Hopes for new six-cylinder Mazda 6 dashed again
Mazda has given its best indication in years that reports claiming a rear-wheel-drive, six-cylinder successor to the Mazda 6 are untrue.
Mazda has given fans still longing for a new Mazda 6 sedan with rear-wheel drive and six-cylinder engines another reason to move on.
Reports from Japan have claimed for years that a new Mazda 6 is in development, based on the new rear-wheel-drive 'Large Products Technology' architecture of Mazda's four luxury-priced, six-cylinder SUVs – the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90.
Executives for the Japanese car maker have continually poured cold water on the rumours, despite persistent reports to the contrary from Japan's reputable Best Car magazine.
Now Mazda head office in Hiroshima has seemingly all but shut the door for any more models coming on the Large architecture after the four SUVs, leaving a new electric car for China as the Mazda 6's only indirect successor.
In a financial report last week, Mazda said it is preparing to launch the CX-80 in Japan and Europe, "completing our four Large product line-up globally".
"Going forward, we will shift to a growth trajectory as all Large products become available," Mazda said, and it plans to "increase sales with a full line-up of four Large products."
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Mazda's wording of the four SUVs as the entirety of its 'Large Products Technology' range leaves little suggestion – or room for speculation – that the line-up could expand in the future to include a new Mazda 6 sedan.
It is the latest nail in the coffin of plans for a new rear-wheel-drive petrol Mazda 6.
In early 2022, Mazda Europe development and engineering boss Joachim Kunz told the UK's Autocar that SUVs are a priority over a new Mazda 6 sedan.
"It would be very nice… to have the FR [front-engine, rear-driven] concept and six-cylinder engine for a Mazda 6 successor or a large sports coupé. We would like to have it, but at this point in time, it's most important to sell SUVs," he said.
"This SUV trend is continuing, and even more for Mazda. It's what's selling best."
About 12 months later, Mazda CX-90 program manager Mitsuru Wakiie told a group of Australian media including Drive via an interpreter: "Mazda has told [us] we are going to provide CX-60, 90, 70 and 80. That is the answer I can give you.
When asked directly if the four SUVs are the only models that will ever be built on this architecture, Mr Wakiie said: "Yes, with this platform we can provide CX-60, 70, 80 and 90."
Both sentiments were recently reinforced directly with Drive by Mazda Australia's head of marketing Alastair Doak.
“We’ll bring in products that we think fill the market need and desire, and realistically, we’re an SUV market, there’s not many sedans and non-SUVs around anymore,” he said.
Sales of the current third-generation Mazda 6 in Australia tallied 1528 examples last year, up from 1511 vehicles in 2022 – but down from 3647 in 2017, 6558 in 2012, and approximately 12,700 cars in 2003, which was the original first-generation model's first year on sale.
Since the start of this year, 536 examples have been reported as sold, down 14 per cent on the prior year.
The closest Mazda fans will come to a new Mazda 6 may be the EZ-6, a similarly-sized electric sedan recently unveiled for the Chinese market. For context, China is one of the world's top markets for the sedan bodystyle in general.
Offering up to 600km of claimed electric driving range – or more than 1000km in a hybrid version that is also available – the EZ-6 is heavily based on the Deepal SL03, a mid-size car sold by Mazda's joint-venture partner in China, local car maker Changan.
Plans to export the EZ-6 – built in China – to Australia, Europe or the US are yet to be announced.
