VALUE JUDGEMENT

The temptation to give the full-size sector a swerve and step into the premium executive class isn’t entirely driven by simple snob value. A three-year resale value of 40 percent for the Kia Stinger compares to 57 percent for the Jaguar XE and up to 60 percent for some BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-benz C-class variants. These residuals help drive down typical leasing costs and help explain why these blue-collar badges compete in a steadily diminishing market.