Black Book looked to put some data and analysis toward questions used-car managers might be asking.

On Monday, editors made available a new analytics-driven report that looks at why certain vehicle models were discontinued over the last several years, and how they’ve retained their values since discontinuation. Black Book examined 12 models, including:

— Mazda MPV
— Mercury Milan
— Ford Crown Victoria
— Saturn Ion
— Saab 9-5
— Pontiac G6
— Ford Ranger
— Mitsubishi Galant
— Honda Element
— Nissan Xterra
— Hummer H2
— Toyota FJ Cruiser

Black Book explained that some car and truck models — despite their popularity — are discontinued because manufacturers simply move production strategies in a new direction. When this situation happens, editors explained certain models retain their values better than their segment average, while others see retention values plummet.

Black Book conducted a thorough analysis that includes a mix of small- and mid-size cars, trucks, SUVs and minivans. Their discontinuation dates vary over the last few decades, and the reasons for their discontinuation are as diverse as the vehicles themselves.

As an example of this analysis, Black Book data showed that the Toyota FJ Cruiser, whose last model year was 2014, has actually gone up in value by 25.7 percent compared to other vehicles that were listed in its segment. The Hummer H2 is second-best in retention at 18.5 percent.

Editors pointed out that the Toyota FJ Cruiser was acclaimed for its off-road performance. The wide stance and short wheelbase made it look quirky. In the last model year of production, it sold only about 14,000 in 2014. Given the uniqueness of this vehicle and the relative high demand from enthusiasts, it became a modern collectible.

The change in three-year retention for the Toyota FJ Cruiser was a whopping 26 percentage points better than the mid-size crossover/SUV segment.

Conversely, editors noted that the Mazda MPV minivan — last produced in 2006 — has lost 15.8 percent of its value compared to other vehicles in its segment, and the Mercury Milan has lost 9.5 percent compared to others in its segment after it was discontinued in 2011. 

“Our analytics approach enables us to take a deeper look into historical depreciation trends to better understand how certain vehicle retention has performed over time,” said Anil Goyal, executive vice president of operations at Black Book.

“This information proves valuable to automotive dealers, lenders, OEMs and other industry professionals who each need a deeper understanding of vehicle retention patterns for the buying, selling, stocking, and financing of vehicle models.”

The complete report can be downloaded here.