Mazda unveiled the CX-50 but why is it being built and why only for the U.S?
Okay, so Japanese automaker, Mazda, has just revealed its newest creation, the CX-50 C-segment crossover SUV, which also seems like a rugged off-road SUV. The problem is it is too similar in many ways to the CX-5 and is for the U.S market only? So is this going to replace the CX-5 in the U.S?
Now before anyone goes panicking and saying Mazda is going to discontinue the CX-5 globally, just calm down. That is definitely not happening, at least not anytime soon. We know this as the new Mazda CX-5 just launched here and the brand won’t discontinue one of its best sellers just to replace it with a market specific model.
Moreover, it is no secret that rugged off-road SUVs are all the rage over in the land of freedom and bald eagles. To that end, it only makes sense that Mazda would capitalise on this trend and release a more off-road looking version of an already popular SUV like the CX-5 for that market only.
Don’t believe me? Think TRD models from Toyota or any Jeep or even some Subaru models over there. While the more urban CX-5 makes more sense and is perfectly acceptable to other markets like Malaysia and Asia in general, there are many buyers in the U.S who either live at or frequent off-road areas so Mazda is targeting them.
So in essence, the main reason the Mazda CX-50, that has just been announced, is for the U.S market only, is simply that the customer base there needs something that is less built for the city and built more for the great outdoors. Also the customers prefer something that looks more rugged as well.
On top of that, a quick look at the Mazda USA website linked here will immediately show the CX-50 in full “off-road” mode with roof racks, its rugged body cladding on a , you guessed it, off-road trail with rocks all around. So clearly, we know the target market that the brand has in mind for this new crossover SUV.
So there you have it, the reason why the newly revealed Mazda CX-50 is for the U.S only. In some ways, this is a very smart move from the brand but because it also checks a lot of the same boxes that the much more established CX-5 does, I can’t help but wonder if it is worth the investment at all.
