Getting the most for your money means knowing what your car will be worth when you sell it, not just what it’s worth when you buy it.

Most first-time car buyers don’t keep their cars until the wheels fall off. Instead, they sell it or trade it in when it still has some useful life remaining. That means they should be concerned about resale value.

If you want to keep your overall year-in-year-out transportation costs as low as possible, a vehicle that retains its value well will be your best friend.

According to vehicle valuation experts Kelley Blue Book, over the first five years of new-car ownership, depreciation is a typical car owner’s biggest transportation expense – bigger than the cost of fuel, maintenance or insurance.

Depreciation — in basic terms, the flipside of resale value – can cost thousands of dirhams during the years you own your car. So, simply choosing a vehicle with a better resale value than competitive vehicles will be a big treat for your chequebook.

How do you decide? Kelley Blue Book have been publishing their Official Residual Value Guide since 1981, based on which the firm has established its annual Best Resale Value Awards.

The awards recognise automakers’ achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value over the first five years (60 months) of new-vehicle ownership.

Including four models projected to retain more than half their original value after five years on the road, here are this year’s Top 10 Best Resale Value Award winners. The list is dominated by SUVs as usual, but two cars make twice as many as last year.

#1: 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser: The Toyota FJ Cruiser manages to be both more pleasant and more rugged than one might guess, and offers better predicted resale value than any other 2013 model. Resale Value at 36 months: 76%; at 60 months: 63%

#2: 2013 Toyota Tacoma: A 10-time Best Resale Value Award winner, the Toyota Tacoma is both the resale value and sales leader of the competitive mid-size pickup segment. Resale Value at 36 months: 70.3%; at 60 months: 57%

#3: 2013 Jeep Wrangler: Today’s Jeep Wrangler is the most comfortable, most capable model in the long history of the icon, and a resale value standout. Resale Value at 36 months: 67.6%; at 60 months: 55.4%

#4: 2013 Honda CR-V: Fresh off a complete redesign for 2012, the Honda CR-V took the top spot in our most recent compact SUV comparison test. Resale Value at 36 months: 64.7%; at 60 months: 50.7%

#5: 2013 Toyota 4Runner: As car-like crossovers continue to displace truck-based SUVs, the venerable and capable Toyota 4Runner is regaining its specialness. Resale Value at 36 months: 66.7%; at 60 months: 49.0%

#6: 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser: A unique combination of mainstream badge and premium amenities, the Toyota Land Cruiser is the most storied, most luxurious and priciest vehicle in the Toyota line-up. Resale Value at 36 months: 62.0%; at 60 months: 49%

#7: 2013 Porsche Cayenne: Once feared by purists to be a harbinger of bad things for the brand, the Porsche Cayenne is now the best-selling Porsche. Resale Value at 36 months: 67%; at 60 months: 47.3%

#8: 2013 Lexus LX: The Lexus LX is essentially a more richly appointed Toyota Land Cruiser with a fancier badge and a more revered dealer network. Resale Value at 36 months: 65%; at 60 months: 47%

#9: 2013 Honda Civic: In the face of stiffer competition than ever, the Honda Civic remains the well-rounded entry against which all other compact sedans are measured. Resale Value at 36 months: 62.5%; at 60 months: 46.9%

#10: 2013 Scion tC: A small two-door with a surprisingly roomy backseat, the Scion tC is the sporty, affordable coupe preferred by more backseat drivers. Resale Value at 36 months: 60%; at 60 months: 46.5%

While these are cars and their resale values in the US, most of these cars are available in the UAE and their resale values, more or less, mimic the same behaviour here as in the American market. So, the next time you decide to buy a new set of wheels, consider the value it might return after five years.