Mazda has made the announcement that production of the Mazda6 for the Japanese market will cease in mid-April 2024. This marks another chapter in the story of the beloved sedan’s gradual disappearance from major markets, following its discontinuation in North America back in 2021 and the U.K just last year.
The automaker provided only minimal insight into its decision to discontinue the sedan and wagon, but truth to be told, it is getting quite long in the tooth, despite its enduring design. The current third-generation model is over a decade old, having made its debut in 2012.
The mid-size model’s roots go back to 2002, when the first-generation model, known as the Atenza in Japan, was first launched. According to Kazuyoshi Todo, Mazda’s executive officer in charge of domestic sales, the sedan embodied the brand’s DNA and was a great symbol of its “zoom-zoom” ethos.
“Successive Atenzas and Mazda6s have been beloved by many customers for a long time, with a cumulative total of 226,437 units sold in Japan,” said Todo. “The CX series of crossovers will now assume this role, and we will continue to provide our customers with an engaging driving experience that aligns with the modern era.”
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As Todo’s comments imply, Mazda is increasingly focused on producing SUVs and crossovers. These higher-riding vehicles are a dominant force in the automotive industry, popular with buyers, and generate more profit for automakers due to the premium prices they can command.
Although the production of the Japanese market Mazda6 is ending in April, customers can still get their orders in for a new model before they run out of production. While Mazda has no official plans to produce a direct replacement for the model, rumors suggest that a rear-wheel-drive sedan is being developed, and will be based on the platform used for its large SUVs.
