McLEAN, Va. -

In their most recent Perspective report, NADA Used Car Guide analysts detailed the value performance of used 2013 model-year passenger cars and light-duty trucks.

Turns out, the top-performing vehicle isn’t even manufactured by that automaker any longer, but the unit still rose to the top of NADA Used Car Guide’s rankings for the second year in a row.

“There were several 3-year-old models that jumped up the rankings in their respective segments,” said Jonathan Banks, vice president of analysis and vehicle analytics at NADA Used Car Guide.

Banks’ coworker Larry Dixon, director of market intelligence, added, “Some models predictably did better than others, with one mainstream model outperforming luxury models as well.”

That mainstream model Dixon refers to is the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser. For the second consecutive year, Toyota’s discontinued off-roader took the top retention value spot among all makes, models and segments.

David Paris, senior automotive analyst at NADA Used Car Guide, said, “The FJ Cruiser has a cult-like following in the used market. Along with other factors, high enthusiast demand for the 4×4 managed to increase its retention score by 1 percentage point over last year’s report to 92.5 percent.”

The top five highest and lowest ranked 3-year-old vehicles by segment are as follows:

5 highest ranked 2013 model year value retention performers by vehicle segment:

1. Toyota FJ Cruiser: non-luxury SUV/truck — 92.5 percent of value retained

2. Land Rover Range Rover: luxury SUV/truck — 67.8 percent of value retained

3. Subaru XV Crosstrek: non-luxury car — 63.3 percent of value retained

4. Ford Mustang: non-luxury sports car — 60.7 percent of value retained

5. Porsche 911 (997): luxury sports car — 57.9 percent of value retained

5 lowest ranked 2013 model year value retention performers by vehicle segment

1. Smart FORTWO: subcompact car — 24.8 percent of value retained

2. Suzuki Kizashi: midsize car: 26.7 percent of value retained

3. Suzuki SX4: compact car — 29.5 percent of value retained

4. Suzuki Grand Vitara: compact utility — 30.1 percent of value retained

5. Chevrolet Impala: large car — 30.6 percent of value retained

Top non-luxury nameplate

NADA UCG highlighted that Toyota vehicles dominated pickup truck, SUV and van segment value retention in this year’s report. As a result, the brand ranked highest in its respective segments six times.

The brand was also the top non-luxury nameplate in NADA Used Car Guide’s 2015 Used Vehicle Retained Value Report: 3-Year-Old Models with an equal share of highest segment rankings.

Top luxury nameplate

Analysts indicated Land Rover replaced Audi in this year’s value retention standings, according to the Perspective report. The off-road capable brand managed three highest rankings, which include the Range Rover Evoque (luxury subcompact utility), LR4 (luxury midsize utility) and Range Rover (luxury large utility).

How retention values are determined

When asked about the method NADA Used Car Guide analysts used to determine 3-year value retention, Dixon explained, “The retention calculation is a function of a three-month average of NADA Used Car Guide’s most recent average trade-in value, divided by a vehicle’s average typically equipped manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP).

“A vehicle’s rate of depreciation, and ultimately retention, is in part a product of the level of discounting at the time of new. For this reason, MSRPs did not include any incentives or rebates available at the time of purchase,” continued Dixon, who along with Banks and Paris will be part of the stable of experts on hand for Used Car Week, which runs from Nov. 14-18 at the Red Rock Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

To download the complete rankings from the Perspective report, go to this website.