The Mazda CX-4 is essentially a more style-centric variant of the Mazda CX-5.
But you can’t have it. The Mazda CX-4 is for China alone.
The upcoming Mazda CX-8, meanwhile, straddles the middle ground between the CX-5 and CX-9: smaller than a CX-9, but still roomy enough to squeeze in a third row of seats, unlike the CX-5.
Our interest in the CX-8 was piqued when the right-hand-drive Mazda was seen parked on Chicago streets two months ago. But Mazda wouldn’t budge: this was no sign that the CX-8 was bound for America. Instead, the CX-8 is intended only to serve a purpose as Mazda’s large vehicle in Japan, where the CX-9 is too big.
It seems, however, that the Mazda CX-8 is destined for the export market after all.
Just as in the United States, where Mazda’s blossoming crossover lineup would do well to be expanded — Mazda USA now produces 54 percent of its sales via the CX-3, CX-5, and CX-9 — Mazda’s Australia outpost would also like to get its hands on more utility vehicles.
The key difference: Mazda is a bit player in the United States, claiming less than 2 percent of the market through 2017’s first six months. Mazda Australia, on the other hand, is a powerhouse by comparison. More than 10 percent of the new vehicles sold in Australia so far this year were Mazdas. Only Toyota sells more new vehicles.
The Mazda 3 is Australia’s fourth-best-selling vehicle; the second-best-selling car. Mazda’s CX-5 is Australia’s top-selling SUV/crossover; the CX-3 ranks fifth.
If Mazda Australia garners this kind of success with a limited lineup, how much more damage might be done with a fourth utility vehicle?
Wheels reports that the CX-8’s inclusion in Mazda’s 2018 lineup Down Under is not yet finalized, but, “Mazda Australia is confident the CX-8 will form a part of the growing model line-up.”
Of course, the respective success of Mazda in the U.S. and Australia is not the only key distinction. The CX-8 was intended to be a JDM vehicle only. JDM equals right-hand drive. Likewise, Australia is a right-hand-drive market.
Thus, don’t hold your breath for the CX-8 to arrive in America just because Mazda seems willing to adjust product plans for the Aussies. The 2018 Mazda CX-8 debuts in production form in Tokyo in October 2017.
[Image: Mazda]
Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars.
So the inverted photo must be of the Australian market version, right?
Royt!
@NeilM
The article statistics shows you how far GM and Ford have fallen in Australia. Should add still falling
yes all car manufacturing ends in a few months down under, then Australia becomes a net importer of new cars.
rx8,
Australia has been a net importer of vehicles since the 80s.
Mazda is humming along there.
NeilM,
Our cameras invert the images automatically.
In the old days when film was used, it was easy to rotate the photograph when looking at the image.
Now with digital cameras you need to buy a Southern Hemisphere camera.
That sucks. This would make a nice replacement for our MKX.
Damn… Holden Commodore, Mazdas everywhere. I should of lived in Australia
Just get onto the Aussie immigration site and submit an application and see how it goes.
We proportionally have the largest intake of immigrants.
Taxes are good, overall as a product of GDP we are paying slightly less than the US. It’s just how it is taken is different.
Pay is okay, for workers, tradesman, etc you earn more than the US. Professionals probably make slightly more in the US.
Pay in Australia is good for workers and tradies. Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you should have a large paypacket.
Mazda…Now with Roller Coaster Seating!
Do they have gravity down in Australia these days?
28,
No. We never had gravity at all. That’s why mining is cheap. The minerals literally fall out of the ground.
3M in the US invented a Super Post It Note adhesive to apply to your tyres every 1 000 miles.
Awesome.
They have reverse gravity during the winter months in summer.
Still say that the CX9 as much as I like it is a half size to small. (interior wise) It needs to be Traverse sized and then bring over the CX8..
Thanks to terrible packaging, it’s a half size too small on the inside for sure. The footprint is plenty generous, however. A case of form over function if ever there was one.
Forget the CX-8, I want a CX-9-based CX-7. Kill the third row, shorten it up to 189″ on a 112″ wheelbase to split the difference between the 5 and 9. I would even consider the CX-9 if they offered a 2-row option (in Signature trim). But as it stands the third row’s only purpose from my perspective is to add weight and eat up a lot of usable cargo space.
You know you can completely remove the Third Row of CX-9 Seats and then Store them in a shed…. then car-boom you have a bigger trunk area.
You still have the blunted response and harder parking from that extra length and mass. OK, the CX-7 would hardly be a canyon carver, but I have an aversion to lugging around more mass than necessary.
Well, since the seats become the load floor when folded, I’m guessing the space would be even less useful without the seats.
Me too!