When you’re shopping for a new vehicle, the resale value may not make the list of things you check. In reality, resale value, also called residual value, can mean money in your pocket when it comes time to trade-in or sell your new car. It can be one of the biggest overall costs of ownership.

Here’s some news to celebrate: The projected resale value of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles after 36 months in service increased by $1,310 per vehicle from 2009 to 2010 models. That’s more than any other full-line automaker. This calculation is based on the straight average of all trim levels of each nameplate from Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) January/February 2010 Residual Value Forecast with volume being weighted against R.L. Polk new vehicle registration data.

Want more news to celebrate? The 2010 Ford F-150 earned the 2010 ALG Residual Value award in the full-size pickup category.

Want more still? How about the 2010 Ford Taurus being given 2010 Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value award in the full-size category? They also gave the Best Resale Value award in the full-size pickup category to the 2010 Ford Super Duty.^® You can click here to read an interview with James Bell, executive market analyst with Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, about these awards.

“We are very pleased that the quality and fuel economy our products are delivering is reflected in our residual values,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service.

Ford already held a residual value advantage over its U.S.-based rivals. Now, with the improvement in the 2010 model year, Ford has narrowed the gap with leading Asian automakers, including Toyota. In fact, some Ford vehicles have now surpassed competing vehicles from Toyota in average residual values. The 2010 Ford Fusion midsize sedan, for example, is expected to be worth $687 more than the 2010 Toyota Camry after 36 months in service. And the residual value of the 2010 Ford Flex full-size crossover commands an $1,800 premium over the Toyota Highlander.

A steady stream of new products has helped boost Ford’s residual values. For example, the redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus’s projected average resale value after 36 months in service is $4,862 more than the 2009 Taurus. The Taurus was redesigned inside and out and features a host of new features and technologies.

“The ultimate measure of the health of an automotive brand is its residuals,” said Waldek Raczkowski, Ford residual business analyst. “We have great new products with good quality, fuel economy and technology. We are pricing our vehicles properly and setting our volumes appropriately to meet market demand. This adds up to a significant increase in residual values.”

In addition, Ford’s improved products and brand image is translating into higher residual values. Compete Inc., a Massachusetts research firm that studies online car shopping, says Ford has surpassed Toyota in customer consideration for the first time since it began tracking such data in 2002. Compete data show Ford surpassed Toyota in customer consideration in September, October and November.

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