Mazda and Subaru are both Japanese multinational automakers. Mazda has a history of more than a hundred years and was founded in 1920. Whereas Subaru is manufacturing cars since 1958 and it is the world’s 21st largest automaker in the world.
The combined annual production of Mazda and Subaru is around 2 million vehicles and their cars are very famous in the U.S.
People are often interested in comparing Mazda vs Subaru depreciation and want to know which brand is better than the other. In this article, you will get to know everything about the depreciation of both car brands.
Mazda vs. Subaru- a General Resale Value Comparison
Both Mazda and Subaru have excellent value retention, and most of their cars depreciate at a much slower rate than usual. But Subaru beats Mazda by a little margin and has the best resale value after 3, 5, and 7 years of ownership.
Subaru cars only depreciate 22 percent after 2 years, whereas an average car depreciates around 30 to 35 percent after two years. The average residual value of Mazda and Subaru cars is shown in the following table.
| Vehicle Age | Mazda Depreciation | Subaru Depreciation |
| 1 | 81% | 83% |
| 2 | 76% | 78% |
| 3 | 70% | 72% |
| 4 | 64% | 66% |
| 5 | 56% | 60% |
| 6 | 46% | 53% |
| 7 | 43% | 46% |
| 8 | 37% | 41% |
| 9 | 32% | 34% |
| 10 | 29% | 29% |
| 11 | 27% | 25% |
| 12 | 23% | 20% |
As it can be seen that both Mazda and Subaru show outstanding value retention and only depreciate 40 to 45 percent after five years of operation. An average car depreciates 50 to 60 percent during the same period, so keeping this in mind both brands perform way better than the average.
The below graph shows the Mazda vs Subaru year-to-year average depreciation. The orange line representing Subaru cars mostly remains above the blue line, and the difference becomes significant at the sixth year of the vehicle’s age.
Now let’s compare famous Mazda and Subaru car models side by side and see which car model outperforms the other.
Also read: Mazda vs. Hyundai (Depreciation Compared!)
Mazda CX-5 vs. Subaru Forester
Subaru Forester has a better resale value than Mazda CX-5 during any year of the entire lifespan. The difference between the resale values is relatively large at the start and end of the vehicle’s age.
Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester are perfect for comparison because both cars belong to the same category of compact crossover SUVs. The platform of CX-5 is also used in Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 and the Forester shares its platform with Subaru Impreza. Forester performs better than CX-5, but both cars have almost the same depreciation in the fourth and seventh years.
| Vehicle Age | Mazda CX-5 Depreciation | Mazda CX-5 Residual Value | Subaru Forester Depreciation | Subaru Forester Residual Value |
| 1 | 78% | $24,413 | 85% | $25,348 |
| 2 | 76% | $23,728 | 81% | $24,155 |
| 3 | 65% | $20,405 | 72% | $21,502 |
| 4 | 63% | $19,792 | 64% | $18,956 |
| 5 | 55% | $17,244 | 60% | $17,698 |
| 6 | 45% | $14,209 | 48% | $14,362 |
| 7 | 41% | $12,745 | 40% | $11,965 |
| 8 | 37% | $11,465 | 39% | $11,614 |
| 9 | 25% | $7,929 | 36% | $10,742 |
| 10 | 23% | $7,219 | 29% | $8,718 |
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 Subaru Forester is $29,674 and it retains an impressive 60 percent of the value after five years.
The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.
Trending Video: How to Easily Bring Back to Life any Old Car Battery and Save Tons of Money (click to watch)
Mazda CX-9 vs. Subaru Ascent
Subaru Ascent has a better performance than Mazda CX-9 when it comes to value retention. It beats CX-9 at every stage of the vehicle’s age.
Both of these car models compete in the midsize crossover SUV category and their main market is the U.S. Ascent is the biggest car produced by Subaru and became recently available in 2018. Another interesting and common thing about both these car models is that they are not sold in Japan because of their size.
Following is the table showing the depreciation trend of Mazda CX-9 and Subaru Ascent.
| Vehicle Age | Mazda CX-9 Depreciation | Mazda CX-9 Residual Value | Subaru Ascent Depreciation | Subaru Ascent Residual Value |
| 1 | 78% | $33,507 | 85% | $34,859 |
| 2 | 68% | $29,389 | 79% | $32,263 |
| 3 | 66% | $28,462 | 71% | $29,199 |
| 4 | 61% | $26,323 | 67% | $27,519 |
| 5 | 56% | $24,249 | 59% | $24,122 |
| 6 | 38% | $16,447 | 53% | $21,567 |
| 7 | 34% | $14,485 | 44% | $18,093 |
| 8 | 33% | $14,321 | 40% | $16,244 |
| 9 | 25% | $10,928 | 35% | $14,219 |
| 10 | 23% | $9,949 | 29% | $11,759 |
Subaru Ascent starts very strong and only depreciates 15 percent after one year, which is unreal for a car of this category. Mazda CX-9 also shows competition and depreciates around 22 percent after the first year. The initial selling price of the Mazda CX-9 is $43,124 and Subaru Ascent is a bit cheaper with a price tag of $41,073.
The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.
Also read: Are Subarus Reliable? Which Subarus aren’t?
Mazda 3 vs. Subaru Impreza
For the first three years, Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza have almost the same depreciation trend, but Subaru Impreza beats the Mazda 3 in the long run and has better resale value after 3 years.
Both of these are compact cars and come at an almost equal cost. The Subaru Impreza was introduced in 1992 and comes in many variants. Whereas, Mazda 3 was launched in 2003 and also has multiple body styles. Mazda 3 starts at a high note but has a lower resale sale in the second and fourth quarter of its lifespan.
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 the Subaru Impreza is $23,651 and it only depreciates 35 percent after five years.
| Vehicle Age | Mazda 3 Depreciation | Mazda 3 Residual Value | Subaru Impreza Depreciation | Subaru Impreza Residual Value |
| 1 | 84% | $18,724 | 84% | $19,945 |
| 2 | 77% | $17,280 | 79% | $18,616 |
| 3 | 75% | $16,638 | 74% | $17,431 |
| 4 | 62% | $13,781 | 68% | $16,173 |
| 5 | 52% | $11,568 | 65% | $15,338 |
| 6 | 48% | $10,772 | 57% | $13,569 |
| 7 | 48% | $10,622 | 50% | $11,830 |
| 8 | 35% | $7,800 | 46% | $10,969 |
| 9 | 32% | $7,178 | 41% | $9,749 |
| 10 | 25% | $5,597 | 36% | $8,408 |
The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.
Mazda 6 vs. Subaru Legacy
Mazda 6 is the only car in the lineup that beat its competitor Subaru model. It has a better resale value than Subaru Legacy except for the fifth year. The huge price tag of the Subaru Legacy is the main reason behind its quick depreciation.
Both of these vehicles are mid-size cars, and five people can easily travel in them. Legacy is the flagship car of Subaru Company and has the legendary boxer engine with the all-wheel-drive feature. Whereas Mazda 6 was introduced in 2002 and due to its stylish design philosophy it still has a huge demand in the market.
.
| Vehicle Age | Mazda 6 Depreciation | Mazda 6 Residual Value | Subaru Legacy Depreciation | Subaru Legacy Residual Value |
| 1 | 84% | $22,769 | 79% | $25,731 |
| 2 | 79% | $21,509 | 76% | $24,698 |
| 3 | 72% | $19,522 | 68% | $21,875 |
| 4 | 63% | $17,039 | 61% | $19,906 |
| 5 | 52% | $14,132 | 55% | $17,967 |
| 6 | 46% | $12,583 | 46% | $14,748 |
| 7 | 40% | $10,928 | 39% | $12,501 |
| 8 | 28% | $7,654 | 32% | $10,335 |
| 9 | 25% | $6,749 | 26% | $8,337 |
| 10 | 23% | $6,317 | 25% | $8,095 |
The initial selling price of the Mazda 6 is $27,171 and it depreciates 28 percent after three years. Whereas the initial selling price of the Subaru Legacy is $32,378 and it depreciates 32 percent after three years
The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.
Also read: Mazda vs. Toyota (Depreciation Compared!)
Mazda CX-3 vs. Subaru Crosstrek
Subaru Crosstrek has a better resale value than the Mazda CX-3 for most of the years. The Mazda CX-3 performs very well during the initial years but depreciates quickly after the five years of ownership.
Both of the cars fall under the category of subcompact crossover SUVs and directly compete with each other. Subaru Crosstrek is very similar in shape to the Impreza model but serves a different car section. Despite having more depreciation Mazda CX-3 has an advantage in affordability.
| Vehicle Age | Mazda CX-3 Depreciation | Mazda CX-3 Residual Value | Subaru Crosstrek Depreciation | Subaru Crosstrek Residual Value |
| 1 | 77% | $17,628 | 82% | $23,610 |
| 2 | 76% | $17,411 | 74% | $21,232 |
| 3 | 69% | $15,985 | 71% | $20,356 |
| 4 | 68% | $15,642 | 69% | $20,030 |
| 5 | 61% | $14,092 | 62% | $17,810 |
| 6 | 42% | $9,623 | 56% | $16,280 |
| 7 | 37% | $8,561 | 50% | $14,375 |
| 8 | 35% | $8,045 | 45% | $12,832 |
| 9 | 25% | $5,838 | 35% | $9,979 |
| 10 | 23% | $5,315 | 29% | $8,252 |
The initial selling price of the Mazda CX-3 is $23,037. Whereas, Subaru Crosstrek has an initial selling price of $28,824. After five years of operation, Mazda CX-3 depreciates 39 percent and the Subaru Crosstrek depreciates around 38 percent during the same time.
The below graph compares the residual value of both car models against their age.
Do Mazdas and Subarus Hold Their Value Well Compared to Other Car Brands?
Both Mazda and Subaru hold their value very well and depreciate at a relatively slow rate. Subaru tops the list of brands with the best resale value, and Mazda is also among the top five in that list.
Mazda and Subaru are better than the majority of car brands, and only a few car brands like Toyota and Honda come close to these two. Mazda and Subaru cars are well known for their reliability and performance. Their excellent quality, impressive accolades, and high demand are the reason behind their exceptional value retention.
How to Slow Down Your Mazda and Subaru Depreciation?
Depreciation is a natural process and cannot be stopped but it can be slowed down by taking the below-mentioned steps:
- If aren’t interested in keeping the car for a long time, never buy a brand-new Mazda or Subaru because they depreciate the most during the initial years.
- 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.
- Try to buy a used Mazda or Subaru car with minimum mileage on the meter because the more mileage the car has the less it will be worth.
- Always keep your car in good condition and never miss the maintenance after the recommended time.
References:
en.wikipedia.org, edmunds.com, cars.usnews.com, motortrend.com, germainhondaofdublin.com, statista.com, mazda.com, subaru.com
