The Mazda 6 will remain in Australian showrooms for the foreseeable future despite the ageing sedan and wagon being pulled from the marque’s Japanese range.
Mazda announced last week the Mazda 6 sedan and wagon would no longer be sold in Japan, with production ending for that market in mid-April, leaving a question mark on its future in Australia.
However, a spokesperson for Mazda Australia has since confirmed the model will continue to be produced, with local demand keeping it rolling down the production line.
“We will continue to build Mazda 6 in Japan for Australia and some other markets. This also remains unchanged for its local assembly in Vietnam,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The move echoes that of the Toyota Camry, which was removed from sale in its home market of Japan last year with production continuing for export markets only.
Mazda’s decision to continue producing the 6 for Australia and select countries extends the current model’s long life, following the GJ generation’s introduction to Australian showrooms in late 2012.
The Mazda 6 has received multiple facelifts and updates since 2012, most recently last year when wireless Apple CarPlay and the brand’s Cruising and Traffic Support semi-autonomous assistance systems were added to the features list.
The model’s future beyond the current generation is uncertain, with unsubstantiated reports from Japan claiming the next-generation Mazda 6 will become a rear-wheel-drive model, based on the brand’s Large Platform which underpins the CX-60 and CX-90 SUVs.
As previously reported, the next-generation Mazda 6 isn’t expected to be launched until 2025 at the earliest – if at all, given sales of large sedans are on the decline globally amid rising demand for SUVs.
Mazda’s model range has also been without a rear-wheel-drive four-door passenger car since 2012 when production of the rotary-powered RX-8 wrapped up.
MORE: Everything Mazda 6
MORE: 2023 Mazda 6 G25 Touring review
