hornbm

iTrader: (1)

It didn't come to the US because of the same reason we don't get any wagons here, nobody buys them.

American buyers have some sick love affair with SUVs despite the fact that a wagon would be faster, handle better and get better gas mileage, and not lose any of the practicality of the SUV. The amount of wagons available in Europe and Japan that never make it to America is mind blowing.

Unless you have some serious need for off road capability, a wagon is better in every way. Lets face it, 99% of the SUVs in the united states will never leave a paved road.

Mazda, if you are reading this... I WILL BUY A WAGON. I'm already leasing a car from you now, and I will put my money where my mouth is.

77mjd

And sadly, I'd be willing to bet 99% of the general car buying population doesn't realize the points you just made. They just assume because it's an SUV it has more room and practicality.

ASH8

Mate it is the same in Australia, but we still got the current GJ/GL Mazda 6 Wagon as did the rest of the world except the USA/NA.

Obviously MNAO bosses back then thought it would not sell even though you had/sold the previous GG Mazda 6 Wagon generation of 2003 and 2006, but no Made @ Ford Flat Rock USA GH Mazda 6 Wagon of 2009 and 2011.

In Australia I can not put a hand on the exact sales numbers and split between the (2.5l and 2.2l) diesel Mazda 6 Sedan and Wagon, It was about 6 to 1, as for engine choice the diesel are in really small sales numbers (around a 10% split).

Mazda SUV's here now represents 54% of all car sales and SUV's have more profit margins over the Mazda 2,3 and 6, when compared to CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9 and I expect CX-8 if/when it comes here as a diesel only will be low numbers.

And the desire/growth is the same for other makes here, I am somewhat surprised Mazda are even thinking of making/selling a next generation Mazda 3 and 6 with their market share dropping each and every year.

New Yorker

Absolutely true. We do, indeed, have a sick love affair with a number of things in this country that don’t stand up to common sense. SUVs are perceived of here as big, tough and macho. The fact that their capabilities have little to do with how they’re actually used is lost on most Americans. And the downsides (fuel consumption, size in collisions, wear on the roads, reduced visibility for drivers behind them, false sense of security lulling drivers into inattentive driving, “I don’t need winter tires,” etc.) are significant. Their appeal is cynically manipulated by marketers who know that, in this country, the secret to huge sales, loyalty and a near-religious following is to appeal not to the rational part of our minds, but rather the emotional, reptile part. Sadly, this phenomenon is not limited to vehicles.

(Needless to say, this does not apply to those hauling boats and trekking through mud and sand.)

wannawankel

I wonder - can I purchase a Mazda 6 Wagon (turbo) in Canada and "drive it across" or order it through the dealer in US from Canada?

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

Looks like it happens, and you could apply for all your taxes and duties to be refunded, under the 'drawback' exemption of Canada Border services. It's all online if you want to research further....

5 An application for a drawback may be made where

(a) the motor vehicle is exported by the purchaser

(i) within 30 days after the date of its delivery to the purchaser, if the purchaser is a resident, or

(ii) within 12 months after the date of its delivery to the purchaser, if the purchaser is not a resident;

(b) before the motor vehicle is exported, it remains owned by the purchaser, it is used by the purchaser, and it is not used

(i) by any person other than the purchaser,

(ii) for carrying passengers or goods for compensation,

(iii) for the transport of goods for sale, or

(iv) for soliciting sales or subscriptions on behalf of a Canadian business;

The drawback referred to in subsection (1) shall be granted only where the motor vehicle is sold to a purchaser in Canada before it is exported and it is, at the time of the sale, new.

northzone

Canada does not get the 2014 and newer 6 wagons either since North America uses one spec for crash tests while Europe and the rest of the wold use different ones. I would have been all over a 6 wagon when I bought the sedan but aside from importing it from Europe it is not available.


If you are after an older one there shouldn't be too many difficulties.

hornbm

iTrader: (1)

I can tell you this. Where I live, there are a TON of current gen Mazda 3's around. They sell very well. Easily as well as the cx-5.

Granted my market doesn't represent the entire usa.

zoom44

i think there should be an international treaty to do with car purchashing. it would allow anyone who is a resident citizen of one of the signatory countries to purchase a vehicle from any of the other signatory countries. each signatory country would have to mandate a certain level of safety in vehicles sold in their country so that a minimum standard could be developed by all signatory countries. so individuals in NA who wanted say a mazda 6 wagon from Europe could just buy one and ship it over with minimal fuss. or a JDM specific version etc. like there are a ton more small pickups available in South America and Australia than in the US. So if I wanted a current gen Ford Ranger, since it isnt sold in the US, I could just easily pick one up in Belize or Guatemala and ship it up here.

zoom44

The 3s have been selling really well here too. they are becoming nearly as ubiquitous as Subarus. If AWD was available here we'd be tripping over them.

northzone

Personally I believe that unless you are out on a lot of unpaved/unplowed country roads AWD is over purchased for most drivers. For those people that never leave the pavement, there may be 1 or 2 days a year when it snows enough to hang up your car but otherwise smart use of the throttle and good winter tires will usually get you where you need to go. Having many decades of driving FWD cars through the snow and ice I haven't had many instances where I couldn't get to my destination. Additionally the reduced traction encourages me to drive more cautiously in bad conditions, the AWD helps people go faster sooner but then the they slide into trouble because of the extra speed. Covering almost 45K km or 30k miles a year with 4-5 months of winter does not lead me to be a regularly slow driver. I will admit this area usually doesn't get a foot or more of snow at a time it just builds up consistently in smaller amounts.

zoom44

the awd here isnt for driving in the snow. its to compete with Subie. this area buys more Subies then like half of the rest of the US combined because folks go out to the forests/mountains etc on the weekends where the roads to camping and hiking trailheads are rutted gravelly muddy things. they like their AWD Subaru or that.

UnknownJinX

Exactly.

AWD doesn't mean anything if your tires are hard as rocks. If anything, most people tend to think that "AWD = no need for winter tires", while people who DD their RWD probably know that they definitely need winter tires.

hornbm

iTrader: (1)

I'd purchase AWD, not for snow or unpaved roads, but because FWD is garbage.

If I had my way, all road only cars would be RWD, but sadly that isn't the case. I'd take AWD over FWD any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

TomD_Cincy

iTrader: (2)

You make a perfectly logical argument and one I personally agree with. However, we have these things called governments that are typically anything but logical and need to justify getting their own cut.

ASH8

Our Government was about to pass into law where Any Private buyer could import a close to brand new (or brand new) car without the BS, provided it was under 12 months of age and the buyer could do it only once every 3 years, I think less than 15,000KM and must be Right Hand Drive, so that restricts us to Right Hand Drive countries like UK, Japan, NZ, SA.
New import businesses were setting up to be brokers.
Then the local Auto Industry made a fuss and plan has now been abandoned after 4 years of work..
Think of all those great Japan made cars we never see...
Don't you love Government Bureaucrats who have not got a clue and listen to lobbyists, particularly now as Australia no longer makes any cars here, so we have nothing to protect.

hornbm

iTrader: (1)

Well they announced it today, but seems like its a FWD only affair, and obviously no wagon (not that there was a chance in hell of that happening in the USA anyway)

I do like everything else. The interior continues to get better and better.

ASH8

Some press details released here in Australia on the new 2018 Mazda 6.
We also get the 2.5l Turbo, but only in the Sedan.
The Wagon will continue with the 2.5 and all 2.5 models with Cylinder Deactivation (not Turbo AFAIK).
2.2 Diesel will also still be available.

No firm news on other configurations like RWD/AWD set ups. and Transmissions.

MattMPS

i have listened the press conference held by Mr. Moro, he was clear about a repositioning of the Brand (more close to German premium Brand), but the words about the Vision Coupé concept didin't exactly sounds good.

RWD or bust, Mr. Moro....."premium" and FWD is not good for a brand like Mazda.

77mjd

Of course...only A/T for the turbo engine in the US.

zoom44

AWD "being considered" for US market but Mazda's flavor of AWD (available on 2, 3 and 6 in Japan and CX-all everywhere) "CAN'T" be added to 2.5T sedan variants https://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...a6-122065.html

hornbm

iTrader: (1)

I wonder what the technical reason for that is. Since it is only available on the diesel models in Japan, torque can't be the problem.

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

I see significantly more Mazda6's in California versus the North East. Given the fact that California does not see harsh weathers often (which would benefit from AWD), I suspect that is the reason why Mazda has yet to import an AWD Mazda6 variant. Also, the dealership network in the North East is horrible at best.

I will give Mazda two years to come up with something that won't remind me of its base economy platform. This recent release of the 2.5T refresh of the Mazda6 without AWD gives me little hope of what is to come within my time frame.

UnknownJinX

I am not surprised.

Do you see Accord, Camry and Altima in AWD? No. You gotta step up to Acura, Lexus and Infiniti to find an AWD Sedan.

And what's the big deal with AWD anyway? Maybe if you live somewhere super snowy, it's helpful, but where I live, it mostly just adds weight and there is nothing you can't solve without winter tires. It may be good for that oddball year that has snow, but again, winter tires make it mostly non-issue.

Remember, if they can't sell enough of 6 in AWD, they won't do it. Honda killed the V6 and Coupe for the new Accord because not enough people bought them.

As for RWD Sedans... Go look for a BMW or Charger if that's a huge deal. It makes zero sense for any common family cars to have RWD. RWD means less interior space and more transmission loss, and not enough people give a crap about the handling on a family car.

ASH8

Dont get why the AWD can not be used in the 2.5T, after all the Mazdaspeed 6 with 2.3T had it and is still basically the same system.