Here's How Much A 2020 Mazda Miata Has Depreciated In 5 Years

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is popular for a reason. It's one of the best driver's cars in the world, and it continues to attract buyers with a well-judged chassis that serves up pleasant handling on the road. That's matched with a peppy, rev-happy Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder that sends 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels, all thanks to a standard six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic. Its 0-60 time is impressive, too, with the quickest versions of the car able to achieve the feat in 5.5 seconds.

Add in the fact that it's known to be reliable and cheap to fix, and the Miata's appeal among used car buyers becomes more evident. This shows in the way it maintains an impressively high resale value. Take the 2020 Mazda Miata. Kelly Blue Book data reveals it has kept around 64% of its value after five years of typical ownership. That's about the same as a new Miata value retention according to iSeeCars estimates, which makes the MX-5 Miata the least depreciating Mazda vehicle ahead of the CX-3, Mazda3, and Mazda CX-30 — with the latter model ranking among the best new cars that provide most bang for your buck. 

The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata has held the bulk of its original cost. That's according to Kelly Blue Book data, which — while missing 2021's depreciation — shows that the sports car has lost only around $7,000 in the last four years, leaving owners with a current resale value of almost $18,000 and a trade-in value above $15,000. When you consider the 2020 Miata's starting MSRP of $27,525 (which applies to the base Sport Convertible trim level), its current resale value puts the five-year depreciation rate at just around 35%.

However, the 2020 Club Convertible and Grand Touring Convertible trims appear to experience faster depreciation. Its five-year depreciation amounts to 42.6%, given its starting MSRP of $33,615 and current resale value of $19,295. The Club Convertible trim (starting from $31,235 with a current resale value of $19,094) loses nearly 39% of its value. The Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is in an even worse spot, as the hard-top looks to have lost nearly 44% of its original value of $33,990, considering its current resale value of $19,117. Keep in mind that these rates reflect the current situation, and prices could change depending on used car market trends.

While the Mazda MX-5 Miata's value retention is impressive, being in the affordable sports car segment mean it goes up against equally-popular platform-sharing twins: the Toyota 86 (which was later replaced by the 2022 Toyota GR86) and the Subaru BRZ. These are also known for holding their values exceptionally well. Given a 2020 Toyota 86's $28,775 starting MSRP and current resale value of $18,127, a driver who bought the car new can expect depreciation of just around 37%.

Owners of a 2020 Subaru BRZ, meanwhile, can expect to get back $17,238 after having paid $29,745 for a base-spec model five years ago. That puts the Subie's five-year depreciation rate at 42%. However, if you own one of these, it's important to remember that value retention will vary depending on your specific trim, as well as your car's condition, mileage, and the existing market conditions when you're ready to sell.