Australian success now template for Mazda globally

MAZDA Australia’s slow and steady journey to prominence over the last 30 years has become the benchmark for the Mazda Motor Corporation globally, as the market share of the company’s Australian arm continues to outperform all major markets around the world, including in Japan.

Australia’s 9.9 per cent market share is double that of the 4.9 per cent share in its home market and substantially greater than that of Mazda’s United States’ tally, which is currently sitting at about 1.7 per cent.

Mazda North American Operations president and CEO Masahiro Moro told Australian journalists that the short-term goal for the North American market was to hit two per cent, and he praised the Australian arm’s impressive rise.

“We have a lot of learning from the Australian organisation,” He said at the facelifted Mazda6’s world premiere at last week’s Los Angeles motor show.

“Mazda Australia have been very consistent since the late 1980s. They really put focus on customer-first and are very strong on customer care and focus, to build up trust. And this is very important for us to learn from the Australian organisation.”

Even more impressive to Mr Moro is Mazda Australia’s disproportionately high number of private versus fleet sales that adds further polish to the local outfit’s volume performance over the past few years.

At more than 70 per cent, it is well ahead of Toyota’s circa-40 per cent, while in the dominant small-car segment, the Mazda3 is at 80 per cent private sales compared with mid-40s for the Toyota Corolla and double that of the Hyundai i30. Even the Volkswagen Golf’s share of the private market is at less than 60 per cent.

“I send a number of times my executive team to learn from Australia, because they are really great,” Mr Moro said. “And 10 per cent from market share only from private customers is just phenomenal… and second to none (in the Mazda world). With current product and technology, design and fantastic operation, they are achieving… and that is a big encouragement for us.”

In year-to-date sales to the end of November, Toyota still leads the new vehicles market comfortably in Australia with an 18.4 per cent share, followed by Mazda (9.9 per cent), Hyundai (8.4 per cent), Holden (7.2 per cent) and Ford (6.7 per cent).

A number of Mazda models are in the top three best sellers in their respective segments, including the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-3 which are running second, while the CX-5 is the best-selling mid-size SUV in the country.

The MX-5 and CX-9 are both fifth in their respective segments, while the BT-50 workhorse is seventh.