Mazda 2’s future in doubt as still no word on a replacement model

Because the Mazda 2 receives a peculiar facelift for 2023, there’s nonetheless no word about an all-original model to change this fresh, aging technology.

No knowledge is in general now now not lawful knowledge for the long-term survival of a mannequin, and if a brand original 2 was due, we’d usually contain heard rumblings or considered glance photos by now.

Mazda Australia has long past easy on anything unusual being within the works.

Begs the ask, would possibly maybe maybe well the discontinue of the avenue be nigh for this metropolis automobile stalwart?

The original shape Mazda 2 has been with us since 2014, and a decade with out a brand original technology landing would possibly maybe maybe be very distinctive.

Why wouldn’t Mazda impact a brand original 2?

Car companies battle to make a lot margin on frequent metropolis cars.

The original pattern has been to ditch low-spec, cheap entry-diploma units, or honest stop away with worth range offerings altogether.

The metropolis automobile graveyard is filling up. The Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Mitsubishi Mirage, Honda Jazz and Suzuki Baleno don’t appear to be any extra. The Kia Rio’s soon to impart. The sub-$20,000k automobile is practically extinct in Australia.

However will we if truth be told imagine a Mazda showroom without the small 2?

“Clearly it’s been phase of our line-up for a truly long time,” Mazda Australia’s marketing and marketing and product director Alastair Doak instructed Chasing Cars. “We’ve dedicated to 1 more update (for 2023), but I’m able to’t rule (a brand original technology) in or out.”

Mr Doak mentioned he had nothing to share about a brand original technology, but mentioned, fairly ominously: “We’d fancy to give them for so long as they’re readily accessible to us,” but for now now now not decrease than, it “remains a pleasant entry into our line-up.”

One more telling designate is that in Europe, where exiguous cars nonetheless like realistic gross sales, Mazda launched a re-badged Toyota Yaris Hybrid because it’s original 2 mannequin. That will be one doable direction forward for the metropolis automobile in Australia.

Mazda 2’s impress whisk

Four years within the past that it is probably going you’ll well hop in a Mazda Neo for $14,990 plus on-roads. Those days are long long past.

Cheapest Mazda 2 now’s the $22,410 G15 Pure hatch with handbook gearbox – you’re staring down $26,000 on the avenue, or $28,000 whenever that it is probably going you’ll well maybe fancy an auto.

Regardless, we nonetheless sold over 5000 of them closing yr (regardless that MG sold over 16,000 MG3s), making it eighth in Mazda’s mannequin gross sales tally. So with many stronger sellers in its differ, it wouldn’t be the discontinue of the arena if the small 2 was dropped, honest?

It’s now now not that simple. Having a exiguous, more cost effective offering attracts younger investors to the logo. The premise is they like the product, turn correct into a badge loyalist and aquire better and pricier Mazdas as they change into previous, wealthier and wish extra achieve.

In actuality, Mazda’s bear be taught shows a mighty Forty five per cent of Mazda 2 investors slump on to aquire from the logo all all over again. Evidence, if it were well-known, that culling it from the differ would contain negative knock-on effects.

Mazda 2’s lack of ANCAP ranking hurts

Age is catching up with the 2 in extra solutions than one. Its 2015 ANCAP safety ranking – finished after this technology’s preliminary originate – has now expired beneath ANCAP’s stricter tips.

The facelifted Mazda 2 is which capability of this fact with out a fresh ranking: now now not a lawful understanding a exiguous automobile aimed at younger drivers. An absence of central airbag or developed AEB would cease it from reaching a five essential particular person ranking, and Mazda says it has no plot of submitting a brand original automobile for testing.

“We haven’t obtained any advise solutions from dealers about people now now not placing it on their shopping list since it isn’t (ANCAP) rated,” mentioned Doak. “Who knows if that will commerce over time. If it does, we’ll have to contain a specialize in if there’s one more way we are able to tackle that.”

Unhappy because it appears, the smoke indicators don’t counsel there’s a lot appetite from Mazda’s head place of work for an all-original 2, which also puts the platform-sharing CX-3 SUV’s survival into jeopardy.

It can maybe well be a case of embracing these somewhat cheapie Mazdas whereas we’ve nonetheless obtained the likelihood.