Dissecting Costs on the Mazda3 and Chevrolet Colorado.
Everybody knows the Civic sells. Same goes for the Corolla and the F-150. But when affordable inventory gets harder to find, it may be worth asking a different question: What else is moving?
The average used vehicle listed for sale in August was $27,239, with the overall market at 44 days of supply, according to Cox Automotive. At the more affordable end, vehicles priced below $15,000 had just 29 days of supply, with inventory down nearly 26% from a year ago.
For independent dealers, that makes the hunt for affordable, fast-moving inventory a little more interesting. The obvious choices aren't always the only choices.
So we looked at two alternatives that bring very different buyers to the lot: the Mazda3, an affordable compact with a little more personality, and the Chevrolet Colorado, a midsize pickup that gives truck shoppers an option below full-size money.
Here's how the numbers look from the dealer's side.
Mazda3: The Fun-to-Drive Alternative (Compact Imports)
The Mazda3 is an affordable compact with a little more personality than the usual commuter car. It comes as a sedan or five-door hatchback, with 2.0- and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines, multiple trims, and an available six-speed manual transmission. The hatchback and higher trims give it particular appeal to buyers looking for something more interesting than basic transportation.
The 2017 refresh brought updated styling, interior changes, and standard G-Vectoring Control, while the hatchback generally commands a premium over comparable sedans at wholesale. That gives dealers room to choose between straightforward affordable inventory and more distinctive configurations. With a median 36-day turn across the independent-dealer Mazda3 sample, the model isn't simply inexpensive—it has demonstrated retail movement as well. The interesting niche is the buyer who wants an affordable compact but still cares about how it looks and drives. A clean hatchback or manual-transmission example gives an independent dealer a distinct product to show a buyer who has already looked at the usual suspects.
2016 Mazda3 (2.0L Sport/Touring)
- Wholesale Range: $5,200–$6,800, depending on mileage, condition and configuration..
- All-In Cost Esimate (Hammer, Auction Fees, Shipping, Pack, Recon): $7,450 – $9,050 (Includes ~$450 buy fee, ~$600 transport, ~$250-$350 pack , and ~$1,200 high-mileage reconditioning baseline).
- Retail Reality: On the retail side, these models command an average asking price around $11,900.
- Velocity: Clocking in at a lean 32 days to turn, this vehicle offers an efficient cash-conversion cycle.
- The Volume Story: While full-size trucks dominate overall lists, a major iSeeCars study ranks the Mazda3 as the #10 best-selling used passenger car in America. Paired with its #6 compact car rating from J.D. Power, it gives dealers proven consumer demand without the inflated auction fees of a Civic or Corolla
2017 Mazda3 (Grand Touring)
- Wholesale Range: $6,600 to $8,100 depending on mileage, condition and configuration.. Lower mileage and clean condition reports heavily dictate the upper boundaries.
- All-In Cost (Hammer, Auction Fees, Shipping, Pack, Recon): $8,600 – $10,100 (Includes ~$500 buy fee, ~$600 transport, $350-$500 pack, and ~$900 mid-age reconditioning maintenance).
- Retail Reality: Consumers actively pay a premium for the Grand Touring's upgraded cabin and safety features, driving average asking prices to $13,995.
- Velocity: Despite the higher price point, velocity remains incredibly strong at 34 days to turn, matching the base trims almost day-for-day.
- The Volume Story: Adding premium inventory pays off; an iSeeCars Best Used Cars ranking puts the 2017 Mazda3 as the #2 best small car under $20,000. Backed by its perfect 10/10 iSeeCars safety score and an official #1 ranking from U.S. News, the top-tier Grand Touring trim gives dealers a highly decorated, front-line asset that moves just as fast as the base models
(Note: For dealers targeting slightly newer stock, the 2018 Mazda3 holds a matching, stable velocity of 34 days to turn with an average retail asking price moving up to $15,500).
Chevy Colorado: The Affordable American Truck (Midsize Light Trucks)
The Colorado gives dealers something the other cars in this group can't: a chance to put an American pickup on the lot without moving into full-size-truck money. The 2016–2017 Colorado is smaller and easier to price than a Silverado, but still gives truck buyers choices in cab, bed, drivetrain, and engine. The Colorado came in WT, LT, and Z71 trims, with extended- and crew-cab configurations, 2WD or 4WD, and 2.5-liter four-cylinder or 3.6-liter V6 power. A 2.8-liter Duramax diesel was also available.
That range gives dealers everything from a basic work truck to a better-equipped 4WD pickup. The configuration makes a substantial difference at wholesale. A basic extended-cab 2WD Colorado can land considerably below the cost of a crew-cab 4WD, while the latter brings a much higher potential retail price. That gives dealers several ways to approach the same truck market depending on their inventory strategy. The Colorado's niche is straightforward: an American-built midsize pickup for buyers who want a truck but don't need a full-size one. The right 4WD or crew-cab configuration can give an independent dealer a truck with a completely different buyer story than the usual full-size utility pickup.
- Wholesale Range: $6,500 and $8,200 depending on mileage, condition and configuration..
- All-In Cost (Hammer, Auction Fees, Shipping, Pack, Recon): $8,900 – $10,600 (Includes ~$500 buy fee, ~$600 transport, ~$300-$600 pack, and ~$1,300 heavy truck component reconditioning).
- Retail Reality: Secondary market demand for affordable midsize trucks remains exceptionally aggressive, driving average retail asking prices to $16,999.
- Velocity: The 2016 stands out sharply in current dealership data, maintaining a rapid 30 days to turn. With roughly 1,000 active units currently listed in the ecosystem, it remains one of the most accessible ways into the midsize-truck segment.
- The Volume Story: Sourcing midsize utility pays off on paper; the iSeeCars Most Popular Used Trucks Study ranks the Chevrolet Colorado as the #6 best-selling used truck in America overall, while separate metrics name it the #1 Most Affordable Midsize Truck in its segment. For independent lots, the bare-bones Work Truck (WT) configuration gives you maximum access to that massive market velocity without forcing you to tie up full-size capital
2017 Chevrolet Colorado (LT/Z71 Crew Cab 4WD)
- Wholesale Range: $10,800 to $14,500 wholesale bracket, reflecting heavy premiums for immaculate, option-heavy builds.
- All-In Cost (Hammer, Auction Fees, Shipping, Pack, Recon): $13,550 – $17,250 (Includes ~$650 buy fee, ~$600 transport, ~$400-$750 pack, and ~$1,500 suspension and heavy truck tire reconditioning).
- Retail Reality: Consumer appetite for well-equipped 4WD trucks allows dealers to push lot asking prices to $18,995.
- Velocity: While higher-priced truck assets naturally take longer to clear—moving to 40.5 days to turn—the extensive margin headroom easily offsets the extended holding costs.
- The Volume Story: Moving upscale yields massive dividends on the front line; the iSeeCars Best Midsize Trucks for Towing Study ranks the Colorado as the #2 best midsize truck for towing in America. Furthermore, U.S. News & World Report gave the 2017 Crew Cab variant a near-flawless 9.2/10 safety rating. Sourcing these highly optioned LT and Z71 4WD variants lets independent lots target lifestyle and recreational truck buyers willing to pay top dollar for verified capability.
(Note: Z71 and LT trims with 4WD have more complex mechanical components—like transfer cases and electronic locking differentials—which can sometimes cause the Recon budget to climb compared to a simple 2WD truck)
Balancing the Lot
In a tight inventory market, your lot's survival depends on balancing immediate cash turnover against maximum gross profit. Sourcing sub-$15,000 inventory is a brutal grind right now, but looking past the obvious choice can reveal serious opportunities. By leveraging the niche, enthusiast-driven velocity of the Mazda3 alongside the reliable, lower-overhead entry point of a midsize truck like the Chevrolet Colorado, independent dealers can secure strong margins without tying up excessive capital in full-size alternatives.
Coming Soon: We pivot from sportier compacts and trucks to look at the absolute rockets of inventory turnover. Join us for Part Two, where we analyze the all-in numbers, real-world retail velocity, and dealer margins for the Volkswagen Jetta and the Kia Niro HEV.
*For the vehicle examples, wholesale figures are presented as market ranges rather than individual auction or valuation-book figures. Retail pricing and turn data were independently checked against current market listings and dealer inventory data.
