In August 2023, the Japanese press reported that the Mazda CX-8 will officially cease production in the Land of the Rising Sun after this year. Not only in Japan, but this mid-size crossover is also being discontinued in another major market, Australia.
Recently, Mazda Australia confirmed the removal of the CX-8 from its product lineup at the end of 2023, the same time as the Japanese market. Explaining the reason for this decision, Mazda Australia stated that they want to focus on rejuvenating the product lineup with electrified models.
The Mazda CX-8 has been distributed in the Australian market for 5 years and has achieved cumulative sales of nearly 25,000 units. The remaining stock will continue to be sold in this market until 2024 or until it runs out.
“Mazda Australia’s strategy is always to welcome new models to add value to the product lineup and provide everything that customers want or need. That’s what the CX-8 has been doing since its launch in 2018“, said Alastair Doak, Marketing Director of Mazda Australia.
Similar to the strategy in the Japanese market, the Mazda CX-8 in Australia is expected to be replaced by the CX-80. “Looking ahead, our product lineup will be upgraded with advanced products and engines for the Australian market, including the Mazda CX-80“, revealed Doak.
In addition to the CX-8, Mazda Australia is also discontinuing the small SUV model, the MX-30. They will be replaced by a range of electrified products from now until 2025, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles.
According to some sources, the Mazda CX-80 is scheduled to be officially launched in the Japanese market at the end of this year. This move also reflects the brand’s direction towards a higher-end segment, earning it the nickname “Eastern BMW”.
The CX-80 belongs to Mazda’s Large Product lineup, similar to the CX-60, CX-70, and CX-90. Among them, the CX-60 and CX-80 will be for markets outside North America such as Asia-Pacific and Europe. While the CX-60 is a 2-row crossover, the new Mazda CX-80 will have a 3-row interior like its predecessor, the CX-8.
Akira Tamatani, Mazda’s Design Director, announced that the CX-80 will have a design similar to the CX-60 instead of the CX-90. Meanwhile, the CX-80’s engine is likely to be similar to the CX-90. This means that the car will be equipped with 2 engine options.
The first is a mild-hybrid powertrain with a turbocharged inline 6-cylinder gasoline engine, a 3.3L displacement, generating a maximum power of 340 horsepower and a peak torque of 500 Nm. The electric motor will be placed between the engine and the 8-speed automatic transmission.
The second is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain, including a 4-cylinder gasoline engine, a 2.5L displacement, an electric motor, a 17.8 kWh battery, and an 8-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain produces a total power of 323 horsepower and a peak torque of 500 Nm.
In addition to Japan and Australia, the Mazda CX-8 is still being sold in some markets in the Asia-Pacific or Asia region, including Vietnam. It is not clear whether Mazda plans to discontinue the CX-8 in Vietnam or not. In Vietnam, the Mazda CX-8 has had a fairly stable sales volume but not excessively high. In September 2023, this model achieved sales of 250 units, bringing the cumulative figure for 2023 to 2,130 units.
