- :
- Denver, CO
It's a valid strategy, but not without its pissing off that customer base.
Mazda Appoints New CEO, Prioritises USA - Wonder If Any Immediate Impact On CX-5
- Thread starter Xeler8ing
- Start date
It's a valid strategy, but not without its pissing off that customer base.
- :
- Denver, CO
Bingo! Couldn't have articulated it better myself.
They might keep aspects of it but they are adding other things.
Look at it like this. If comic book movies kept strictly to the comic books then only the fan base would see it which is not viable. They have expanded it and therefore non comic book people are watching the movie.
Something similar seems to apply to Mazda
That's over there. Here it is working. Driver centric in all vehicles is there and that's why Mazda is number 2 in sales here.
Your marketing department there is the issue
- :
- Denver, CO
I disagree.
It's a different vehicle. There is a reason chromed out fake luxury Gen 2s with worse performance numbers, and albeit subjective, uglier styling (in my opinion), don't appeal to people like me. That's not a marketing thing. That's just straight up a different direction for their vehicles.
Edit: But as we say here: To each their own.
Last edited:
I don't really see that as the issue. They're not 'abandoning' performance people. They still sell the Miata, the 3 (even near EOL this gen) is still arguably the best driver in it's class, they just put a turbo in the 6, the next gen 3 looks like it will be sexy AF, apparently have AWD available and presumably the base 2.0L will have roughly the same power and better efficiency of today's 2.5L (with hopefully an even more powerful 2.5L 'X' version eventually available).
They sure don't offer much for those people to graduate to though. THAT's the problem IMO.
And as much as people I'm sure would love an RX-8 replacement...I just don't see it happening. there's no way they can 'win' that one. There's almost no way to do a rotary circa 2018 with emissions standards as they are and purists would NEVER let them get away with a non rotary one. And even if they did manage to make one (rotary or otherwise), it would sell in such low numbers it would either be a loss for a small company that can't really afford much losses or so expensive that even fewer people would buy them. That's a tough sell to a company scraping and clawing it's way to anything resembling relevancy here.
Might have better luck with a modern MX6 (which I'd LOVE) but even then, the regular 6 sells in such low volumes in N.A. that it hardly makes sense to go through the expense and trouble certifying another model of it. Particularly given industry trends from cars towards CUV's.
I also think a little patience is in order. They're just getting their footing after re-emerging from the Ford divorce. They're surviving on the deserved success of the CX5 while developing a crap tonne of new tech/motors/bringing in Toyoat hybrid tech, and trying to build off the success of their first gen SkyActiv platform success by starting a new cycle of cars starting with the 2019 3. The company is full of car people but let's let them catch their breath a bit and see what they come up with in the next few years. I could care less if it has the name 'MazdaSpeed' on it if they make some fantastic driving, powerful and awesome cars.
I found the Gen 1 to be more agricultural. Too noisy, looked to plainI disagree.
It's a different vehicle. There is a reason chromed out fake luxury Gen 2s with worse performance numbers, and albeit subjective, uglier styling (in my opinion), don't appeal to people like me. That's not a marketing thing. That's just straight up a different direction for their vehicles.
Edit: But as we say here: To each their own.
Agree each to their own
I found the Gen 1 to be more agricultural. Too noisy, looked to plain
Agree each to their own
I personally quite like 'grown up' Mazda. Nothing wrong with the 'elegance' they're adding IMO.
Keep the handling and elegance, add some power as we move along and everything should be ok. I just don't want them to lose the 'zoom-zoom' that we all know and love (and would appreciate an upgrade path from the 3).
I found the Gen 1 to be more agricultural. Too noisy, looked to plain
Agree each to their own
I kind of agree. It looked fine but way to noisy.
Mazda - JI (abbreviation of Jinba Ittai) division?
I'd drive the $#@% out of a Mazda 3 JI...lol
(iagree)
Of course it will courtesy of SkyActiv-X
The 2.0 Skyactiv X is similar in power to the 2.5 Skyactiv G we get now so it’s an efficiency upgrade not power imo. Now if they also make a 2.5 version......
- :
- Denver, CO
This.
I know people want more power, but most customers want features/safety/economy. Only a small minority(enthusiasts) care about power. If you were to head over to the Subaru board, you would think every Forester on the road is an XT, when the XT only accounted for 5% of total Forester sales. Power will stay in the same range, maybe another 3 HP. The SUVs in this class really don't need more than maybe 175 HP IMO.
- :
- Denver, CO
Oh I am not dissatisfied with mine and it's power. But I see Mazda losing the market that bought it's Mazdaspeed line, RX-7/8, etc.
And I don't personally want a "luxury" vehicle. I'll agree my Gen 1 is noisy as hell, but I much prefer it's looks, and I can jump into it without feeling like I am going to mess up the clean/nice looking interior. Gen 2's are just "too nice" for me if that's a thing. Now if I wanted a "luxury" car, then sure, but I don't. So if I ever have to replace my CX-5, sorry a Gen 2 is not on that list.
