How much does an accident lower a car's price? About 1% to 3.6%, and it depends on the car.
We measured how buyers price a reported accident on 28 popular models. Sedans lose nearly three times what full-size pickups do. The numbers are smaller than most online calculators claim, but on most newer cars they are still real money.
3.3%average discount for sedans with a reported accident
1.2%average discount for full-size pickups
28models, 1,200 to 2,700 listings each
The discount, model by model
Average asking-price discount for a listing that shows a reported accident, compared with the same model, year, trim and mileage with a clean history.
SedansFull-size pickupsOther models
What it means in dollars
On a $30,000 car, the average discount is about $990 for a sedan and about $360 for a full-size pickup. A typical collision repair usually lands toward the top of each model's range (the second column below), so the loss on a repaired car is often higher than the average.
In most states, an owner who was not at fault can claim that lost value from the at-fault driver's insurer. Few people do, because few people know it exists.
Full table
Model
Type
Average discount
Typical range top
Nissan Altima
Sedan
3.59%
4.65%
Honda Civic
Sedan
3.48%
4.61%
Honda Odyssey
Minivan
3.39%
4.27%
Honda Accord
Sedan
3.22%
3.98%
Toyota Camry
Sedan
2.97%
3.61%
Tesla Model 3
Electric
2.92%
3.97%
Audi Q5
Luxury SUV
2.88%
3.69%
Subaru Outback
SUV / crossover
2.49%
3.42%
Toyota Sienna
Minivan
2.42%
3.59%
Lexus ES
Luxury sedan
2.34%
3.58%
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Electric
2.28%
3.26%
Ford Ranger
Midsize pickup
2.25%
3.45%
Hyundai Tucson
SUV / crossover
2.21%
2.98%
Toyota Tacoma
Midsize pickup
2.09%
2.72%
Jeep Grand Cherokee
SUV / crossover
1.83%
2.60%
Ford F-250
Heavy-duty pickup
1.79%
2.93%
Honda CR-V
SUV / crossover
1.72%
2.32%
BMW X3
Luxury SUV
1.67%
2.62%
Ford F-150
Full-size pickup
1.60%
2.62%
Ford Explorer
SUV / crossover
1.59%
2.44%
Toyota RAV4
SUV / crossover
1.45%
2.04%
Toyota Highlander
SUV / crossover
1.44%
2.00%
Jeep Wrangler
Off-road
1.19%
1.92%
Chevrolet Tahoe
Full-size SUV
1.06%
1.70%
Toyota Tundra
Full-size pickup
1.02%
1.60%
GMC Sierra 1500
Full-size pickup
1.01%
1.69%
Ram 1500
Full-size pickup
0.98%
1.78%
Ram 2500
Heavy-duty pickup
-0.25%
0.58%
"Typical range top" is the upper end of the 95% range for the model's discount. A normal collision repair on a newer car usually falls near it.
Why it's smaller than calculators say
Many online diminished value calculators apply a flat 10% to 40% of the car's value. Insurers often use a formula of their own, known as 17c, that caps the loss at 10% and then cuts it down by damage and mileage. Neither looks at what buyers actually pay. This study does: it compares thousands of real listings of the same model with and without an accident on the record.
How we measured it
Data: national AutoTrader listings of 2022 and 2023 model-year vehicles, pulled October 29, 2026; 1,200 to 2,700 listings per model.
Method: a regression on log asking price with mileage, mileage squared, model year and trim, engine, cab and drive type, plus a flag for listings that show a reported accident. The flag's coefficient is the discount.
Average discount is that coefficient. Typical range top is the upper limit of its 95% range.
We re-measure every quarter and use the same method in every appraisal we write.
Limits
These are asking prices, not final sale prices.
"Reported accident" mixes minor and severe damage. Frame or structural repairs usually cost more than the average.
Ram 2500 showed no measurable discount in this sample. One model (Chevrolet Equinox) could not be measured and is left out.
Older and high-mileage cars were not part of this sample.
Using this data
Reporters and researchers are welcome to use the figures with credit to "Value Reclaimed market study, October 2026" and a link to this page. For the full method, a model not listed here, or an interview, write to hello@valuereclaimed.com.
Hit by another driver?
See what your car lost, based on this market data, in about 2 minutes. Free estimate first, then decide.