Mazda 6 sales baffles me..what's wrong?

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koolestj

Member
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2014 Mazda 6 GT
Feb 2016 sales down to 3k compared to 5k last year. I don't get it. Can someone explain what is going on? I just don't want to see Mazda killing another product where competitors are selling in 6 digits. What can Mazda possibly do to bump up sales?
Is there an image issue with the 6? The reviews have been rave but it's just not sync-ing with people or perhaps the great majority of them are oblivious.
 
I just picked up my 2016 mazda6 on Saturday, so I can say I at least contributed to the 3000. I really don't understand why more people don't drive mazdas, I keep trying to get my friends to try mazda and they are always like "no I don't like mazda" so I ask why and they stare at me like a deer in a headlight because they don't know why. I really think like you said, people are oblivious. They are happy riding in their silver toyota and think mazda is still just a rebadged ford
 
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EvansMazda said:
...and think mazda is still just a rebadged ford
Click to expand...
I agree with this. The association with Ford back in the 90's and 00's when they were garbage has tarnished the brand. Slowly I think it's coming back but most people don't know/realize that Ford hasn't had influence for almost a decade. I know I had to get past my previous notions before I just bought my first Mazda in December...
 
I also think mazda needs to rethink their ad campaign on tv because their current one is a little too happy happy perfect family with the slow narration, and I don't think it's resonating with people. I think darken up the ads, make them sexy with some deep house/trance instrumental showing the car at night, keep the logo dark, lose the zoom zoom scroll. Show people mazda is competing with acura and high end cars for much less money.
 
My work parking lot has several new Mazda 6 so we must not be the norm. I do know younger people from the office like my car, and older people don't. What the younger crowd likes, the older crowd dislikes:

Loud startup bark from the exhaust.
Coarse midrange noise/vibration from the 2.5 when under moderate/heavy load.
Low roofline, low step in height.
Road noise and heavily damped suspension.

This car has too much flavor/character, not enough advertising, and a weak dealer base to sell like the other blandmobiles in its class.
 
Car buyers have serious ADD

Sent from the wrong side of the tracks.
 
People still see Mazda's as cheaper cars in every way. When friends ride in my new Mazda6 they are impressed and always make a comment about how much Mazda has improved. Mazda needs a marketing campaign similar to how Buick is going after younger buyers.
 
Agreed. They need to spend money to make money.

Sent from the wrong side of the tracks.
 
IMO, Mazdas marketing strategy is lacking.
1) You can't order a car equipped the way you want, you have to pick from whatever Mazda decided to build.
2) "Packages" that make you pay for lots of stuff you absolutely hate to get one tiny thing you want.
3) I wanted a station wagon. Mazda decided they don't want to sell them in the US. Without that, it's just
another mid-size sedan, and no matter how good a car it might be, that's a crowded market to compete in.
- Rick in NW Ohio
 
Mazda wins all the comparison tests and are generally highly regarded by the press. But you would never know this from their ads. They need to brag about this as well.
 
So my friend mentioned to me he was ready to trade in his scion for a new car, I mentioned Mazda and he scoffed at me "I don't want a mazda!" I asked why, and he couldn't give me an answer other than he didn't want a mazda. Today at work one of my coworkers said they wanted a new car, I offered to show him my brand new mazda6 and offered him the card of my salesman, "I don't want a mazda!" Again I asked why, again I couldn't get an answer. People hate mazda for no reason, I don't see that with any other car company.
 
Same here.
I have 2 Mazdas in my garage.
I got asked "Why?" all the times.
Once they sit in my Mazda6, they appreciate it.
I showed my co-worker my wife's Mazda3, and he got one soon after for his wife.

Mazda has serious image problem. That's why the sales does not pick up as expected.
Anyway, I do not want Mazda6 everywhere I go anyway. (like Camrys and Accords)
 
ceric said:
Same here.
I have 2 Mazdas in my garage.
I got asked "Why?" all the times.
Once they sit in my Mazda6, they appreciate it.
I showed my co-worker my wife's Mazda3, and he got one soon after for his wife.

Mazda has serious image problem. That's why the sales does not pick up as expected.
Anyway, I do not want Mazda6 everywhere I go anyway. (like Camrys and Accords)
Click to expand...

I agree, I'd rather not see a million of my car on the road. It just baffles me how negative people are about mazda, I don't get it.
 
Here in my neighborhood there are several new mazdas. At least here in the suburbs of NYC Mazda is very popular. Although not as popular as accord or other vanilla car they aren't hard to find.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
The 3s are far more popular here, just as the 3-series BMWs are far more popular that 5-series. Also around here, Hondas are like iPhones and Mazdas are like Lumia 950s. The 950 is better in almost every way, but the iPhone dominates the sales charts. Sheep don't necessarily follow the best.
 
Personally, I would prefer Mazda to keep things small. When VW announced around 2008 that they would be world's largest automaker by 2018, I knew my beloved brand would resort to filling up rental car fleets and cheapening their products. My fears came true, and I had to fire the brand in 2014 after 14 years of loyalty. Look at VW now with their "dieselgate" scandal!

Even though I'm new to Mazda, my 2015 Mazda 6 convinced me the brand's focus is on quality, not quantity. I hope they adhere to this philosophy. Besides, I don't want to be driving something that everyone and their mom has like an Accord or Camry.
 
Recover from bad image (reliability, quality, etc) is a slow and costly process.
It won't happen over night or 1-2 years.
Mazda is on the right track. Everyone who sat in my car agreed.
They were surprised by the *new* Mazdas.
 
Which era of Mazdas do people consider subpar?

I don't know much about their pre-'83 stuff but the 80's Mazdas were seen as pretty good... all the way through '92.

Were the '90's overall seen as bad?

'83 626 was Motor Trend car of the year.

img-334106-1-1983_MotorTrend_April_Cover.jpg


My parents had an '87 626 LX they ran until 2010 when they picked up a '10 3 5-door.

My wife had a '96 Protege that was her first new car and that was as solid as they get and never saw the dealer once. IIRC this model was still made in Japan unlike the 626 of the 90's. It's 1.5L struggled on acceleration front but got a consistent 32-35MPG no matter how hard your drove it.
 
All of these posts must be from new Mazda owners who have no clue what the company is about. Mazda makes cars for the car enthusiast not the popular market. Those that appreciate turning radius, handling, acceleration, etc. For those that say Mazda aren't reliable must have never seen a Miata, Protg, or the lowest cost of ownership award they have won numerous times (currently 7 years running).

Sent using Moto Fo Sho Doe
 
dagrimey1 said:
All of these posts must be from new Mazda owners who have no clue what the company is about. Mazda makes cars for the car enthusiast not the popular market. Those that appreciate turning radius, handling, acceleration, etc. For those that say Mazda aren't reliable must have never seen a Miata, Protg, or the lowest cost of ownership award they have won numerous times (currently 7 years running).

The OP was commenting in how mazda6 sales have dropped significantly. I know mazda will never beat the big boys honda and toyota, but I think they are trying to. The miata is really their only "enthusiast" car left, the 3,6,cx3,cx5 and cx9 are all direct competition to their rivals. I still don't understand why people look at me like I have 3 heads when I mention mazda, it's almost like their disgusted by it.

Sent using Moto Fo Sho Doe
Click to expand...
 
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