The Mazda6 is worth more at the benchmark fleet replacement period of three-years/60,000 miles than many of its key company car rivals, according to the latest CAP Monitor data.

Mazda dealer business managers should use the information to help secure sales of this key model in the fleet market.

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

In terms of actual percentage of retained value over three-year/60,000-miles, the Mazda6 is fighting for top spot with Honda’s Accord and Toyota’s Avensis with the VW Passat in fourth.

At best it is retaining 35% of its list price after three years, which is comfortably ahead of the likes of the Insignia, Laguna and Mondeo.

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.”

It is this focus on list price that is working in Mazda’s favour.

Ford’s Mondeo for example has suffered from successive price hikes over the past 12 months, which have adversely impacted on RVs, despite the fact that hefty incentives are also available on Ford’s best-selling fleet car.

Discounts and incentives that fleets benefit from when buying cars are not calculated into CAP’s residual value calculations, meaning company’s that offer low list prices but do not necessarily offer major incentives can often have better RV ratings.

Mazda has employed a strategy of keeping prices stable, which has helped its RV ratings, as Mazda fleet and remarketing director Peter Allibon explains:
“Throughout the past year Mazda has kept vehicle prices relatively stable across its product range.

"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.”