Best Value Large Cars 2015

These are the large cars that should cost you the least to own over three years. This has been calculated by Wheels using fuel economy, maintenance and insurance costs, and the sum you can expect to lose in depreciation. Cars also get points for the length of their warranties. To read about the brains behind the formula, please click here to visit Wheels.

BEST VALUE LARGE CARS UNDER $45K

1. Skoda Superb Ambition 118TSI sedan

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Skoda’s Superb is a car of contrasts, yet it works both on paper and on the road. It’s a big, roomy car yet in 118TSI form it has a mere 1.8-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, when same-sized rivals have 3.6- and 4.0-litre sixes. In practice, the sweet 1.8 has just enough of the low-down torque a family/touring car needs, while delivering 7.2L/100km economy. Its resale is not fantastic (51 percent), but it’s significantly cheaper to buy than each of the cars it beat, so the overall cost of depreciation over three years remains reasonable.

BEST VALUE LARGE CARS UNDER $60K

1. Skoda Superb Elegance 125TDI wagon

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It’s not surprising to see the Superb delivering large-car value in both pricing categories. The Skoda is one of the least expensive and most efficient cars in its class. In this segment it does the job in turbo-diesel form; with 350Nm, the 2.0-litre oiler is never short of everyday thrust, yet drinks much less than six-cylinder petrol rivals. Elsewhere, the three-year warranty is good and 12-month service intervals are great.

3. Ford Falcon G6E Turbo

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BEST VALUE PREMIUM LARGE CARS

Depreciation disasters live in the large luxury segment – there’s big money at stake, but a small pool of second-hand buyers weighs down on resale values. The Jaguar XF’s 47 percent three-year retained value forecast is among the worst, yet the 2.2D Premium Luxury’s reasonable $76,500 price tag limits the wallet damage at purchase and resale times.