Poll Who thinks the CX-60 is coming to North America?
- Thread starter Antoine
- Start date
Antoine
Administrator
Good point! By certified, do you mean safety-wise or emissions...All of the above? I would imagine that as a platform with shared drivetrains etc it wouldn't take much to certify for North America but that's just a thought, not certain...Food for thought!
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- Canada
Yeah I'm not really sure what it would entail. Maybe not much, but I think it would probably involve all of the above. I thought it might need a LHD conversion, but pictures on Mazda Australia's website show both LHD and RHD interiors. So maybe it'll be easier than I thought!
Ninja_Matt
Authorized Vendor
I think the CX-60 coming to North America is inevitable. It's already accepted that the CX-5 is being discontinued and being on its 7th year with this generation I think we will see one more model year of the CX-5 then it will be done for good. That will leave the 50, 70 and 90 and while that looks good on paper, there is just too much of a gap between the 50 and the 70, physically. The 50 is a great car, but I personally just do not see it filling the mold of the average CX5 buyer to replace it entirely.
I think Mazda knows the CX-60 will sell phenomenally well in North America, it is an incredibly important market for them, but with reduced costs in manufacturing the older CX-5 and limited manufacturing capacity in Japan (where their most important models are built for quality assurance), it makes more sense to juice every drop of profit from the CX-5 platform at high volume while CX-60 sales in other markets subsidize the 60s cost to manufacturer and they iron out any platform issues. Retooling a factory to build an entirely different vehicle takes time, my money is Mazda overproduces CX5s, stockpiles inventory for 2025 model year so they can sell those while they retool factories to handle high output of CX60s for the North American market and transition over for the 2026 model year.
Something is still fishy about the whole CX70 launch, a ton of speculation but I think they maybe intended to release the CX60 as a CX70 in the US initially, committed to dedicating production lines to increasing CX60s but then the CX90 ended up being wildly successful and perhaps they decided to use the existing CX90 production lines and tooling to build the CX70 instead since the CX5 is also still very popular and probably very profitable. Sacrifice profitable CX5 sales now to get the 60 out there? Or keep selling CX5s and use the existing CX90 production lines to lazily reach into the middle-ground size class with creative marketing to capture some extra sales at very little added production cost. Would love to hear Mazda answer this someday. I know the East Coast Director of Sales for MazdaUSA personally, I wonder if I could pry anything from him on this. I know he has some pretty deep insight on Mazda's North American product strategies. It was easier to get the scoops when I still worked for them however
I think Mazda knows the CX-60 will sell phenomenally well in North America, it is an incredibly important market for them, but with reduced costs in manufacturing the older CX-5 and limited manufacturing capacity in Japan (where their most important models are built for quality assurance), it makes more sense to juice every drop of profit from the CX-5 platform at high volume while CX-60 sales in other markets subsidize the 60s cost to manufacturer and they iron out any platform issues. Retooling a factory to build an entirely different vehicle takes time, my money is Mazda overproduces CX5s, stockpiles inventory for 2025 model year so they can sell those while they retool factories to handle high output of CX60s for the North American market and transition over for the 2026 model year.
Something is still fishy about the whole CX70 launch, a ton of speculation but I think they maybe intended to release the CX60 as a CX70 in the US initially, committed to dedicating production lines to increasing CX60s but then the CX90 ended up being wildly successful and perhaps they decided to use the existing CX90 production lines and tooling to build the CX70 instead since the CX5 is also still very popular and probably very profitable. Sacrifice profitable CX5 sales now to get the 60 out there? Or keep selling CX5s and use the existing CX90 production lines to lazily reach into the middle-ground size class with creative marketing to capture some extra sales at very little added production cost. Would love to hear Mazda answer this someday. I know the East Coast Director of Sales for MazdaUSA personally, I wonder if I could pry anything from him on this. I know he has some pretty deep insight on Mazda's North American product strategies. It was easier to get the scoops when I still worked for them however
Antoine
Administrator
Right...Great point about LHD and RHD, very interesting to note that Mazda Australia shows both!
@Ninja_Matt Glad to know I'm not alone on this haha...Great to have your industry viewpoint, your case makes a lot of sense. So you think we'll see the CX-60 in North America for the 2026 model year...I'm looking forward to it! It will be fun to look back at this thread and see if these predictions come true.
You mentioned Mazda USA connections, if you hear anything, please do let us know!
N7turbo
2023 CX-5 2.5T
Not sure why this keeps going around when Mazda says it is not.
And I do not want a bigger, heavier CX-60.
Ninja_Matt
Authorized Vendor
I shot him a text just now, let's see how willing to share he is
The CX-5 is a great platform, I've owned 4 of them since 2017MY, but most people are not enthusiasts and the reality is more space and luxury, especially given Mazda's trajectory and clear upmarket motives, is the exact direction the CX-5 class vehicle is going to go for Mazda.
Mazda has made their nomenclature clear, it would be against their marketing strategy to renew the CX-5 nameplate and keep the lineup CX30, CX50, CX5, CX70, CX90. If they call it a CX60 I think its just too direct of a fumble when a real CX60 exists elsewhere. I think they may stretch the platform out another year or two but I don't see them investing in a replacement model refresh when at that point it would make more sense to have the CX60 production expanded to fill in the demand gaps (and reduce per unit production costs).
I also think for the masses (the people that actually pay the bills for manufacturers) there is more business to be gained by moving up in size (aka CX5 -> CX60) than they will lose by purist who want the more athletic CX5, sure a small minority may be lost to the brand entirely over it, but realistically most will either gladly move up to the roomier, luxurious CX-60 at that point or move 'down' a hair to the CX-50.
CX-5 is a great platform and arguably fueled Mazda's success to where they are today, but I think it's time is up. If it wasn't, why not a major refresh yet like they had after the initial 4.5 production years? This isn't a Miata, 7 years is a long damn time for a sales-leading crossover platform and bravo for CX5 for standing the test of time.
Now, if Mazda surprises us with a redesigned CX-5 and markets it as a CX-55 then dinner on me
Ninja_Matt
Authorized Vendor
So far, he is unsure of the model naming but "to his understanding it will be using the CX-60 platform". Still tbd exactly what that means if it will be the same body as the 60 entirely or if it will just share the bones and get a North American exclusive body/model name - either way I would say its safe to to say the CX-60 is coming to North America in some form. No confirmation of MY or timing, but I said I expected 26MY and I was not corrected.
LHD conversion won’t be an issue for the CX-60. All of Europe uses LHD. (Except the UK).
Powertrain is already in service in the Cx-90. Probably just need crash testing and fuel economy testing. And some minor lights adjustments.
N7turbo
2023 CX-5 2.5T
I like Chinese and Japanese foodThe CX-5 is a great platform, I've owned 4 of them since 2017MY, but most people are not enthusiasts and the reality is more space and luxury, especially given Mazda's trajectory and clear upmarket motives, is the exact direction the CX-5 class vehicle is going to go for Mazda.
Mazda has made their nomenclature clear, it would be against their marketing strategy to renew the CX-5 nameplate and keep the lineup CX30, CX50, CX5, CX70, CX90. If they call it a CX60 I think its just too direct of a fumble when a real CX60 exists elsewhere. I think they may stretch the platform out another year or two but I don't see them investing in a replacement model refresh when at that point it would make more sense to have the CX60 production expanded to fill in the demand gaps (and reduce per unit production costs).
I also think for the masses (the people that actually pay the bills for manufacturers) there is more business to be gained by moving up in size (aka CX5 -> CX60) than they will lose by purist who want the more athletic CX5, sure a small minority may be lost to the brand entirely over it, but realistically most will either gladly move up to the roomier, luxurious CX-60 at that point or move 'down' a hair to the CX-50.
CX-5 is a great platform and arguably fueled Mazda's success to where they are today, but I think it's time is up. If it wasn't, why not a major refresh yet like they had after the initial 4.5 production years? This isn't a Miata, 7 years is a long damn time for a sales-leading crossover platform and bravo for CX5 for standing the test of time.
Now, if Mazda surprises us with a redesigned CX-5 and markets it as a CX-55 then dinner on me
Next-generation Mazda CX-5 confirmed, due 2025
Mazda's best-selling model globally will not be a casualty of the company's new range of higher-priced, six-cylinder SUVs.
Antoine
Administrator
Excellent, thanks for the rapid response and info…So does this mean there is a possibility we will see a new 2026 model designed to replace the CX-5 based on the CX-60 in North America..? Very intriguing…I like “CX-55”!
Ps…Actually it could be called the CX-40…Hmm…That said, why not just stick with CX-60 (especially if it’s based on the more premium CX-60)…Hmm…Very intriguing…
Ninja_Matt
Authorized Vendor
Bookmark this, new body CX-5 or CX-55 are the terms - this dinner will happen!I like Chinese and Japanese food
Next-generation Mazda CX-5 confirmed, due 2025
Mazda's best-selling model globally will not be a casualty of the company's new range of higher-priced, six-cylinder SUVs.www.drive.com.au
Based on what @N7turbo shared, it seems we may actually see an "adjacent" model to the CX-60 sharing a platform but designed to be more of a successor to the CX-5. I still am skeptical on the use of the name of CX-5 for a new redesign model and I feel like if they stick to CX-5 dimensions they are still leaving a gap for the CX-60 class, but then if they offered a CX-50, CX-5 and CX-60 that would be too crowded.
Very curious to see how this one plays out, but at the end of the day if I can get my hands on an I6 Mazda SUV with a shorter wheelbase than the 70/90 - I'm a happy camper
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- ‘19 CX-5 GTR Tu
If Mazda was smart, they would make a Mazda speed CX six or 70. I would prefer the CX 5/CX 50 with the in-line six with the eight speed. Install the twin turbo in-line, six with the eight speed transition. Or at the very least to a Mazda speed 3/6 with the in-line six twin turbo. Most people do not want manual Transmissions. And also launch control would be a plus but I’m sure the aftermarket would be able to sort that out.
