Mazda2 Dropped From US Market
The redesigned Mazda 2 won’t make it to U.S. dealerships.
The Japanese automaker has given the model the axe in the U.S. as cheaper gas prices and tight supplies from a new factory in Salamanca, Mexico make the model a less attractive offering for Mazda.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
According to Robert Davis, Mazda’s senior vice-president of U.S. operations, executives in the U.S. last year decided the Mazda2 wasn’t a priority despite getting redesigned.
“We could have had it, but we would have had a number that didn’t make much sense with 600 dealers and with the marketing it takes to launch a new car,” said Davis in an interview with Automotive News. “I wanted to allocate resources to those products that make us and our dealers considerably more profit than a Mazda2 does.”
SEE ALSO: 2016 Mazda2 Delivers a Bit More of Everything
The subcompact Mazda2 wasn’t a strong competitor in the market for Mazda, having sold just 13,615 units last year. With supplies now gone, the company moved just 21 units in April 2015. Now, since the Mazda2 will be sold in Puerto Rico, the company has already tested it to meet U.S. safety and environmental standards, if it ever decides to sell it in the U.S.
One version of the subcompact will be available, in the form of the Scion iA that is based on the Mazda2.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
[Source: Automotive News]
Discuss this story at our Mazda2 forum
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
More by Jason Siu
Comments
Join the conversation
So, since fuel is less expensive lets go back to cars that use more fuel and when prices go up again, because they WILL, Mazda will have to rethink all this again and waste time while Toyota sells a billion Yaris and Honda sells the Fit. Seems like Mazda needs me to be their advisor.
Good. That car is hideous. I'll stick with my 96 Miata ME