Mazda6 set to continue for next couple of years

There could be more anniversaries for the veteran Mazda6 mid-size passenger car to celebrate as it rolls into a third decade on sale in Australia.

While it’s been confirmed there are no plans for an all-new fourth generation to be developed by Mazda, which is focused on adding SUVs and developing its electrification plans, local executives insist they have no evidence of an end date for the current Mazda6.

The expectation is the Mazda6 will remain part of the line-up throughout 2024 and into 2025.

That’s despite diminishing sales to the point of niche volume, reflecting the collapse in traditional passenger sedan and wagon sales in favour of SUVs and utes.

Internationally, the Mazda6 has been withdrawn from sale in the US and is no longer offered in the UK.

But it is still offered in European markets such as Germany and in Japan.

The original Mazda6 launched in Australia in 2002 and the current third generation in 2012, with a significant update in 2018.

The Mazda6 20th Anniversary – which carsales has reviewed this week – is a new flagship for the 2023 line-up.

Essentially, it is a turbo-petrol Atenza with cosmetic changes and appropriate badging.

Expected to remain on sale for the rest of the year, the 20th Anniversary sedan is priced at $53,635 and the wagon $54,935 (both plus on-road costs), making the latter the most expensive Mazda6 ever sold in Australia, pipping the 2007 MPS sports sedan by a few hundred dollars.

As carsales has reported, the 20th Anniversary headlines a modest set of changes and price rises for the Mazda6.

Mazda Australia executives laughed off a suggestion from carsales at this week’s launch of the update that the 20th Anniversary badging could be replaced with Farewell Edition badges in 2024.

“Mazda Corporation’s plan is to produce it so they are not farewelling it, so why would we?” responded Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi.

“Yes, in the US they have stopped offering that model in the portfolio, but it’s being offered in Europe, it’s offered in Japan, it’s offered in Australia and many other parts of the world.

“But we are upfront in acknowledging those types of vehicles have become a niche segment, more so niche for us because there are other brands who are still doing a lot of fleet business and company cars.

“But for us it is a niche offering.”

Toyota is the brand Bhindi is referencing in regard to fleet and business sales. The (supply-constrained) Toyota Camry dominates the sub-$60,000 medium passenger car segment according to VFACTS, with 1886 sold to the end of April. The Mazda6 is second in the segment with 623 sales.

By far the biggest selling sedan in Australia is the Tesla Model 3 in the medium passenger segment over $60,000.

That has helped foster suggestions that a joint-venture between Mazda and Changan in China could lead to an electrified replacement for the Mazda6. At the recent Shanghai motor show, the partners teased two EV/plug-in hybrid models under sheets that had passenger car profiles.

But carsales understands they are Chinese domestic models aimed at correcting a dramatic 60 per cent Mazda sales slump in that crucial market.

Globally, as Bhindi reinforced, the Mazda focus is on a new generation of SUVs now and an expanding rollout of EVs later in the decade.

“The priority from the people from the factory are saying is it’s all about SUVs, which is what consumers want. Then it’s all about electrification.”

Mazda is currently rolling out four new SUVs globally based on a new platform. Three of them – the CX-60, CX-80 and CX-90 – will come to Australia while the fourth, the CX-70, is unconfirmed.

Mazda has recently ramped up its EV ambitions from 25 per cent of sales in 2030 to as much as 40 per cent.

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