New segment for Mazda

Mazda New Zealand is planning to launch the all new CX-3 compact crossover halfway through April. Andrew Clearwater, of Mazda NZ, hopes the marque can sell 150 per month depending on stock availability. “It's an all new segment of the market and one we don’t have any experience in,” he told Autofile. “But demand continues to grow and it’s on allocation because the expectation is demand will be very strong all around the world, particularly in Europe where there has been a move to smaller, lower-emission vehicles.” Demand is rising for smaller SUVs. In January Mitsubishi’s ASX sold 168 units, beating the much larger Toyota Highlander by three units. Clearwater says the ASX is the CX-3’s closest competitor and he’s excited about having a product in this segment. “If you don’t have a product in your range, chances are you will lose customers to other marques that offer that product.” The car will come with either the 2.2-litre SkyActiv-G petrol or a 1.5-litre SkyActiv-D diesel engine, both mated to six-speed automatic transmissions, across three model grades. “What’s revealing is the strong swing towards petrol, perhaps another damning indicator on the meddlesome effect of road user charges on that engine size,” says Clearwater. “Regardless of that the model’s diesel engine is one of the best in the business.” The marque expects to sell 150,000 CX-3s a year, and says the United States would be one of its biggest market. In Japan, Mazda expects to sell 36,000 annually. Mazda is counting on the new offering to make inroads into emerging markets and help flesh out capacity at the company’s Hiroshima assembly plant, the CX-3’s only manufacturing site. That plant has annual capacity of 515,000 vehicles and also makes the CX-5 and CX-9 crossovers, as well as the MPV minivan and the MX-5 Miata sporty car. Mazda shifted Mazda2 compact production to its Hofu plant, from Hiroshima, to make room for the CX-3.