Mazda tackles premium, electrification

Mazda's rapidly evolving lineup is moving in several different directions at once.

Smaller vehicles are getting more luxurious on the high trims but remaining affordable at the base. A new rear-wheel-drive, large-product platform is being developed to take on premium brands. And there's a greater focus on all-wheel drive, even on cars.

Meanwhile, the Japanese brand is planning hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, some likely using technology from automotive partner Toyota. The two automakers are near completion of a joint-venture assembly plant in Alabama that will build distinct vehicles for each of them.

For Mazda's current small-platform vehicles, the Mazda3 sedan/hatchback was redesigned for 2019, and the CX-30 crossover was new for 2020. The top-selling CX-5 is ready for a significant freshening. And the Mazda6 midsize sedan and CX-3 subcompact crossover are discontinued.

Mazda's large-product platform under development will use longitudinal four-cylinder, plug-in hybrid and six-cylinder engines, according to a product presentation during the automaker's earnings report in May.

In June, Mazda said it would introduce 13 electrified vehicles by about 2025, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric models. By 2030, all models will have some form of electrification, and 25 percent will be EVs, the company said. The automaker is also working on a rotary engine range extender for the MX-30 EV, which goes on sale in California this year.

Mazda3: The compact sedan and hatchback were redesigned for the 2019 model year and have been regularly updated, including with the addition of a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine on upper trims and a 2.0-liter nonturbo gasoline engine on the base model for the 2021 model year. Higher trims offer awd. It will be due for a freshening in 2022 and a redesign in 2024.

Mazda6: The midsize sedan is discontinued following the 2021 model year. But it will likely be revived, possibly in late 2022, on a rwd platform, with awd optional, and feature new engines including an inline six-cylinder to better take on premium rivals. A freshening is possible in 2025.

MX-5 Miata: The two-door sports car is expected to mostly carry over in its soft-top and retractable-roof versions for the 2022 model year. A freshening with hybrid is likely by 2025.

MX-30: Mazda is calling the MX-30 a small crossover EV. But it is clearly a niche vehicle, with quirky hatchback styling, a 35.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack with just 100 miles of range and initial availability only in California for the 2022 model year.

When it goes on sale this year, the well-equipped base version will start at $34,645, including shipping. The MX-30 will qualify for federal and state tax breaks for EVs. Mazda is working on a rotary engine range extender for the MX-30 and is expected to sell that version in additional states in late 2022.

CX-3: The subcompact crossover introduced for the 2016 model year is discontinued after the 2021 model year.

CX-30: New for the 2020 model year and available with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine at launch, the CX-30 added a turbocharged motor for 2021 with exclusive trim levels to challenge premium rivals. It carries over for the 2022 model year, with likely tweaks to feature content and color choices. A freshen should come in 2023.

CX-5: Redesigned for the 2017 model year and regularly updated over the years with new engine choices and higher trim options, the compact crossover is due for a significant freshening this year.

CX-50: Speculation is that the CX-5 will get a larger sibling, the CX-50, next year. This is likely the vehicle that Mazda will launch out of the Alabama factory, with the new large-product architecture and a new inline six-cylinder engine. It's expected to go on sale in the first half of 2022. The plant could also produce a hybrid version of the CX-50, perhaps with an inline four-cylinder engine. A freshening could come in 2025.

CX-70: Reports say Mazda has patented the CX-70 name, indicating that it will be a vehicle on the new large-product architecture, possibly in 2023.

CX-9: Mazda's three-row large crossover is due for a redesign, possibly in 2024. The second generation was introduced for the 2016 model year with a stylish exterior but less interior space than rivals. However, the next generation is likely to be called the CX-90 and use the new large-vehicle architecture.