Rising Demand for SUVs Prompts Mazda to Ramp Up Production

Hence, the 2017 Mazda CX-3 is now manufactured by three assembly complexes in two countries as a response to the strengthening demand for crossovers and SUVs. By introducing the CX-3 to Hofu in Japan, Mazda also released the strain on Ujina, a plant which now operates at full capacity to bring the seven-seater CX-9 and the all-new CX-5 to dealership lots.

While we wait for the CX-5 to roll out into Japanese dealers this coming February, the CX-9 is a hit in the United States of America. Priced from $31,520 and available exclusively with the newly-introduced SkyActiv-G 2.5T, the CX-9 is the biggest Mazda sport utility vehicle in production today.
The CX-3, meanwhile, is the gateway to Mazda’s jacked-up range, with pricing kicking off at $19,960 in the U.S. Only one engine is available in the North American market, namely a SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter four-banger with 146 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque. The drivetrain, meanwhile, comes in front- and i-Activ AWD flavors, and with a 6-speed automatic tranny.

Over the pond in Europe, the CX-3 is available with either a 2.0-liter or the SkyActiv-D 1.5 turbo diesel. The latter drinks as little as 4.0 liters of fuel over the course of 100 kilometers on the NEDC combined cycle, a figure the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine could only dream of. Better still, it’s the torquiest engine of the whole lot, packing 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of oomph.

The all-new Mazda CX-5, meanwhile, slots between the CX-3 and CX-9. Slated to arrive in the U.S. and Europe by summer 2017, the second-generation model in Japan-spec form can be had with any of the following three engines: SkyActiv-G 2.0, SkyActiv-G 2.5, and the SkyActiv-D 2.2. In Japan, the SkyActiv-Drive 6-speed automatic is the sole cog swapper available.