The Mazda SUV lineup is due to expand massively with the Japanese car maker confirming that it is expanding its SUV lineup further from 2022. First cab off the rank will be the new CX-50, which will be sold alongside the similarly-sized CX-5 for the time being, while larger CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 models will also be released over the next few years. All models will use the brand’s new SkyActiv-X drivetrains – but in six-cylinder, petrol and diesel and even plug-in hybrid forms.
According to the company, “Making full use of development and production technological assets, such as SkyActiv technology, bundled planning and flexible production, which have been accumulated over time based on our Building Block strategy, we are able to expand our SUV lineup efficiently and with low investment, ensuring stable business growth over the medium to long-term.”
What Mazda SUVs are coming?
A whole lot more Mazda SUV products, that’s for sure. In addition to the new Mazda6, a continually rumoured high-performance sports car and even a rotary-powered range-extender electric vehicle, Mazda will launch no less than five new SUV models over the coming few years. Mazda’s SUV lineup is already widespread with the CX-3, CX-30, CX-5, CX-8, CX-9, MX-30 and even the CX-4 (which is only sold in China) already popular around the world.
January 2022 will see production kick off of the new CX-50, which is believed to be similar in size to the current CX-5 but will be more premium and sit on the company’s new rear- and all-wheel drive platform. It won’t directly replace the CX-5 initially, despite similar naming, but sit alongside it and take the company into a more premium part of the market. The CX-50 will be Mazda’s first model made in a new production facility in the US, which was developed as part of a joint venture with Toyota – it’ll also produce Toyota products.
Above the CX-50 will sit products in the company’s ‘Large Products Group’. Timing for these Mazda SUV products is yet to be announced, or any more details about the models themselves, but both a CX-60 (for Europe and Japan) and CX-70 (for North America) with five seats will be revealed soon, as well as a CX-80 (for Europe and Japan) and CX-90 (for North America).
Without knowing any further details about these Mazda SUVs, one possible guess at what these cars are would be that the CX-60 is a coupe-styled version of the CX-50 and the CX-70 a larger version of that (potentially sized like the Ford Endura). As for the CX-80 and CX-90, we predict that they’re similar to the current CX-8 and CX-9 as the CX-50 will be to the CX-5 – that the CX-80 will only be sold in Europe and Japan like the CX-8, and the CX-90 will only be sold in North America, adds further fuel to the fire.
What will power these new Mazda SUVs?
While Mazda is yet to give full powertrain details, it has confirmed that the latest generation of SkyActiv-X compression ignition drivetrains will be offered in its new range of SUVs. For Europe, a new range of plug-in hybrid drivetrains matched to four-cylinder petrol engines, as well as the new six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines matched to mild-hybrid systems.
For the North American market, the same six-cylinder turbo petrol engines will be offered, but there will also be be plug-in hybrid versions of the same engines thanks to that market’s love of more powerful engines. Mazda says that these engines will “meet customer requirements and respond to environmental regulations.”
What does that mean for Australia?
You may not realise it, but Australia is a very big important for Mazda globally and you can see that in the diversity of products the company sells here. We are one of only a few markets to get the full Mazda global catalogue and that could be a clue as to what of these new SUVs may be offered here: potentially all of them. Of course, that’s just speculation but Mazda Australia fought hard to offer both the CX-8 and CX-9 locally, even when they’re very similar products, and we imagine it doing the same for these new SUVs.
As for drivetrains, we predict the best of both the European market and North American market engines coming Down Under. That means that we’ll see both four-cylinder, plug-in hybrid, as well as larger six-cylinder engines in both petrol and diesel forms.
What Mazda SUVs are coming:
- CX-50 (to sit alongside CX-5; for North America)
- CX-60 (new model; for Europe and Japan)
- CX-70 (new model; for North America)
- CX-80 (potential CX-8 replacement; for Japan and Europe)
- CX-90 (potential CX-9 replacement; for North America)
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