Low Depreciation Puts Mazda6 Top

The multi-award winning Mazda6 is worth more at the fleet benchmark replacement period of three-years/60,000 miles than any of its key company car rivals, according to latest residual value data.

Used car experts at CAP Monitor predict that average model-for-model depreciation across the Mazda6 range will be about £13,000 - significantly less than upper medium sector rivals such as the Toyota Avensis, Volkswagen Passat, Renault Laguna, Honda Accord, Vauxhall Insignia and Ford Mondeo.

The higher levels of average depreciation across line-ups on models such as the Avensis and Passat (more than £14,000), Laguna (£16,000), Accord and Insignia (£17,000) and Mondeo (£18,000) is due to the well positioned list price, coupled with class leading residual values.

Mazda Fleet and Remarketing Director Peter Allibon said: "Pound for pound the Mazda6 delivers significantly better value for fleet decision-makers than rival models.

"Throughout the past year Mazda has kept vehicle prices relatively stable across its product range in order to provide some consistency to our retail and fleet customers.

"This has resulted in improvements in the fleet favourite Mazda6 wholelife cost ranking within its segment, something that is critical to cost conscious fleets in today’s economic environment."

In terms of actual percentage of retained value over three-year/60,000-miles, the Mazda6 is fighting for top spot versus the Accord and Avensis with the Passat in fourth spot in the league table. The Mazda6 is comfortably ahead of the likes of the Insignia, Laguna and Mondeo.

For example, the best-selling Mazda6 2.2d TS2 163ps with a list price of £19,760 will retain 35 percent of its value over the benchmark period to be worth £6,850, depreciating by only £12,900. Meanwhile, the 2.2d TS 125ps model with a list price of £17,930 will also retain 35 percent of its value to be worth £6,175, depreciating by only £11,705.

Jeff Knight, Forecast Manager at CAP, said: "Mazda is reaping the benefits of producing stylish and well specified vehicles that are marketed with an eye on the list price thus giving an advantage in depreciation as well as company car drivers’ taxable benefit."

Mazda6 is offered with a choice of four powertrains and five equipment levels, in a range of eleven colours. Each of the equipment levels - S, TS, TS2, Sport and Sports Luxury are highly specified within its price band.

Specification upgrades on the Mazda6 in 2009 included a new standard equipment feature on 15 models from the £18,840 TS2 - Mazda’s innovative safety-boosting lane‑change ‘Rear Vehicle Monitoring System’.

(PR/GK)