Mazda6 Leads Key Fleet Rivals in Value Retention Stakes

DARTFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – February 16, 2010: 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.

Allibon added: “Fleet decision-makers need to look beyond whatever discount they may get from rival motor manufacturers while focusing on wholelife costs and residual values. Vehicle depreciation accounts for a significant amount of an individual model’s wholelife cost so the combination of the Mazda6’s class-leading low depreciation and well positioned pricing makes it a smart choice for companies.”

Allibon continues: “In recent months we have found that on customers’ choice lists the Mazda6, and indeed the majority of our car range, on a model-for-model basis is competing against lower specced cars from competitors. We need to make sure user choosers are aware of the high levels of specification they get with our cars, so that they make a fair comparison with brands that have more commonly known derivatives.”

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.”

In January 2009, the Mazda6 was named ‘Family Car’ and ‘Estate Car of the Year’ in the annual What Car? Awards and last year was named ‘Best Large Family Car’ in the Fleet News Awards thanks to impressive wholelife costs.

“Such awards are testimony to the appeal of the Mazda6 - not just as a new company car where it is a fantastic alternative to mainstream fleet vehicles but in the retail segment where it outsells the likes of the Accord, Avensis and Mondeo,” Allibon enthuses.

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’.