For many car owners, making sure that their vehicle retains its value is of the utmost importance. Not only will it likely run better, but when it comes time to trade in your car you can get a much better price for it. Regardless of how well vehicles are maintained, some makes and models simply hold their value better than others. Kelley Blue Book's website kbb.com recently revealed its list of cars that are expected to have the best resale value for 2012.

Toyota has earned considerable praise for being among the most reliable cars on the road and its cars also retain their value exceptionally well. Toyota earned the website's Best Brand award because its vehicles keep about 40.5 percent of their original value five years after rolling off the lot, marking the second time in three years that Toyota has come away with the distinction.

According to the website, one of the company's best models is the FJ Cruiser, which gained eight points compared to last year and keeps about 50 percent of its value after five years. The Camry also improved its rating, moving up to 36.8 percent and the Tacoma moved up to 49 percent.

Although Toyota bested all the other brands, it was a different manufacturer that had the best car overall. The Jeep Wrangler came out on top with a 55 percent retention rate, and Jeep as a brand was slightly behind Toyota at 40.4 percent. Scion, Honda and Lexus rounded out the top five.

In addition to buying the right car, part of making sure it has a high resale value is keeping up on maintenance. New Jersey State Auto Auction's Total Car Care Center is open to the public, which makes it easy to ensure your car is running smoothly and can be traded in for a good price when the time comes.