is responsibly muted, inoffensive to the eye and should wear well through the typical payment cycle. Access to its moderately upscale interior is easy, and once inside you'll find expansive room (some 100 cubic feet) for four, along with adequate space for the occasional fifth. With a curb weight of just 3,600 pounds, the V6's 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque is responsive, and that's evident in the four-door's 7-second sprint to 60. This isn't a track day or autocross weapon, but if part of your day is a stressful commute, this will make it less so. With a base – albeit well appointed – spec, the ES 350 retails for just under $40,000. We would order ours in Atomic Silver, even if "atomic" seems so last-century. If you can forget – for a minute – the Matthew McConaughey connection, know that Lincoln's MKZ is fully credible as a midsize, mid-fashion sedan. If you like your Fords with more expressive interiors and additional driving refinement, there's a lot to like in Lincoln's MKZ.

Want a new 2022 Lincoln Navigator? You'll have to custom order it

Lincoln showed the refreshed 2022 Navigator in August of last year, but the luxury SUV only entered production on January 18 of this year. After just three months of rolling down the line at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant, Lincoln has closed the doors on pumping out inventory units. Ford Authority noticed the Navigator page at Lincoln's consumer web site now reads, "The 2022 Lincoln Navigator is only available for custom order. Some models, trims, and features may not be available. Please contact your local Lincoln Retailer for updates and assistance." It's a small bit of sub-optimal news for shoppers who want to hit the dealer lot and shop for an SUV like choosing a pet at a shelter. It hasn't been such a bad thing for Lincoln, though. Ford has made it intentions clear about the future of dealer inventory and custom orders, emphasizing that it wants less of the former and more of the latter. With the Navigator, that part of the plan appears to be working out, FA reporting that retail orders in February were up 291% over February 2021. Threads on the Blue Oval Forums show buyers willing to wait for their orders as well, one buyer who placed an order on January 20 still holding out for a VIN and tentative production date at the time of writing. It doesn't appear the move to custom orders is the result of overwhelming demand, however. Rather, it seems that Ford just can't make enough Navigators to satisfy what demand there is. Production issues at the Kentucky Truck Plant that also builds the Ford Expedition and Super Duty pickup have crimped output for all three models. Expedition and Navigator sales in the U.S. are both down more than 56% through the first three months of this year. Navigators that do make it out the plant doors are leaving without Active Park Assist 2.0, a standard feature on the Lincoln that is constrained on a number of Ford vehicles as well thanks to you know what. Ford is at least able to do the next best thing, which is installing an Active Park Assist 2.0 Prep Kit that screws in the sensors and hardware. When chips are available, which the automaker believes could be 12 to 18 months, an owner can stop by a dealer to have that chip installed free of charge. It's a nicer solution than a Semiconductor Shortage Package for everyone involved. Order books for the 2023 Lincoln Navigator are expected to open in two months, with production slated to start in September. Maybe things will be better then. Or not.