MattMPS

they will sell well the SUV variants of their platforms .... (Small and Large)

Mazda need an all new CX-5* successor , call it CX-50 if you want, switch to longitudinal engine if you want, but in 2021 you need to have a new SUV into lineup.

*and cx-9 and so on.

gwilliams6

In the USA buyers want SUVs, not sedans. That is why more major USA car makers are killing off many of their sedans and concentrating on what sales, NOT on what doesn't sell anymore. If Mazda can't see that and persists to waste money on sedan development and releases, then it deserves its fate. I am a Mazda owner since 1972, sedans and sports cars, but Mazda needs to read the writing on the wall. And SUV buyers don't want handling over utility either. Mazda may make some of the best driving SUVs, but they are not leading in their utility and spaciousness.

UnknownJinX

The world is not just USA(unless 200 stole your account), though. Ford still sells Sedans in Europe. Sure, SUVs are popular, but I think another reason is that Ford Sedans don't sell well compared to their Japanese competitors. Outside of places that have a passion for domestics, you'd be lucky to see 1 Ford Focus(that's not an ST or RS) or Chevy Cruze for every 100 Honda Civics or even Mazda 3s. Manufacturers still have to sell something outside of North America and maybe China, the two places where SUVs are popular.

And honestly, given the way Mazda is, competing head-on with and trying to make toasters like giants like Toyota/GM/VW is suicide. Being a smaller company, it will never achieve the same economy of the scale as these giants so Mazda vehicles will always be more expensive. I think they need to focus on a specific audience to survive. What that audience is, that's up to Mazda to figure out, but IMO this is the way a small manufacturer should head to.

There are many examples outside of car industry. In gaming console industry, Microsoft is having difficulty competing with Sony because they are trying to capture the same market but Microsoft always lags behind. Nintendo, on the other hand, has nothing to worry about since they try to capture a different audience.

If you can't beat them, don't join them, go around them.

gwilliams6

As a Mazda owner since 1972, I have seen Mazda try to compete with the big boys. Never really an option,and it never worked. Mazda is a company a fraction of their size and will never have their market share and larger dealership networks. . So Mazda has to survive by not just being good, but being smart. Right now their largest sales market is North America. So for Mazda to be smart, it has to give North America what buyers want here, less sedans , more SUVs, but with great utility as well as great handling.

And they need to market them better. Get away from the dumb ethereal ads and tell folks what they are really getting in their cars, not some wispy feeling, but real value items that stand out above the competition. And maybe even more important, and even harder to achieve, Mazda has to clean up its dealerships and their poor reputations with too few exceptions. As independent dealers that is a harder problem for Mazda to get on top of. But buyers have dealer loyalty as strong as brand loyalty and we need more good Mazda dealerships and good dealership experiences for buyers here. Clean that up and you have half the problem solved. I have know terrible Mazda dealers and great ones. The great ones had loyal customers like me that came back, year after year, and brought their friends too.

Of course Mazda has to market its different products in a way the suits each geographical and cultural demographic of buyers. i can't speak for EU, Asia, or elsewhere. i can only make experienced observations about the North America marketplace.

UnknownJinX

All well said.

Mazda seems to be picking up some clues about the North American market with the CX-30 and it sounds like they will be continuing the trend.

Utility is definitely where Mazda lags behind a little. I sat in a last gen Mazda 3 before. The rear is very cramped compared to a Civic even though they are in the same class. The 6 rear feels like a Civic. Not good. I don't know if that's improved on the new 3.

I don't know how they will Purge the dealer network and I think it will be a long battle for sure. If they truly want to go luxury, that is a problem they need to figure out.

The RWD platform isn't a bad idea, but I hope they make sure it can be adapted to SUVs because if it's just for Sedans, they are in trouble.

Lastly, I know Mazda said "oh we don't like small turbo engines" and all, but in countries with displacement restrictions and taxes, cut that crap. Mazda 3 was getting its butt handed to Civic in China with its puny 1.5 engine and I have read that 2.0X won't be available there. FFS, put a turbo on the 1.5. That NA 1.5 engine doesn't belong on anything that's not a 2 or maybe the Miata.

MattMPS

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-new...llow-for-77538

yes it is.

BTW, outside US, consumers are vastly switch to CUV/CUV models also here in EU, Just smaller in terms of size.

1.5 liter MX-5 is not that bad (i've tested one briefly) and only marginally slower the a 2.0 160 hp version, a lot of tests confirm that.

ASH8

Here is yet another one for you..

Remember I posted about all the Skyactiv Diesel problems that EU and AU had since it introduction in early 2012 (CX-5).

Well it has just been on the market in USA for what 6 months or less, and guess what, ALL of the issues are happening again in regard to engine reliability, oil rising,.warning lights, Dealers not knowing what to do. etc, etc.

Mazda why do you do this you know this engine is not good with it's ultra low compression (supposed to be a feature).

UnknownJinX

Interesting, I guess the high ground clearance is beneficial.

1.5 works for 2 and MX-5 because they aren't that heavy, but on a 3 it's just underpowered, period. When it takes 10+ seconds from 0 to 60, that's just pathetic.

Diesel is never really popular here. Where I live now, diesel is more expensive than gas. Just a week or two ago, super premium/94 AKI/98 RON gasoline was actually cheaper than diesel. Add that the CX-5 diesel isn't that much more fuel efficient than the gas version, I can't see how it would succeed.

Again, can't see why anyone would pick a diesel over hybrid nowadays. The latter has great fuel mileage and low-end torque, but Toyota's Synergy is pretty much bulletproof nowadays, and for people who are worried about batteries crapping out, most of them have a lengthy battery warranty so that's also not a concern.

That said, oil rising isn't a Mazda-only challenge. Some other manufacturers(*cough*Honda*cough*) with econo turbocharged engines have this challenge as well. If I am not such a manual trans nerd, I would probably just go for a hybrid.

And the dealer network has been an issue as people pointed out... Sounds like the RX-8 all over again because it's not a gas piston engine.

yomomspimp06

just saw an article for diesel mazda6 coming stateside... Mazda why are you so far behind on everything?

This new i6 better be a godsend. You need a reliable powerhouse to compete.

ShellDude

iTrader: (12)

why do you think you'd get banned for pointing out the obvious. Tesla is eating everyone's lunch in the car market. yo cybertruck.... just wait till it takes hold