The Mazda3 is a perennial TTAC ten-bester, and a top pick for those who want some fun with their practical transportation. Now Mazda President Hisakazu Imaki worries aloud to Automotive News (sub) that introducing its Mazda2 subcompact could cannibalize sales of its long-soldiering Mazda3. “The Mazda2 is a very good product, and we’ve received very strong requests from dealers. But it is still under study,” says Imaki of the 2’s chances at a North American debut. “But I must also say that I don’t regret that we haven’t been able to supply the car thus far.” Beyond cannibalization of the 3 in the short term, Imaki worries that a moderation in fuel prices could slacken demand for the 2. Mazda sister company Ford has already commited to bringing the Mazda2-based Fiesta to America, but then it doesn’t have to worry about squeezing its volume sales leader to fit the Fiesta into its portfolio. Still, Mazda would be crazy to not bring the Yaris/Fit Fighter stateside. The 3 has set a consensus standard for fun-to-drive compact cars, and bringing the Zoom-Zoom attitude to the (on fire) subcompact market could only expand Mazdas brand. Honda’s Fit sells briskly even with dealer markups, in large part because it’s economical, practical and fun to drive. For some reason, nobody at Honda worries about it munching into Civic sales. Dear Mr Imaki, your concern is well taken, but it’s largely unnecessary. For a textbook example of real automotive cannibalism, please reference GM’s Lambda Platform. And bring on the 2 already!
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I agree that this car should be brought, expecially with the new Mazda3 coming out as well. I would worry a little about the 2 stealing sales since it is the 3’s last model year, but should not be a concern when the new 3 goes on sale.
Personally, I believe it would be a total no brainer to bring the Mazda2 to the US when Ford gets its Mexican production facility up and running for the Fiesta. Once Fiesta demand is being met, it seems logical to build its platform mate, the Mazda2, on the same line to utilize capacity.
If the next 3 steps up in price and size, then yes, there’s a case. If not, Mazda’s demographics are probably ripe to allow the kind of cannibalization that Toyota would never suffer between the Yaris and Corolla, and thusly we won’t see the 2.
They learned this the hard way with the 3 and 6, and thusly the new 6 is much larger car.
A car that was designed with lightness in mind? Bring it on!
I continue to hear rumors that Mazda will, in fact, bring the 2. Timeframes are all in conflict, but the couple rumors I’ve heard agree it will be after the Fiesta launches if it comes – maybe a year after the 3 debuts. No word on whether it would be Mexico or Japan sourced.
Calling the Fiesta “Mazda2-based” is a bit disingenuous. Although the Mazda2 debuted first, the platform was designed cooperatively with both Mazda and Ford resources and with both companies’ goals in mind. Similarly, it is wrong to say the Mazda2 is Fiesta-based. They are both based on a co-developed platform. Despite this, I don’t believe they actually share a lot of parts, which could make the transition to the Mexico line harder than it sounds.
Mazda should do it. The ‘2 is a whisker larger than the late 80’s – early 90’s 323 was, the ‘3 is about as big as the 626 of the same time and the ‘6 is about as big as the old 929.
Actually engine displacements line up fairly well between the new cars and their predecessors. Except the 929 and the new ‘6. The ‘6 has way more under the hood.
RobertSD: Thanks for clarifying the platform-development details. Ford/Mazda sharing always seems opaque and confusing as to who developed what and who is doing the sharing. The results are better than classic brand-engineering, but also more confusing.
I too have my doubts about cannibalism. The Mazda3 is huge compared to this, especially the 5-door. They can’t possibly ask for more than $15k for a Mazda2, so the price points won’t overlap either.
@sean362880
The Mazda3 is huge compared to this
The Mazda3 is enormous, full stop. It’s longer than a E46 3-series wagon, yet has the smallest trunk in it’s class. How did they do that?
This is a great idea in the short term. But if Ford is really committed to bringing great small cars to the table (like they did with the first Fiesta) for decades to come, I’m concerned the import-minded Euro Fords will eventually rub with the Mazdas both in market perception and cannibalized sales.
Bring on the Mazda2 and please make it a 2-door hatch (3 door?) like it already is. Please, please, do not ruin its appearances and some of its practicality by making it a 4-door like I saw purposed early this year.
I would rather they fix the Mazda6.
It just has to get better than 25 mpg.
It lost me this year. I would have one right now.
If CAFE is going up, Mazda really needs to bring the Mazda2 here.
From what I’ve seen of it, I like the 2 a lot. My main complaint (as with the Fit): rear drum brakes. Autocar was not impressed with its fade resistance or wet-weather braking power, in part because of the drums.
While I’m wishing, I would like a Mazda3 coupe, with a roof shape like the Volvo C70 (which rides the same platform) — with the roof up, though, not as a folding hardtop.
Please, please, do not ruin its appearances and some of its practicality by making it a 4-door like I saw purposed early this year.
How does an extra set of doors monkeywrench practicality? As someone who’s had to climb in and out of two-doors–or worse, put a childseat-age youngster into one–I can’t think of any situation where a two-door would be preferable.
From what I’ve seen of it, I like the 2 a lot. My main complaint (as with the Fit): rear drum brakes.
Drums are more than adequate on lighter cars. The rear brakes have very to do with the car’s ability to stop, especially when you’re talking about a 2400-2600lb econobox. If the braking is bad, I’d look to the tires, front brakes and ABS/EBD programming long before blaming the rears.
I happen to like rear drums. They’re cheaper to fix and maintain, and less susceptible to debris damage.
What a coincidence! Chrysler, Ford and GM have the very same fear of cannibalization. Appealing small cars could take sales away from Yukons, Lucernes, Grand Marquis, Expeditions, Sebrings, Durangos, and all those other cash cows that stampede off assembly lines. D3 executives, who have no ownership costs related to the new vehicles that magically appear in their reserved parking spaces every few months, agree that luxobarges are the smart strategy for the foreseeable future.
The Mazda2 has much better lines without the afterthought set of rear doors proposed for the US market, and a hatch is way more practical for carrying stuff than a 4 door with a tiny trunk. That makes a hatch much more practical for soemone like me who doesn’t have children. For those who want an uglified 4-door sedan for practical reasons or otherwise, you’ll still have the Fiesta.
@Lumbergh21
The Mazda2 has much better lines without the afterthought set of rear doors proposed for the US market
The last generation Mazda2 (and the one before that) was only available as a 5-door hatch. No 3-door version at all, anywhere.
Expect some sort of sedan version b/c Americans don’t “get” hatchbacks anymore… VBG!
Looks great and I’ll be looking at it the next time I car shop (couple years).
Ok… Why don’t they just bring in the 2 door hatch then? How would that be hurting a 4 door sedan?
The Mazda2 has much better lines without the afterthought set of rear doors proposed for the US market, and a hatch is way more practical for carrying stuff than a 4 door with a tiny trunk.
I misunderstood you. When I meant four doors, I was thinking “foor-door hatchback”, not sedan.
“Autocar was not impressed with its fade resistance or wet-weather braking power, in part because of the drums.”
Autocar are full of it. I bet they didn’t even objectively test those attributes – if so what was their control and test method? And how did they apportion a percentage of the short coming to having drum brakes?
What actually seems to be the case is that they have listed some theoretical disadvantages of drum brakes probably gleaned from Wiki, and transposed them to actual issues with the car as tested. In other words they don’t like the idea of drum brakes so they pull some dubious metricless ‘evidence’ out of their arses to support it.
For goodness sake, when is a Mazda 2 shopping cart ever going to be put in the position where brake fade is an issue?
Here’s a thought… the 2 might INCREASE 3 sales. Why? Look at the Civic. The Civic is no longer the bottom of the Honda line. There are plenty of people (my wife included) who would never even consider the bottom car of a brand, no matter how good. We have had 2 Accords. Now, the Fit is the baby Honda, and just that simple thing makes Civics look slightly better in her eyes, and she would consider it now. The same exact thing goes for the Mazda3. I would give my left nut for a Mazdaspeed3. She won’t drive a Mazda3 because it is the smallest/cheapest Mazda. If the Mazda2 arrives that will change.
damn you, matsuda! if you brought in a mazda2, you could almost entice me back to the dumb bastard dealer that serviced my protege5, leaving the wheel bolts on all four wheels only finger tight. or not. i think i still go for a honda …
Mercury Tracer anyone?
I bought a Versa this time around, but I wanted a Mazda3 — I just didn’t want 21mpg city. If there’d been a Mazda2 available, even with two doors, it would have eaten a Nissan sale (assuming it’s safe), not cannibalized a Mazda3 sale.