TOKYO -- Mazda, which sees utility vehicles as a fast path to profits, is beefing up its crossover lineup, starting with the addition of a newly minted Mazda CX-50 to be made at its plant in Alabama.
That new nameplate, which will arrive in 2022, will be followed by a slew of new products that will be built on the Japanese automaker's upcoming large-vehicle platform. Some North America offerings will use robust turbo-charged inline six-cylinder engines and plug-in hybrid systems.
The fleet of new nameplates will include the Mazda CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90, Mazda Motor Corp. said in a news release on Thursday. All of the vehicles will land between 2022 and 2023.
Mazda is unleashing the crossover blitz as it repositions its lineup toward the hot-selling utility vehicle segment and tries to move upmarket with bigger, more powerful offerings.
"We aim to offer customers a diverse choice of SUVs able to provide both the driving pleasure and the latest environmental performance to meet demands in the continuously growing global SUV segment," Mazda said in its statement, saying the CX-50 will be a core U.S. model.