Why is Mazda-Australia so much more successful than Mazda-USA?

J

jmhumr

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2021 RDX A-Spec
Just read this article, where Mazda ranks #1 in service in Australia. Combine that with the fact that CX-5 is Australia*s best-selling SUV, they must be doing something right down under.

I realize the markets are different, but still. You don*t have to look beyond their awful marketing campaign and ugly dealer network in the US to recognize that Mazda-USA is mismanaged. Why doesn*t Mazda step up?
 
In Australia the Mazda's sold are using lower emissions, euro5 instead of 6, its also very close to Japan, both may have a bearing, the Tucson also sells well.
 
xtrailman said:
In Australia the Mazda's sold are using lower emissions, euro5 instead of 6, its also very close to Japan, both may have a bearing, the Tucson also sells well.
Click to expand...

I think you mean higher emissions and lower standard as euro6 is more stringent than euro5?;)
 
Why is Land Rover in South Africa a legit hard-use vehicle?
Why does Japan's WRX have almost 300 horsepower while America's gets 268?
Why did Mazda bring the 2.2D to the UK with far more power than in America, many years sooner?

I really think that aside from the Corvette, and associated muscle cars from the Big 3, America is the worst country for automotive enthusiasm.
 
I agree with two points that have been made so far:

-Australia's proximity to Japan may affect how Mazdas are marketed there
--An established market provides its own momentum
---Nearly 2/3 of Australia's population is located in just 5 cities, facilitating market penetration

-Americans by and large make most purchases based upon marketing hype and not objective criteria
--A shallow market means few people even know anyone who owns a Mazda
---American population is much more dispersed (5 most populous cities contain less than 1/4 of us, and are spread from NY to CA)
 
Unobtanium said:
Why is Land Rover in South Africa a legit hard-use vehicle?
Why does Japan's WRX have almost 300 horsepower while America's gets 268?
Why did Mazda bring the 2.2D to the UK with far more power than in America, many years sooner?

I really think that aside from the Corvette, and associated muscle cars from the Big 3, America is the worst country for automotive enthusiasm.
Click to expand...

Honda holding out on giving us Type R's and Si models during the 90's. Mazda 6 wagon. List goes on and on.
 
Avoidin Deer said:
I agree with two points that have been made so far:

-Australia's proximity to Japan may affect how Mazdas are marketed there
Click to expand...
No, Australia actually is much farther away from Japan than the US. Culture is much different with Japan than the US too.

The only thing similar is they both are right-hand drive.
 
jmhumr said:
Just read this article, where Mazda ranks #1 in service in Australia. Combine that with the fact that CX-5 is Australia*s best-selling SUV, they must be doing something right down under.

I realize the markets are different, but still. You don*t have to look beyond their awful marketing campaign and ugly dealer network in the US to recognize that Mazda-USA is mismanaged. Why doesn*t Mazda step up?
Click to expand...
Yeah Mazda has stepped up by promoting Masahiro Moro from President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) to Chairman and CEO of MNAO overseeing MNAO, Mazda Canada Inc. and Mazda Motor de Mexico.

Mazda Appoints Masahiro Moro to Chairman and CEO of Mazda North American Operations; Welcomes Jeffrey Guyton as President
 
Unobtanium said:
Why is Land Rover in South Africa a legit hard-use vehicle?
Why does Japan's WRX have almost 300 horsepower while America's gets 268?
Why did Mazda bring the 2.2D to the UK with far more power than in America, many years sooner?

I really think that aside from the Corvette, and associated muscle cars from the Big 3, America is the worst country for automotive enthusiasm.
Click to expand...

find that hard to believe seeing all the little shiit boxes in Europe
 
I'm pretty sure us 'mericans like to buy pickup trucks. Mazda won't let us have the BT-50, so there's a shot in the foot.
Mazda, bring back the Sundowner and make some money.

Then there's what Mazda was BUILT on...quick, cheap little cars that surprise BMW drivers in the curves. RX-3, 323GTX, 'speed 3, etc. Mazda offers nothing like that anymore. Just 3 models of CUV that all look alike and don't go offroad. This one kills me, because if they would just put a turbocharger on that damn AWD 3 and tweak the suspension a bit, I'd be 1st in line. As it is, I'm in the process of spending 40k+ on a Golf R.
 
Natey said:
I'm pretty sure us 'mericans like to buy pickup trucks. Mazda won't let us have the BT-50, so there's a shot in the foot.
Mazda, bring back the Sundowner and make some money.

Then there's what Mazda was BUILT on...quick, cheap little cars that surprise BMW drivers in the curves. RX-3, 323GTX, 'speed 3, etc. Mazda offers nothing like that anymore. Just 3 models of CUV that all look alike and don't go offroad. This one kills me, because if they would just put a turbocharger on that damn AWD 3 and tweak the suspension a bit, I'd be 1st in line. As it is, I'm in the process of spending 40k+ on a Golf R.
Click to expand...

I think its mostly marketing, # of dealers, and incentives at this point. I don't think there is an issue with the type of offerings. I don't think there is a huge market for cars that aren't named civic, corolla, etc. As an example, even Subaru, who is doing pretty well is seeing a -20.6% drop in Impreza in YTD sales through July. WRX/STI is down 17.3%. Legacy is down 14.0%.

Golf R is down -26% YTD, GTI down -24%, Golf down -15%. Passat is down -54%. The only Volkswagens doing well year over year are the Jetta, the Beatle convertible, and Tiguan.
 
Jonno21 said:
I think you mean higher emissions and lower standard as euro6 is more stringent than euro5?;)
Click to expand...

Yes that's right.
Their diesel gets 190ps with 450nm torque, uk 184ps with 445nm, us even less, all due to emission systems installed. And possibly fuel quality.
 
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mackworth said:
I think its mostly marketing, # of dealers, and incentives at this point. I don't think there is an issue with the type of offerings. I don't think there is a huge market for cars that aren't named civic, corolla, etc. As an example, even Subaru, who is doing pretty well is seeing a -20.6% drop in Impreza in YTD sales through July. WRX/STI is down 17.3%. Legacy is down 14.0%.

Golf R is down -26% YTD, GTI down -24%, Golf down -15%. Passat is down -54%. The only Volkswagens doing well year over year are the Jetta, the Beatle convertible, and Tiguan.
Click to expand...


A 2016 CX-5 is worth 12k according to Edmunds.

I'm just speaking from personal experience. I've been in Mazdas since the 90's and I feel like I've been abandoned. Forced to look elsewhere for a sporty little hatchback?? Mazda has been making sporty little hatchbacks since the 70's, now nothing?


Also, I'm not looking for a car to flip. I plan on driving the thing for a decade, so resale value isn't on the top of my list, although if you try to find an old Golf R32, they're not exactly cheap.
 
yrwei52 said:
No, Australia actually is much farther away from Japan than the US. Culture is much different with Japan than the US too.

The only thing similar is they both are right-hand drive.
Click to expand...

In fact, Australia the country and Australians the people [as a whole, culturally and tempermentally] are more similar to the US than any other country, and vice versa.

It's a lot easier to maintain dominance in a market after you've achieved it than to try to gain it.
 
Natey said:
A 2016 CX-5 is worth 12k according to Edmunds.

I'm just speaking from personal experience. I've been in Mazdas since the 90's and I feel like I've been abandoned. Forced to look elsewhere for a sporty little hatchback?? Mazda has been making sporty little hatchbacks since the 70's, now nothing?


Also, I'm not looking for a car to flip. I plan on driving the thing for a decade, so resale value isn't on the top of my list, although if you try to find an old Golf R32, they're not exactly cheap.
Click to expand...

The cheapest 2016 model within 100 miles of me (millions of people) is 13k for a Sport model with ~85k miles and visible scrapes on the side. Jumps up to ~15k for a Touring with 100k. Cheapest CRV is about 14K with 40K miles, so not a huge difference. But I am not sure what that has to do with my point.

I think in general, cars aren't doing well, and Mazda, who arguably has made some of the best Mazda3s to date, barely markets them and when they do, its pretty bad marketing.
 
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yrwei52 said:
No, Australia actually is much farther away from Japan than the US. Culture is much different with Japan than the US too.

The only thing similar is they both are right-hand drive.
Click to expand...

Google says distance to Japan is 10.144km to USA, but only 6,848 to Australia.
 
xtrailman said:
Google says distance to Japan is 10.144km to USA, but only 6,848 to Australia.
Click to expand...
Yes, I was wrong on that from my first impression.

NRT -> SYD 4,864 miles.
NRT -> SFO 5,108 miles.
SYD -> SFO 7,420 miles.

I was going to say from Hokkaido Japan to Aleutian Arc of Alaska USA is much closer ;)
 
Natey said:
I'm not sure what your point was, but mine is that all cars lose value after you buy them new. Here's a '16 CX-5 about three miles from me with an asking price of 14k. 60k miles. I do agree that Mazda made some of the best Mazda3s though.[/URL]
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Wait, maybe I see the misunderstanding. My post was not about car value, but the number of cars sold so far in 2019. So for example Subaru has sold 20.6% less Imprezas from Jan 1 - July 31st 2019 compared to Jan 1 - July 31st 2018. Looking at the Golf-R, it has sold 26% less cars so far this year compared to last. I was just trying to point out that I don't think making better cars is going to help Mazda. They need to market the s*** out of the cx-5 with actual good ads, and provide incentives, maybe increase the warranty, basically anything else to help sell the great CUVs they already have.
 
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