Mazda NA product development strategy

Interesting interview. Thx for sharing. A few take aways.

1- he still couldn't confirm a diesel CX5 date for US.
2- acknowledged sales of their passenger cars suck.
 
banjos-n-beer said:
Interesting interview. Thx for sharing. A few take aways.

1- he still couldn't confirm a diesel CX5 date for US.
2- acknowledged sales of their passenger cars suck.
Click to expand...
Regarding #2: Can't very well deny that. But then so do everyone else's!
 
banjos-n-beer said:
Might explain why they just upped the standard equipment on the 2018 3s. If they could re-engineer those bottom panels like on the CX5 to address noise infiltration, they'd have a real winner on their hands.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/2018-mazda-3-more-standard-equipment-for-a-compact-segment-standout/
Click to expand...
IMO, Mazda would do well to improve the interior space utilization of the 3. The back seat is useless and there's not a lot of cargo space, even with the rear seat down. I noticed this in 2012 when I cross-shopped the old 3 against the CX-5 and again with the current gen 3 when I test drove one a month or so ago. Mazda just doesn't seem to know how do spacious interiors like Subaru (Imprezza) and Honda (Fit/Civic) do. Otherwise I would be glad to replace my CX-5 with a new 3!
 
Part of their problem is they just don't have any cars for owners to upgrade to.

So you have been driving a Mazda3 GT for a few years, what do you upgrade to? A Mazda6 GT that has the same engine as your Mazda3? What if you've been driving a Mazda6 GT? Same problem, there is no car to upgrade to in their lineup. Same issue with the CX-5. Without cars to upgrade to and after owners have tried their best models, those owners will move on to other cars from other brands. They need to figure out a way to keep their owners buying Mazdas and to attract more people to the brand.
 
I think Mazda sides with vanity over function. Look at the belt lines on the 3. Rear seating visibility is meh, even slightly claustrophobic as some have mentioned. But they can't do much until the do a full redesign.

I totally agree about the space. It was tight, but I could fit two 75-80 lb Bernese Mountain Dogs back there with the seats down.. barely. Space was one of the reasons I swapped out the 3 for the CX5 a few years back.
 
finch204 said:
Part of their problem is they just don't have any cars for owners to upgrade to.

So you have been driving a Mazda3 GT for a few years, what do you upgrade to? A Mazda6 GT that has the same engine as your Mazda3? What if you've been driving a Mazda6 GT? Same problem, there is no car to upgrade to in their lineup. Same issue with the CX-5. Without cars to upgrade to and after owners have tried their best models, those owners will move on to other cars from other brands. They need to figure out a way to keep their owners buying Mazdas and to attract more people to the brand.
Click to expand...


No kidding, who wants to pay $35k for a Mazda6 with 184HP? This is a primary reason why their customer retention rate is near the bottom.
 
Mazda was gonna get raped if Trump had enacted some of his protectionist policies. Without any US stateside production their prices could have skyrocketed. I see this as a smart strategic alliance and hedge.
 
Hope Toyota doesn't infect Mazda with their white goods/appliance mentality.
 
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