Mazda: Koeru will be our Outback rival

Mazda’s CEO, Masamichi Kogai, has confirmed that the production version of the Koeru concept Koeru concept revealed at the Frankfurt motor show will be a new standalone model that will help it enter a new segment to compete against the Subaru Outback.

Refusing to reveal the new name for the small Mazda crossover -- which is expected to be called either CX-4 or CX-6 -- Kogai told Automotive News the production version of the Koeru is “a totally new car. It’s a lower, sporty SUV. It’s close to a wagon.”

Likening the production car to a Subaru Outback, Kogai said the Koeru “aims to generate more driving pleasure” and that it would be the size of a CX-5 but would help it enter new segments.

Kogai said he’d like to see the concept of an Outback rival evaluated globally and that Mazda was still “collecting customer feedback”, hinting that the sporty crossover isn't quite completely signed off for production.