Mazda recently announced that it will discontinue the Mazda 6 sedan and CX-3 crossover for the 2022 model year (2022 MY) for the United States market. In an official release, the Japanese brand said the move comes as “consumer interests continue to evolve,” adding that “although these two vehicles will be leaving our lineup in the US, we are proud of the performance, design, quality, and safety they contributed to our brand.”
The end of the CX-3 in the US isn’t that surprising, given that the CX-30 is a much larger vehicle more suited to the local market. For the 2021 MY, the CX-3 is only offered in a sole Sport variant, while the CX-30 gained a Turbo model from the 2020 MY and has seven trim levels available for the 2021 MY.
Previous reports have long suggested that a second-generation CX-3 is on the way, which will be based on the fifth-generation Mazda 2 hatchback that is rumoured to debut in September this year. It isn’t known if the CX-3 nameplate will return to the US, but should that happen, it will likely feature an electrified four-cylinder engine that the company previewed last November.
As for the Mazda 6, the current, third-generation model has been around since 2012 and was previously treated to two facelifts (one in 2014 and another in 2018), with the more recent one seeing the addition of a turbocharged engine and new styling.
The discontinuation of the D-segment sedan will likely be temporary, as reports suggest that the company is already working on a next-generation Mazda 6. The all-new model is said to be radically different from the outgoing car, as it not only switches to a rear-wheel drive platform, but also packs an inline-six engine. Mazda has yet to confirm anything, but the Vision Coupe concept from the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show has been considered as a preview for the redesigned flagship sedan.
The post Mazda 6 and CX-3 discontinued in the US for 2022 MY appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
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