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The Jeep Wrangler Just Took the Toyota Tacoma Down

Don’t call it a comeback. The Jeep Wrangler was never gone. The Jeep Wrangler just took the Toyota Tacoma down as the best vehicle to keep for five years. It’s almost unfair to compare the two, as the Tacoma is a truck, but the Wrangler stole first place anyway.  The Jeep Wrangler has the lowest …

Don’t call it a comeback. The Jeep Wrangler was never gone. The Jeep Wrangler just took the Toyota Tacoma down as the best vehicle to keep for five years. It’s almost unfair to compare the two, as the Tacoma is a truck, but the Wrangler stole first place anyway. 

The Jeep Wrangler has the lowest depreciation rate 

According to a study performed by iSeeCars, the Jeep Wrangler holds its value more than the Toyota Tacoma. This is a bit of a surprise because the Toyota Tacoma is one of the most popular options you can buy. 

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept
Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept. (Jeep).

Plus, you would expect a truck that can do truck things and go off-roading to be more valuable than a Jeep Wrangler. But based on the numbers, the adventurous Jeep Wrangler takes the cake. 

iSeeCars determined the numbers by analyzing over 8.2 million vehicle sales to determine which models had the highest and lowest loss of value after five years. iSeeCars analyst, Karl Brauer, explained that the average new vehicle loses about half its value after five years. 

But there are vehicles that retain more value and depreciate at a slower rate than average. For those who plan to sell their vehicle after 5 years, it’s a smart and economical decision to pick a model with a lower depreciation rate. Brauer emphasized that this is especially true upon considering that depreciation is the single large cost of owning a vehicle. 

The 2018 Toyota Tacoma driving down a dirt road
The off-road capable 2018 Toyota Tacoma | Photo via Toyota

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has an average 5-year depreciation rate of 30%. Then the two-door Jeep Wrangler comes in 2nd place with a depreciation rate of 31.5%. The Toyota Tacoma comes in 3rd place with a 32% depreciation rate, so it’s not far behind. But wow, the Wrangler takes up first and second place. 

Is the 2020 Jeep Wrangler dependable? 

To be honest and totally unbiased, no. The 2020 Jeep Wrangler isn’t very dependable. But that doesn’t stop people from buying new and used models. The low-reliability rating doesn’t affect resale value either, apparently. 

ConsumerReports ranked the 2020 Jeep Wrangler with a predicted reliability rating of 1 out of 5. The predicted reliability rating is based on problems that drivers reported on surveys. The surveys allow vehicle owners to report trouble spots. 

Trouble spots with the Jeep Wrangler include engine problems. However, the 2012 model had the most issues, and the issues improved over time. The 2017 – 2019 Jeep Wrangler models are reported to have fewer problems. Although, the 2014 Jeep Wrangler had engine cooling issues. 

A person testing driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon at an auto show
A person test driving a Jeep Wrangler | Scott Olson/Getty Images

Brake problems plagued the 2012 – 2014 models but improved over time. Also, in-car electronics were troublesome in the 2021 and 2018 Jeep Wrangler models. However, these issues have also improved. 

How dependable is the 2020 Toyota Tacoma? 

ConsumerReports gave the 2020 Toyota Tacoma a predicted reliability rating of 3 out of 5. So that makes it feel like a safer bet. Minor transmission problems plagued the 2016 – 2018 Toyota Tacoma models, but the 2019 Tacoma seems to be a little better. 

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro off-roading in dirt
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro | Toyota

The 2018 Toyota Tacoma also had minor electronic problems and body integrity issues that may have been corrected for the 2019 model. Also, while the Jeep Wrangler problems seem more severe, they were reported on older models and don’t seem to impact resale values.

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