Mazda vs. Hyundai (Depreciation Compared!)

Mazda is a famous Japanese multinational vehicle manufacturing company founded in 1920. Whereas Hyundai is a South Korean multinational company selling cars since 1967. In terms of production, Hyundai is almost four times bigger than Mazda and has sold more than four million vehicles only in 2021.

To make an informed purchase decision, people often compare Mazda vs Hyundai depreciation. In this article, I am going to compare the resale value of famous models by Mazda and Hyundai. In addition to that, their value retention in comparison with other car brands will also be discussed.

Mazda vs. Hyundai- a General Resale Value Comparison

Mazda outperforms Hyundai when it comes to value retention. Especially during the initial years Mazda cars have an incredible resale value and beat Hyundai cars by a significant margin. Hyundai slowly catches up and has an almost equal resale value after five years period.

The average residual value of Mazda and Hyundai cars is shown in the following table.

Vehicle Age	Mazda Residual Value	Hyundai Residual Value
1	81%	75%
2	76%	66%
3	70%	64%
4	64%	60%
5	56%	50%
6	46%	44%
7	43%	41%
8	37%	36%
9	32%	34%
10	29%	29%

As it can be seen that after 5 years of operation, Mazda cars have a residual value of 56% and Hyundai cars have a residual value of around 50% after the same period. An average car depreciates 50 to 60 percent after five years, so keeping this mind, both brands perform better than the average.

The below graph shows the Mazda vs Hyundai year-to-year average depreciation. The blue line represents Mazda depreciation, and it clearly beats the orange line of Hyundai depreciation. But after five years both lines are almost overlapping meaning both brands depreciate at an almost equal rate after that time.

Now let’s compare famous Mazda and Hyundai car models side by side and see which car model outperforms the other.

Also read: Why are Mazdas so Cheap? Is it Because They’re Unreliable?

Mazda CX-5 vs. Hyundai Tucson

Mazda CX-5 has a better resale value than Hyundai Tucson during the first four years. After that time, Hyundai Tucson holds its value better or at least the same as the Mazda CX-5.

Both of these cars belong to the compact crossover SUV category. Hyundai Tucson is the bestselling SUV model of Hyundai, and more than 7 million units have been sold since its launch. Mazda CX-5 starts very strong and only depreciates 24 percent after two years, whereas Hyundai Tucson depreciates around 35 percent during the same time.

Vehicle Age	Mazda CX-5 Depreciation	Mazda CX-5 Residual Value	Hyundai Tucson Depreciation	Hyundai Tucson Residual Value
1	78%	$24,413	71%	$21,858
2	76%	$23,728	65%	$19,851
3	65%	$20,405	63%	$19,273
4	63%	$19,792	61%	$18,615
5	55%	$17,244	55%	$16,807
6	45%	$14,209	48%	$14,721
7	41%	$12,745	38%	$11,711
8	37%	$11,465	38%	$11,573
9	25%	$7,929	36%	$10,882
10	23%	$7,219	28%	$8,517

The initial selling price of the Mazda CX-5 is $31,291 and it retains 55 percent of its value after five years. Whereas the initial selling price of the Hyundai Tucson is $30,592 and it also retains the exact 55 percent after 5 years.

The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.

Mazda CX-9 vs. Hyundai Santa Fe

For the short term, Mazda CX-9 has a relatively slower depreciation rate than Hyundai Santa Fe but in the long run, the Hyundai Santa Fe beats Mazda CX-9 and emerges as a winner.

Both of these models are midsize crossover SUVs and directly compete with each other in major markets. Hyundai Santa Fe was the first SUV launched by Hyundai back in 2001. Mazda CX-9 is sold all over the world except in Japan because of dimension and engine displacement regulations.

Mazda CX-5 is more than expensive than Hyundai Santa Fe, but still has better resale value during the first five years.

The initial selling price of the Mazda CX-9 is $43,124 and it retains 56 percent of its value after five years. Whereas the initial selling price of the Hyundai Santa Fe is $35,868 and it depreciates almost 50 percent after 5 years.

Vehicle Age	Mazda CX-9 Depreciation	Mazda CX-9 Residual Value	Hyundai Santa Fe Depreciation	Hyundai Santa Fe Residual Value
1	78%	$33,507	72%	$25,940
2	68%	$29,389	67%	$24,085
3	66%	$28,462	64%	$23,117
4	61%	$26,323	58%	$20,764
5	56%	$24,249	50%	$18,038
6	38%	$16,447	44%	$15,886
7	34%	$14,485	44%	$15,617
8	33%	$14,321	40%	$14,483
9	25%	$10,928	36%	$12,956
10	23%	$9,949	29%	$10,387

The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age. It can be seen that during the second half Hyundai Santa Fe beats Mazda CX-9 and end up with a better resale value.

Also read: Mazda vs. Toyota (Depreciation Compared!)

Mazda 3 vs. Hyundai Elantra

For the first three years, Mazda 3 has a better resale value than Hyundai Elantra. It almost holds the same value during the next four years, but Hyundai Elantra takes the lead during the last years of the lifespan.

Both of these car models fall under the category of compact cars. Mazda 3 is one of the bestselling models of Mazda and due to its immense popularity, it holds its value better but only for a short time.

Whereas Hyundai Elantra which is also known as Hyundai Avante in some markets better holds its value in the second half.

The initial selling price of the Mazda 3 is $22,306 and it depreciates 48 percent after five years. Whereas the initial selling price of Hyundai Elantra is $22,635 and it only depreciates 47 percent after five years.

Vehicle Age	Mazda 3 Depreciation	Mazda 3 Residual Value	Hyundai Elantra Depreciation	Hyundai Elantra Residual Value
1	84%	$18,724	76%	$17,218
2	77%	$17,280	66%	$14,989
3	75%	$16,638	64%	$14,486
4	62%	$13,781	63%	$14,280
5	52%	$11,568	53%	$11,931
6	48%	$10,772	44%	$10,018
7	48%	$10,622	41%	$9,319
8	35%	$7,800	38%	$8,671
9	32%	$7,178	37%	$8,375
10	25%	$5,597	31%	$7,026

The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.

Mazda 6 vs. Hyundai i40

Mazda 6 depreciates at a much slower rate than Hyundai i40. It is only after seven or eight years when Hyundai i40 matches the resale value of the Mazda 6.

Both of these vehicles are mid-size cars and can fit five people easily. Due to lower sales, the Hyundai i40 was discontinued in 2019, but Mazda 6 is still in production. The lower demand for Hyundai i40 is the main reason behind its poor value retention, as it depreciates around 40 percent after just 3 years.

The initial selling price of the Mazda 6 is $27,171 and it depreciates 48 percent after five years. Whereas the initial selling price of the Hyundai i40 is $28,601 and it depreciates 57 percent after five years.

Vehicle Age	Mazda 6 Depreciation	Mazda 6 Residual Value	Hyundai i40 Depreciation	Hyundai i40 Residual Value
1	84%	$22,769	78%	$22,252
2	79%	$21,509	67%	$19,068
3	72%	$19,522	61%	$17,318
4	63%	$17,039	55%	$15,736
5	52%	$14,132	43%	$12,324
6	46%	$12,583	42%	$12,121
7	40%	$10,928	40%	$11,415
8	28%	$7,654	33%	$9,390
9	25%	$6,749	27%	$7,779
10	23%	$6,317	26%	$7,436

The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age. It is evident by the graph that Mazda 6 is a better choice than the Hyundai i40 when only depreciation is concerned.

Also read: What’s a High Mileage for a Hyundai? (The Facts)

Mazda CX-3 vs. Hyundai Kona

During the first half of the lifespan, Mazda CX-3 has a better resale value than Hyundai Kona. But after five years of operation, Hyundai Kona performs better than CX-3.

Both of these models belong to the subcompact crossover SUV category. The electric version of the Hyundai Kona is also available in the market but here only the combustible fuel version is considered.

The initial selling price of the Mazda CX-3 is $23,037. Whereas Hyundai Kona is more expensive and comes at an initial selling price of $26,627. After five years of operation, Mazda CX-3 only depreciates 39 percent and the Hyundai Kona depreciates around 47 percent during the same time.

Vehicle Age	Mazda CX-3 Depreciation	Mazda CX-3 Residual Value	Hyundai Kona Depreciation	Hyundai Kona Residual Value
1	77%	$17,628	72%	$19,139
2	76%	$17,411	66%	$17,579
3	69%	$15,985	64%	$16,967
4	68%	$15,642	59%	$15,808
5	61%	$14,092	53%	$14,008
6	42%	$9,623	46%	$12,302
7	37%	$8,561	41%	$10,893
8	35%	$8,045	39%	$10,414
9	25%	$5,838	36%	$9,543
10	23%	$5,315	28%	$7,562

The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.

Do Mazda and Hyundai Hold Their Value Well Compared to Other Car Brands?

Mazda holds has incredible value retention when compared with other car brands. Hyundai also performs good and has an above-average rating when compared with all other brands.

On the very top are famous Japanese car brands like Toyota, Honda, and Subaru. Mazda is just below them and ranks among the top six in the list of best car brands for resale value after 3, 5, and 10 years. Hyundai comes at number 11 in that list and has better resale value than brands like Kia, Nissan, and Jeep.

Also read: Mazda vs. Honda (Depreciation Compared!)

How to Slow Down Your Mazda and Hyundai Depreciation?

The phenomenon of depreciation cannot be stopped but it can be slowed down by taking below-mentioned steps:

Avoid buying a brand-new Mazda or Hyundai vehicle because they depreciate the most during the initial years.
Always keep the car in good condition and never miss the maintenance after essential intervals.
Try to buy a used Mazda or Hyundai car with minimum mileage on the meter because the more mileage the car has the less it will be worth.
Maintain the full-service history of the car as it is a great way to reassure your buyer that the vehicle has been well maintained.

References:

en.wikipedia.org, edmunds.com, cars.usnews.com, motortrend.com, germainhondaofdublin.com, statista.com, hyundai.com, mazda.com

Mazda vs. Hyundai (Depreciation Compared!)