SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — ALG released its second annual Canadian Residual Value Awards on Thursday, and receiving the highest billing among mainstream brands was Subaru Canada, while Infiniti was rated No. 1 among luxury brands for the second straight year.

In 2009, Honda Canada was tops in the mainstream category, while Subaru was No. 4.

This year, Subaru captured three segment awards on top of its recognition as the No. 1 mainstream brand.

Specifically, the Impreza won for mid-compact cars, the Legacy earned recognition in the mid-compact car segment and the sports car honors were given to the Impreza WRX/STI.

"Subaru has blazed its own trail since arriving in the Canadian market," shared Matt Traylen, ALG's chief economist. "Subaru's signature boxer engines and standard all-wheel drive, as well as its solid reputation for quality, give the brand an image of ruggedness and independence and contribute to remarkable owner loyalty.

"The recent redesign of its three core models and restrained incentives also helped Subaru jump to the top of the rankings," he added.

Commenting on Infiniti winning the luxury category once again, Traylen continued: "With generally more powerful engines and lower pricing than its European rivals, Infiniti has pursued the kind of value strategy that helps to give its brand a strong long-term foundation. By augmenting its lineup with all-wheel drive vehicles, it's expanded its presence across the luxury market."

Honda, which was No. 2 among mainstream brands after winning last year, took home more segment awards than any other brand, as four of its models were honored.

Meanwhile, Nissan earned three segment honors and Toyota, Land Rover and BMW received two each.

"We firmly believe that residual value is the most comprehensive and reliable measure of the overall strength of an automotive brand, and we congratulate all of the 2010 winners for their successful products and marketing strategies," Traylen stated.

The summary of 2010 Canadian Residual Value Awards is as follows:

—Mainstream Brand: Subaru

—Luxury Brand: Infiniti

—Entry Compact Car: Nissan Sentra

—Mid-Compact Car: Subaru Impreza

—Midsize Car: Subaru Legacy

—Full-size Car: Nissan Maxima

—Compact Utility Vehicle: Honda CR-V

—Midsize Utility Vehicle Mazda CX-7

—Large Utility Vehicle: Toyota Sequoia

—Minivan: Honda Odyssey

—Compact/Midsize Pickup: Honda Ridgeline

—Full-size Pickup: Toyota Tundra

—Sporty Car: Subaru Impreza WRX/STI

—Near Luxury Car: BMW 1 Series

—Luxury Car: BMW 6 Series

—Luxury Sports Car: Nissan GT-R

—Near Luxury Utility Vehicle: Land Rover LR2

—Luxury Utility Vehicle: Land Rover Range Rover Sport

—Hybrid/Alternative Powertrain: Honda Insight

2010 Mainstream Brand Canadian Residual Value Rankings

1. Subaru

2. Honda

3. Mazda

4. Toyota

5. Nissan

6. Volkswagen

7. Suzuki

2010 Luxury Brand Canadian Residual Value Rankings

1. Infiniti

2. BMW

3. Acura

4. Audi

5. Lexus

6. Land Rover