As soon as you drive a new car off the lot, it begins to lose value. Even if you keep your vehicle in exemplary condition and maintain it in top shape, the more you drive it, the greater its value depreciates. The rate of depreciation varies depending upon factors, including the make and model. And as for the Mazda CX-5, its depreciation isn’t the best. But it also isn’t the worst.

The Mazda CX-5’s depreciation and resale value

One of the biggest reasons to pay attention to your car’s depreciation is because it affects the vehicle’s resale value, whether you’re looking to sell it or trade it in when you’re ready for a new car. CarEdge describes the CX-5 as “mediocre” at holding its value and “middle of the pack” compared to other Mazda models. The site says the CX-5 depreciates about 45 percent after five years.

J.D. Power gives an idea of the 2020 CX-5’s resale value compared to other compact SUVs from that model year. On its 100-point scale, the publication gives the CX-5 an 85, right in the middle of the rated vehicles, which range from 80 to 90. The CX-5’s resale value is ranked seventh out of the 15 compact SUVs.

Factors that influence a car’s depreciation

Companies use many factors when determining a car’s depreciation. Among them are the trim level and model year. You might expect a higher trim level to depreciate less, but the opposite is usually true. The more premium the trim, the less demand there may be for it in the market. And less demand means lower value.

The model year also comes into play. All cars have an expected lifespan, so the later the model year, the less it will have depreciated because it has more of its expected life remaining than an older version of the same model. Also, as technology improves, more recent model years are usually less expensive and easier to maintain, allowing them to run better for longer.

Recent Mazda CX-5 models’ depreciation numbers

Here’s a look at the depreciation values for Mazda CX-5 models from the past few years, according to Edmunds. The numbers will give you an idea of what to expect if you own or plan to purchase one of these models.

2019 Touring AWD

For the 2019 CX-5 Touring AWD model, Edmunds breaks down the depreciation of each of the first five years of ownership. The depreciation begins at $4,258 in Year 1 and subsequently slows from there. In Year 2, it’s almost half that, at $2,481. And by Year 5, the annual depreciation drops to $1,736. By the end of five years, the 2019 CX-5 Touring AWD will have depreciated by an estimated $12,592.

2020 Touring AWD

Edmunds also uses the Touring AWD trim when discussing the depreciation of the 2020 Mazda CX-5. It shows a different trend than the 2019 model. It also has its highest depreciation in Year 1 — at $4,663 — and subsequently gets less in Years 2 and 3. But the rate of depreciation rises between Years 3 and 4, from $1,892 to $2,220. Its estimated depreciation after five years is $12,875, almost $300 more than the Touring AWD model.

2021 Grand Touring AWD

Edmunds went with the Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD for its 2021 example. This is a more premium trim level than the Touring, and its depreciation is the highest of the three examples. In Year 1, its depreciation is $6,136 and then drops considerably, to $2,251, in Year 2. As with the 2020 Touring edition, the depreciation rate rises toward the end of the five-year period, with an estimated depreciation of $15,387 in the first five years of ownership.