Mazda targets Russia with new compact SUV

Mazda's Nagare design concept is heading for infiltration of the Russian new-car market with the imminent debut of a new compact SUV showcar at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in August.

The Mazda uses the same fundamentals as the new Ford Kuga crossover baby SUV (more here) that itself stemmed from the Iosis concept first seen at the 2006 Paris motor show. The Kuga is based on the Ford Focus/Mazda3 and currently uses just one powertrain - a 2.0-litre, 100kW Duratorq TDCi common-rail turbodiesel driving through a six-speed manual transmission.

The Kuga's driveline is on-demand all-wheel drive, with only the front wheels doing the work in most circumstances.

Clearly a range of engine and transmission options for the concept car is available from the Mazda parts bin.

The latest in a series of show cars under the Nagare banner - Nagare, Rytuga, Hakaze, Taiki and Furai - the rakish Mazda is described as a crossover SUV that has been designed "especially for the Russian market."

Mazda says the design theme for the new Russian crossover is "crosswinds," which sits nicely with the fact that Nagare is Japanese for "flow," a concept that takes its cues from natural elements such as the wind.

The curvaceous mini Mazda will be aimed at the more youthful end of Russia's booming SUV market that currently represents around 20 per cent of new car sales.

Mazda will announce the actual name of its new concept car "in due course," probably at the August unveiling in Moscow.

As previous Mazda showcars have pointed to current models, so the SUV hints at what could emerge as a little brother to Mazda's current CX-7 and CX-9 all-wheel drives. CX-5 anyone?

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