The Mazda lineup will include two fewer models in the U.S. in 2022. The 2021 editions of the CX-3 SUV and the Mazda6 sedan will be their last.
The first of those models’ disappearance is definitive in the United States and was expected. However, Mazda Canada has confirmed the model will still be offered in Canada next year. Beyond that, time will tell what the future holds.
The retirement of the Mazda6, meanwhile, takes effect on both sides of the border, but it does not mean the end of the mid-size sedan format at Mazda. The automaker is said to be planning on a new model with a different configuration.
The CX-3
In the case of the CX-3 in the U.S., its demise was only a matter of time; the arrival of the new CX-30 made it clear that there was no room for the two players to coexist in the lineup. The CX-30 is more powerful, more spacious and more upscale than the CX-3; it's clear that buyers will prefer the 30 to the 3.
While the CX-30 is based on the Mazda3 compact car, the CX-3 was built on the foundation of the Mazda2 subcompact. The little SUV made its debut in 2016, and so it will have had a short career - but a successful one nonetheless. As for its extension to 2022 in Canada, that’s great but at the same time it's hard to imagine a long cohabitation with the CX-30. But for now, its robust sales performance here ensures it will go on.
Robust might be an understatement in fact. The numbers for the CX-3 in Canada are incredible, almost on a par with the United States with a tenth of the population. In 2020, 8,335 units were sold south of the border while 6,445 units were snatched up here. Since the beginning of this year, the difference is just as small: 3,680 units sold there versus 2,338 units here.
The Mazda6
The other model falling in battle is the Mazda6, and in its case, the axe comes down on both sides of the 49th parallel. This is indeed sad news, because the 6 is one of the most interesting and fun-to-drive cars on the market today. Unfortunately, this vehicle never made it to the top of its category, and the market never did it justice.
On the other hand, this might be more of a case of au revoir than adieu. It’s no secret that for a few years now Mazda has been preparing a racier sedan that will benefit from a different configuration, including the addition of an inline 6-cylinder engine. In fact, rumours that Mazda will launch a rear-wheel drive sedan continue to float about. When asked about the possibility of a future rear-wheel-drive Mazda6, a company spokesperson gave Car and Driver magazine a stock, non-denial reply: “We cannot share details of future products at this time”.
A classic answer, for sure, and in this case, we’ll continue to reply with our own classic retort: there’s rarely smoke without fire. We'll see.
The name of this rumoured new Mazda four-door car could be new, however, to give a new chance and a new start to the model. According to rumours, the car could debut in 2022 as a 2023 model.
