Mazda‘s future obviously lies in sport-utility vehicles, a recipe that is now mandatory for every car brand in 2021. Despite an already extensive lineup of five models (including the new electric MX-30), the manufacturer is preparing to expand its SUV lineup.
Next Monday, November 15, Mazda will unveil its new CX-50, another crossover that’s “a little bigger” than the CX-5, like the CX-30 and the diminutive CX-3. Mazda has just released this short video that shows the new model driving on a rainforest road with an orange kayak on the roof.
Let’s also remember that this new CX-50 – which will be exclusive to the North American market, by the way – will use the same platform as the Mazda3 and the CX-30, Mazda’s two most recent products, excluding the electric MX-30. Two other SUV models will eventually be added to the local lineup, the CX-70 (two-row) and CX-90 (three-row), which will be based on a new rear-wheel-drive platform with the option of adding all-wheel drive. These larger vehicles will be powered by an inline 6-cylinder engine with a form of hybridization.
The new CX-50 will be assembled at the Huntsville, Alabama plant jointly owned by Toyota and Mazda, where the new Corolla Cross is assembled. We can expect to find the 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine under the hood of this new CX-50, while a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter engine could also be offered on the less expensive models. We’ll know more next Monday.