Behind the Numbers

To compile our list, we used cost-of-ownership data from Vincentric, which is based in Bingham Farms, Mich. We first selected the 114 vehicles that received overall value ratings of "excellent." We then ranked them based on the manufacturer suggested retail price and how overall ownership costs over five years are affected by depreciation, taxes and fees, fuel costs, insurance, interest, maintenance, opportunity costs and repairs. We chose the top 10 vehicles from that "excellent" group with the lowest cost of ownership to be on our Most Value-Packed Cars list.

The data assumes an annual rate of 15,000 miles driven per vehicle and fuel outlays of $2.899 for regular, $3.189 for premium and $3.186 for diesel fuel. Fuel prices are a weighted average of national fuel prices from the previous five months that is skewed toward the more recent months. All costs are plotted as projections based on forecasts by Vincentric analysts, and gas prices include a 3.5% inflation rate.

Depreciation is the biggest factor in determining how much a vehicle will cost the owner. Most new cars lose anywhere between 10% and 20% of their sticker price the moment they leave the lot--luxury cars tend to depreciate more than others, thanks to price premiums based on brand image, interior trim and newfangled technology rendered obsolete by the model's next generation.

One of the reasons the Toyota Prius made our list is because of its outstanding depreciation ratio. Alt-fuel vehicles in particular do well with on resale lots.

"Diesels and hybrids have excellent resale values," says Jake Fisher, the senior automotive engineer at Consumer Reports. "If you want to go out and buy a 60,000-mile Prius, you'll pay top dollar for it."