Mazda6 & CX-3 discontinued

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Mazda announced Friday it will be discontinuing its 6 sedan and its CX-3 crossover for the United States after the 2021 model year.

"For more than 100 years, Mazda has successfully navigated shifting consumer needs and an ever-changing industry with beautifully designed vehicles that are fun to drive," Mazda said in a brief press release. "As consumer interests continue to evolve, Mazda will discontinue CX-3 and Mazda6 for the 2022 model year. Although these two vehicles will be leaving our lineup, we are proud of the performance, design, quality, and safety they contributed to our brand."

The current Mazda 6, now on its third generation since 2012, has been for sale for nearly two decades. The most memorable variant, the sporty Mazdaspeed 6, made 274 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 2.3-liter engine, sending power to all four wheels via a manual transmission. We praised the car's first-rate handling, overall grip, and competent all-wheel-drive system in our first drive review back when it was new.

The CX-3, introduced in 2015 to capitalize on the growing market for small, affordable crossovers, received a refresh in 2018 and then another in 2020. We called it "as happy as a golden retriever puppy with a new tennis ball when the roads get twisty" in our first drive review.

While we're sad to see the 6 go, not all hope is lost. Mazda is planning to introduce a new line of models with inline-six engines and rear-wheel-drive architectures soon. So a new, better version of the Mazda 6 could be right over the horizon. We'll have to wait and see.
 

Sulu

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Although enthusiasts will mourn, this should not really come as a surprise to anyone; I have been wondering when this would happen. Mazda has stubbornly hung on to these models (the Mazda 6 especially, with the same model selling for 10 years now).

The CX-3 is just too small for North American tastes. A neighbour with 2 adult children (and the son's girlfriend) leased a CX-3. The children preferred to drive/ride in the daughter's Hyundai Elantra (which seemed to have about the same footprint as the CX-3) than ride in the backseat of the crossover.

The Mazda 6 never really seemed to catch on in North America and fewer people are shopping now for mid-size cars (with buyers migrating to crossovers). What demand there is can be easily supplied by the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry (in the mass market), and the BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class (in the luxury market and even these 2 models only sell a fraction of what they once did only a few short years ago).

The "I would buy [the Mazda 6]" is a popular argument on another Lexus forum but "I would buy..." is not enough to keep a model alive; too many people say that they would buy but not enough say they bought.
 

Ian Schmidt

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The "I would buy [the Mazda 6]" is a popular argument on another Lexus forum but "I would buy..." is not enough to keep a model alive; too many people say that they would buy but not enough say they bought.
There are a lot of "it's a great car, but I'm not buying one" cases amongst automotive enthusiasts. And then the business decision comes down on them, because it turns out nobody else was buying them either. I'm more surprised the Mazda 6 was still on sale than that it's been discontinued.
 

Sulu

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Mazda Canada cancels the Mazda 6 but keeps CX-3.


Mazda will be discontinuing its Mazda6 sedan in Canada and the U.S. at the end of the 2021 model year, but while it’s also dropping its CX-3 for American buyers, that smallest-and-least-expensive of its SUV lineup will be retained in Canada.

In a press release, Mazda Canada said it is ending production of the Mazda6, a midsize that is the company’s largest car, because it “faced adverse conditions in an ever-shrinking segment, as consumers abandoned sedans in favour of taller, more versatile crossover vehicles.”

Mazda Canada said it will “grow the crossover lineup” with the MX-30, its first battery-electric vehicle, along with an upcoming, all-new crossover that will be built in the United States. Production of the Mazda6 for Canada will end in July 2021.

So the MX-30 is coming (to Canada) as well as an all-new crossover (assumed to be the one built on a platform shared with Toyota).
 

Gor134

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I'm sure the 6 is being dropped to be replaced by the more premium supposed AWD (rwd based) platform model, likely using a new name too. But for now it's just rumours
 

mikeavelli

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The article mentions the 6 is coming back as RWD/I-6. The current one is one of my favorite sedans. Didnt age a day.
cX3 no one asked for.
 
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mmcartalk

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cX30 no one asked for.
Was that a typo?......Did you mean CX-3 or CX-30? The CX-30 not only is a better/more pleasant vehicle to drive, but is also outselling the CX-3, which is probably why the 30 is surviving and the 3 isn't.
 

mikeavelli

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Was that a typo?......Did you mean CX-3 or CX-30? The CX-30 not only is a better/more pleasant vehicle to drive, but is also outselling the CX-3, which is probably why the 30 is surviving and the 3 isn't.

sorry typo
 

Gecko

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Considering the point made above with "I would buy" not translating into sales, I have to wonder if Mazda is still actually considering a sedan replacement for the 6. Essentially, a near luxury/luxury lite RWD/AWD sedan would be competing with the Accord and Camry on one side (it's a Mazda), and the 3 Series, C Class, 5 Series, ES, TLX and E Class on the other side.

We all know that for consumers, the case is not as simple as "Oh, it's RWD so it's better," and in fact, many don't even know the difference... that's going to hurt Mazda if they're pinning their hopes of going premium on RWD (I don't think that platform will be RWD after all, as has been discussed.)

There's less and less volume in the sedan market every month, and at this point, I think it's pretty hard to justify a business case for how Mazda thinks they can carve out a meaningful piece among the competitive set above. That's sort of... automotive suicide, if you ask me. The time and resources would be better spent on CUVs and even "in-between" shapes like the LF-Z.

Just my .02
 

spwolf

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maybe there are some markets where it could work? I dont think Mazda is big in China, it could be good in Australia for instance or Russia?
Just like I see a lot of CX-3's and no CX-30s around my parts of Europe.
 

Sulu

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Mazda is welcome to try to introduce an upmarket replacement for the Mazda 6, with an I6 engine on a new, RWD-based platform. The enthusiast magazines would certainly cheer. But the opinion of the auto critics do not necessarily coincide with the opinions of the typical buyer.

Mazda does not need a premium, 6 cylinder-powered RWD sedan. Kia tried with the Stinger but Kia was trying to prove that it is a serious automaker that can build cars other than cheap econoboxes. Mazda does not have to do that because it already has a proven history as an automaker; Mazda has no need to try to prove itself. And while the Stinger may have been popular when first introduced, it too is fading into obscurity with annual sales comparable to the low numbers of the Mazda 6.

I am afraid that the new 6 will be fated to meet the same attitudes ("I would buy but... I like it but won't buy it because nobody else will"), and the small market for mass-market mid-size sedans and even smaller market for RWD-based mid-size sedans that the old 6 met.
 

mikeavelli

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Considering the point made above with "I would buy" not translating into sales, I have to wonder if Mazda is still actually considering a sedan replacement for the 6. Essentially, a near luxury/luxury lite RWD/AWD sedan would be competing with the Accord and Camry on one side (it's a Mazda), and the 3 Series, C Class, 5 Series, ES, TLX and E Class on the other side.

We all know that for consumers, the case is not as simple as "Oh, it's RWD so it's better," and in fact, many don't even know the difference... that's going to hurt Mazda if they're pinning their hopes of going premium on RWD (I don't think that platform will be RWD after all, as has been discussed.)

There's less and less volume in the sedan market every month, and at this point, I think it's pretty hard to justify a business case for how Mazda thinks they can carve out a meaningful piece among the competitive set above. That's sort of... automotive suicide, if you ask me. The time and resources would be better spent on CUVs and even "in-between" shapes like the LF-Z.

Just my .02

Yup. It’s not like the Explorer moving to RWD helps sales or image. It’s sad tbh.