[Matagonka]

Mazda 3 sales sloping downward. Will 4th gen revive the vibe?

In the last four years, Mazda 3 sales were going down each year. Will the 4th generation bring the numbers back up?


Mazda
Mazda3
2018 64.638
2017 75.018
2016 95.567
2015 107.885
2014 104.985
2013 104.713
2012 123.361
2011 102.417
2010 106.353

 

[Gary_L]

In the last four years, Mazda 3 sales were going down each year. Will the 4th generation bring the numbers back up?


Mazda
Mazda3
2018 64.638
2017 75.018
2016 95.567
2015 107.885
2014 104.985
2013 104.713
2012 123.361
2011 102.417
2010 106.353

Declining sales would be sloping, not slopping.

It's not really Mazda's fault (in the US) for a number of reasons: People (like myself) are keeping vehicles longer; there are many new vehicle makes and models available for buyers; and, consumer preferences lean toward crossovers, SUVs, and pickups. Ford is exiting the passenger car market and GM is axing all but a select few models.

 

[da2el]

The tendency has been to replace sedans and hatchbacks by SUVs
Hopefully they keep making Mazda3 for people like me

Enviado do meu SM-J530F através do Tapatalk

 

[Matagonka]

Declining sales would be sloping, not slopping.

You are absolutely correct. Thank you for catching my typo. Removed the extra P to save the kilobytes.

 

[Gary_L]

You are absolutely correct. Thank you for catching my typo. Removed the extra P to save the kilobytes.

I meant to put a wink in there as I was ribbing you. Apologies that didn't come across properly. I for one have had issues with fat fingering when posting. Overall, no one died!!

 

[Joe Saab]

Toyota
Corolla sedan
2018 280.886
2017 308.695
2016 360.483
2014 339.498
2013 302.180
2012 290.944
2011 240.259
2010 266.082
2009 296.874
2008 351.007

Call me crazy for getting 3 but I think these folks all bought the wrong car!

 

[MrBen]

Not limited to only Mazda
Millennials have a lower rate of car ownership than older generations.
There has been more options in the last few years.
Uber
Lyft
Car2go
ZipCar
Car affordability -car payments, plus gas, insurance, maintenance, and repairs

 

[scmazda3]

In the USA no. Cars are a DOA in the USA. However, the Mazda 3 is a global car and you have to keep an eye on Chinese and European sales. Hopefully these go up. They really have to because it is the 2nd biggest seller for the company.

 

[rolanie3]

Apparently, sales of the CX-5 in North America outnumber the entire rest of the Mazda lineup combined .

And given the Corolla numbers above, it seems Mazda is either bleeding customers or they are eschewing the 3 for the CX-5:

Toyota
Corolla sedan
2017 308.695
2016 360.483
~14% decrease


Mazda
Mazda3
2017 75.018
2016 95.567
~21% decrease

 

[scmazda3]

Apparently, sales of the CX-5 in North America outnumber the entire rest of the Mazda lineup combined .

And given the Corolla numbers above, it seems Mazda is either bleeding customers or they are eschewing the 3 for the CX-5:

Toyota
Corolla sedan
2017 308.695
2016 360.483
~14% decrease


Mazda
Mazda3
2017 75.018
2016 95.567
~21% decrease

Add to the fact that in 2018 those numbers will be even lower and are going down in Europe (~38K Mazda 3's sold) and China (123K) and you can see a car company in trouble. A global downturn in the automotive industry could spell doom for Mazda.

 

[2017mazda3]

In the last four years, Mazda 3 sales were going down each year. Will the 4th generation bring the numbers back up?


Mazda
Mazda3
2018 64.638
2017 75.018
2016 95.567
2015 107.885
2014 104.985
2013 104.713
2012 123.361
2011 102.417
2010 106.353

I'm leaning towards NO and I think the short answer is a definite wait and see, but I wouldn't bank on it. To many controllable/uncontrollable, external/internal issues dictating their success.

Mazda knows they are a small company so they seem to have been careful not to make too many promises and too many yearly changes or introducing multiple new models at the same time. Unfortunately, they seem to have difficulty sticking to the few commitments they do make from live traffic updates to AA/CP which took them 3 years to develop and is far from being a perfect integration with the Mazda systems. And here we are in 2019 and they can't even commit to introducing the 2019 model year. I think we should assume the skyactive x won't be introduced till the 2020 model year...AWD? The suspension concerns? I think anyone who knows anything about cars might not rush out to buy the first 2019 Mazda 3 until there are several real world driving reviews...This kind of hesitation both by Mazda and potential buyers doesn't build confidence/desire/demand, or help pump up sales numbers.

 

[zero_gravity]

Toyota
Corolla sedan
2018 280.886
2017 308.695
2016 360.483
2014 339.498
2013 302.180
2012 290.944
2011 240.259
2010 266.082
2009 296.874
2008 351.007

Call me crazy for getting 3 but I think these folks all bought the wrong car!

I think so too. The corolla is an excellent car. Highly reliable and works as it should.

It's also about as exciting as a toaster oven. A very expensive toaster oven.

I do think this shows us something of the current demographic though. Most people don't care if their car is interesting, how well it handles, throttle response, etc. They just want a car to get from point A to point B.

From this I'd conclude that many people are no longer finding driving fun. With how bad traffic is getting in populated areas, I can understand why. So many idiots on the road.

 

[Gary_L]

Apparently, sales of the CX-5 in North America outnumber the entire rest of the Mazda lineup combined .

And given the Corolla numbers above, it seems Mazda is either bleeding customers or they are eschewing the 3 for the CX-5:

Toyota
Corolla sedan
2017 308.695
2016 360.483
~14% decrease


Mazda
Mazda3
2017 75.018
2016 95.567
~21% decrease

I have been debating a potential upgrade to a CX-5 (or as a second vehicle). Good looks and plenty of cargo room without being an obnoxiously large vehicle. The CX-3 leaves me wondering why Mazda bothered to build it (CX-3).

 

[MrBen]

I have been debating a potential upgrade to a CX-5 (or as a second vehicle). Good looks and plenty of cargo room without being an obnoxiously large vehicle. The CX-3 leaves me wondering why Mazda bothered to build it (CX-3).

Mazda 2 cars were poor sales, but converted into suv was better.

 

[MrBen]

Mazda vs the combined (merged) companies - Mitsubishi, Nissan and Renault.

 

[Joe Saab]

Way back when I was a Saab owner, they ran a slogan “people who test drive a Saab usually buy one.” Mazda should give that something like that a go. While house sitting for my neighbor I drive his corolla and it’s plain awful. The sales numbers for sedans are there. We just have to get these folks in to a Mazda sedan.

 

[hoodlum]

I have been debating a potential upgrade to a CX-5 (or as a second vehicle). Good looks and plenty of cargo room without being an obnoxiously large vehicle. The CX-3 leaves me wondering why Mazda bothered to build it (CX-3).

Mazda will announce the World Premiere of a new 2020 model at the Geneva Auto show in March. It looks like it could be the CX3.

https://carbuzz.com/news/mazda-reveals-mystery-new-model-is-coming

 

[Matagonka]

The CX-3 sales are steady but the numbers are weak, only 16,000 a year. In 2018, Mazda had the strongest gross income since 2014 @3.47 Trillion. However, the net income is slightly lower than most previous years. By looking at their financial statement, Mazda cars aren't going anywhere for now.

https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/mzdaf/financials

 

[scmazda3]

As people have mentioned, the CX-3 sells great in Europe. The US market is not the only car market in the world, nor is it the biggest...

 

[Matagonka]

Actually, Mazda 3 sells twice as much in U.S. as opposed to Europe. The CX-5 sold 150,000 in US alone last year, while about 60,000 in Europe and 50,000 in China. The CX-3 sells better in Europe by 50-70%.

The U.S. is a huge market, especially when it supersedes a whole continent or a country with over 1 Billion people. I lived in Europe. Many can't afford new cars.