CX-3 won’t steal Mazda2 sales: Mazda chief

MAZDA’S Australian boss has hinted at the price of the upcoming Mazda CX-3 and said the sub-compact SUV won’t steal sales from the new Mazda2 hatch, but create a more complete line-up for the brand.

Speaking at the local launch of the new-generation Mazda2 on the Gold Coast, Mazda Australia managing director Martin Benders said the CX-3 would fill a gap in the current line-up and be priced accordingly.

“The way we look at it is that Mazda2 is starting at $16,990 driveaway while the current one is $15,990 in run-out and then Mazda 3 starts at $20,490 plus on-roads, so there’s a big gap in there where we don’t really have anything right now,” he said.

“By this time next year we’ll have Mazda2 and CX-3 and Mazda3 so there will be a lot more choice in a Mazda dealership across all of those three products and our dealers will be able to satisfy most people that walk in at any price band.

So from our point of view it’s a good news story for our dealers.” Mazda is playing catch up with its rivals to enter the booming small SUV segment which has grown 17.8 per cent this year to the end of September.

Based on the just-launched third-generation Mazda2 light hatch, the CX-3 will face rivals such as Holden’s Trax, Ford’s EcoSport, Suzuki S-Cross, the Nissan Juke and as of early next year, the Renault Capture and the revived Honda HR-V.

Mr Benders said the CX-3 will compete well in the increasingly busy segment.

“Our research says we should be able to do a bit of incremental business there because that segment is growing and we think that the car we’ve got coming will be a good player in that – same as we have been with Mazda3.”

In terms of the company's overall sales, Mr Benders said the Mazda2 will go someway to ensuring the 2014 sales goal is met with dealers registering demonstration models and pre-selling the cars to meet the pent-up demand for the outgoing model that is now in low supply. “We’ve reached 77,000 for the first nine months and our target for the calendar year is somewhere around the 103,000 and that will require a slightly strongly finish to the final quarter.

“We believe our dealers have sufficient support in place to take advantage of any lift in activity,” he said.