Edmunds built something more thoughtful than a typical car site. Its ownership cost breakdown — true cost to own, five-year cost figures, fuel and maintenance projections — is the best generic framework available.
Here's the one thing it deliberately doesn't try to do.
A comparison, not a prediction
Edmunds' True Cost to Own model asks: what will this car cost me over five years?
Depreciation is part of that answer. Edmunds' methodology counts it as one of seven cost categories, calculated for each model.
Edmunds is also clear about what the number is for. In its own words, True Cost to Own is “a comparative tool, not a predictive tool.” It tells you what five years of ownership is expected to cost, as currently calculated, so you can weigh one car against another today.
That's the gap. A comparison tells you which car looks cheaper to own right now. It doesn't forecast where a model's value is heading or when to sell — and those are the questions that decide whether the purchase works out.
Where a forecast changes the decision
Two decisions depend on where value goes next, not on a five-year comparison.
The new-versus-nearly-new decision. A nearly-new car has already taken the biggest hit. Its remaining depreciation is flatter and gentler than anything in the showroom. A forward-looking value curve makes that visible.
The long-term hold decision. If you'll keep something a decade, what it's worth after year five matters too — and a five-year window stops before then.
What Predictye adds
We forecast the value trajectory per model — year by year, out to five years and beyond — so you can see where a car's value is headed, not just what five years of ownership is expected to cost.
Read them together:
| Edmunds answers | What will five years of ownership cost, compared with other cars? |
|---|---|
| Predictye answers | Where is this model's value heading, and when should I sell? |
| Together | Which car to buy, and how long to keep it. |
Used together, they cover both the comparison and the forecast.
When Edmunds is the better tool
Edmunds has better information for ownership cost. It has expert reviews, detailed reliability data, and its cost methodology is transparent. If your question is “what does this car cost me monthly to run,” use Edmunds.
Predictye isn't a review site. We don't tell you whether a car is well built. We tell you what it'll be worth later, which is the question that determines whether buying it was a good decision.
Frequently asked questions
Is Edmunds or Predictye more accurate?
They're answering different questions. Edmunds compares what cars are expected to cost over five years, depreciation included. We forecast where a model's value is heading and when it makes sense to sell.
Does Edmunds include resale value in its numbers?
Yes. Depreciation is one of the seven cost categories in True Cost to Own, calculated for each model. Edmunds describes the tool as “a comparative tool, not a predictive tool,” so it's built for comparing cars today rather than forecasting where a specific model's value goes next.
Should I use Edmunds or KBB?
Edmunds for ownership cost and buying research. KBB's valuation tool for pricing a specific vehicle today.
Is Predictye free?
Yes, no account required.