Mazda’s rapidly evolving lineup is moving in several different directions at once.
Smaller vehicles are getting more luxurious on the high trims but remaining affordable at the base. A new rear-wheel-drive, large-product platform is being developed to take on premium brands. And there’s a greater focus on all-wheel drive, even on cars.
Meanwhile, the Japanese brand is planning hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, some likely using technology from automotive partner Toyota. The two automakers are near completion of a joint-venture assembly plant in Alabama that will build distinct vehicles for each of them.
For Mazda’s current small-platform vehicles, the Mazda3 sedan/hatchback was redesigned for 2019, and the CX-30 crossover was new for 2020. The top-selling CX-5 is ready for a significant freshening. And the Mazda6 midsize sedan and CX-3 subcompact crossover are discontinued.
Mazda’s large-product platform under development will use longitudinal four-cylinder, plug-in hybrid and six-cylinder engines, according to a product presentation during the automaker’s earnings report in May.
In June, Mazda said it would introduce 13 electrified vehicles by about 2025, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric models. By 2030, all models will have some form of electrification, and 25 percent will be EVs, the company said. The automaker is also working on a rotary engine range extender for the MX-30 EV, which goes on sale in California this year.
Mazda3: The compact sedan and hatchback were redesigned for the 2019 model year and have been regularly updated, including with the addition of a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine on upper trims and a 2.0-liter nonturbo gasoline engine on the base model for the 2021 model year. Higher trims offer awd. It will be due for a freshening in 2022 and a redesign in 2024.
Mazda6: The midsize sedan is discontinued following the 2021 model year. But it will likely be revived, possibly in late 2022, on a rwd platform, with awd optional, and feature new engines including an inline six-cylinder to better take on premium rivals. A freshening is possible in 2025.
MX-5 Miata: The two-door sports car is expected to mostly carry over in its soft-top and retractable-roof versions for the 2022 model year. A freshening with hybrid is likely by 2025.
MX-30: Mazda is calling the MX-30 a small crossover EV. But it is clearly a niche vehicle, with quirky hatchback styling, a 35.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack with just 100 miles of range and initial availability only in California for the 2022 model year.
When it goes on sale this year, the well-equipped base version will start at $34,645, including shipping. The MX-30 will qualify for federal and state tax breaks for EVs. Mazda is working on a rotary engine range extender for the MX-30 and is expected to sell that version in additional states in late 2022.
CX-3: The subcompact crossover introduced for the 2016 model year is discontinued after the 2021 model year.
CX-30: New for the 2020 model year and available with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine at launch, the CX-30 added a turbocharged motor for 2021 with exclusive trim levels to challenge premium rivals. It carries over for the 2022 model year, with likely tweaks to feature content and color choices. A freshen should come in 2023.
CX-5: Redesigned for the 2017 model year and regularly updated over the years with new engine choices and higher trim options, the compact crossover is due for a significant freshening this year.
CX-50: Speculation is that the CX-5 will get a larger sibling, the CX-50, next year. This is likely the vehicle that Mazda will launch out of the Alabama factory, with the new large-product architecture and a new inline six-cylinder engine. It’s expected to go on sale in the first half of 2022. The plant could also produce a hybrid version of the CX-50, perhaps with an inline four-cylinder engine. A freshening could come in 2025.
CX-70: Reports say Mazda has patented the CX-70 name, indicating that it will be a vehicle on the new large-product architecture, possibly in 2023.
CX-9: Mazda’s three-row large crossover is due for a redesign, possibly in 2024. The second generation was introduced for the 2016 model year with a stylish exterior but less interior space than rivals. However, the next generation is likely to be called the CX-90 and use the new large-vehicle architecture.