Sound reasoning or ingenious marketing power play?
It’s pretty much a done-deal now: Mazda will be wedging in a new crossover called the CX-4 in between its existing CX-3 and CX-5 that will be based upon or at least closely resemble their Koeru Concept from last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
The new model, as we reported yesterday, will make its global debut at the 2016 Beijing Motor Show in April. But, it turns out that Mazda chose that location for more than just logistical and/or timing reasons.
For the moment, when the CX-4 does roll off production lines, it will only be headed towards showrooms in China. As far as sales to other markets go, Mazda says “nothing has been decided.”
The CX-4 will focus less on out-and-out utility and more on delivering an exhilarating drive. For the MX-5 owner that has a family, then. But that is a market that seems ripe for the picking. BMW, after all, have proven with its X6 that the sporty SUV has some strong pull with customers, and Mazda’s customers – globally - would be exactly the type that would love a sportier, sleeker SUV/Crossover.
It’s unclear as to exactly why Mazda is choosing to limit the CX-4 to the Chinese market, at least initially. And so far there has been no official word or widespread speculation that clears the air on this apart from the assertion that China is a very profitable market – but we already knew that.
We can’t seriously believe that Mazda will keep the CX-4 a China-only model for long. After all, their Koeru concept was met to great enthusiasm when it was unveiled in Frankfurt. Which is in Germany. Which is not China.
Perhaps Mazda knows the CX-4 will be a hit, and is deliberately humouring the idea of withholding it from the larger car-buying community to prod the media, and potential buyers, into a tizzy. Ingenious.
