Mazda's commitment to budget-friendly vehicles

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【Summary】Mazda Australia is not abandoning its more affordable models despite launching expensive new models. The company understands the budget constraints of buyers and wants to offer a more upmarket position without completely repositioning the brand. They plan to offer more choices, including a new-generation replacement for the Mazda CX-5 midsize SUV. While the brand has aging models in its affordable range, there are updates coming soon.

FutureCar Staff Aug 17, 2023 9:52 AM PT

Mazda's commitment to budget-friendly vehicles

MAZDA Australia is committed to offering more affordable models alongside its push towards a more premium brand status. While the company has recently launched expensive models like the Mazda CX-60 and CX-90, which have been criticized for their high prices, Mazda Australia's managing director, Vinesh Bhindi, emphasized that these models are part of a strategy to retain consumers and offer something different, rather than a complete brand repositioning.

According to Bhindi, Mazda Premium is about providing technology-based features, powertrain options, and luxury elements within the cars, while ensuring that the value proposition remains strong. The goal is to offer more choices to customers who want a slightly more premium experience than what the mainstream models like the CX-5, CX-8, and CX-9 provide.

However, Bhindi confirmed that Mazda will not abandon its more attainable options and is planning to introduce a new-generation replacement for the popular Mazda CX-5 midsize SUV. He also hinted at the possibility of a Mazda CX-80 joining the lineup once the CX-9 stops production, further expanding the choices available to customers.

While Mazda has some aging models in its more affordable range, such as the Mazda2 and CX-3, Bhindi could not confirm if there would be new-generation replacement models for these vehicles. He did mention that Mazda constantly updates its models and that affordable cars are not about to be abandoned.

Mazda's priorities moving forward include a scalable architecture designed for BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) technology. While Bhindi couldn't provide specific details about which models will be offered, he emphasized that Mazda Australia strives to bring all of Mazda's products to the Australian market, even if they are niche.

Currently, Mazda Australia offers 14 different models, with the affordable CX-3 light SUV leading in sales. It accounts for almost one-fifth of new Mazdas sold so far in 2023, with Mazda Australia selling a total of 58,731 units by the end of July this year.