Mazda NZ taking a different course to neighbour, which has abandoned Hiroshima’s landmark electric model.

POWERING on with the city-centric MX-30 (top) compact crossover in full battery and mild hybrid forms - but CX-8 (above) is retiring, to be replaced by larger equivalent, CX-80.

That’s the resolve from Mazda New Zealand in respect to product planning for 2024, this explanation coming after Mazda in Australia having today aired a more radical approach.

The make’s first battery-pure product, MX-30, will leave Australia imminently. That’ll be the third big export market, after the United States and Canada, to quit the model.

However, Mazda NZ says it has no plans to do likewise.

“MX-30 (both powertrains), however, has not ceased for New Zealand and remains a part of the local range particularly as we continue a transition to an electrified fleet,” product and communications manager Paul Sherley said today.

“With New Zealand's CO2 regulations and effects of the Clean Car Programme, the acceptance and uptake of electrified vehicles remains strong.”

The MX-30 has been available locally in full electric BEV form since 2021, the mild-hybrid MHEV edition following almost a year after that. Aside from this country, Japan is the only market for that latter car.

MX-30 has been a slow seller, facing criticism for being shown up by other like-priced other EVs that were larger, more powerful and delivered better range. In late January Auckland-based Mazda NZ removed $6400 from the recommended retail, to take it to $68,590 before inclusion of a Clean Car rebate, but that doesn’t appear to have made much difference.

The cheaper m-Hybrid has been more successful, however the two types between them still other garnered 161 registrations in 2022.

A third version, using a petrol rotary engine as a power generator to provision better range, is set to come on sale next year. It is expected to provision up to 600kms’range, whereas the current fully electric type manages 200-220km.

CX-8 will cease production for New Zealand at the end of the year, says Sherley, explaining this is in line with other markets such as Australia. However, it is expected the stock will not exhaust until next year. “We will continue to sell this model into early 2024.”

The CX-5-derived seven seater has been on sale since 2018, in the last few years becoming the sole diesel passenger model available from Hiroshima.

Its replacement, CX-80, is an enlarged three-row version of the CX-60, which has just landed in five-seater form, with two choices of petrol engine - a four-cylinder 2.5-litre with plug-in hybrid assist and a six-cylinder 3.3-litre with 48 volt assist.