Mazda Ends Production Of CX-8 At The End Of 2023 To Open The Road For CX-80

Mazda CX-8. (Doc. Mazda Motor Corporation)

The less encouraging news came from Mazda. The company announced its plans to stop production of CX-8 by the end of December 2023. This medium-sized SUV will be replaced by a CX-80 hybrid model scheduled to launch next year.

This decision shows Mazda's serious steps in dealing with the electric car market. Currently, the CX-8 circulating is not yet available in the electrification variant, both hybrid and EV.

Although production will be halted within the next month, the company has confirmed that orders and sales of CX-8 will continue into 2024 or until the stock of units is sold out, this was reported by Carscoops, Tuesday, October 31.

Mazda CX-80, which is indirectly a replacement for the CX-8, will feature a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain with a 4-cylinder engine. In addition, other variants will include milli-hybrid technology with a 48V battery paired with 6-cylinder gasoline engines fresh on Skyactiv-X and Skyactive-D diesel.

Mazda has also confirmed that the model will be based on the latest 'Large Architecture' foundation. The CX-80 is planned to be offered exclusively in the Japanese and European markets.

Previously, Mazda also announced the termination of CX-9 production in the United States market by the end of 2023. This was done to provide more space for other three-line SUVs, such as the CX-90. Demand for large SUVs is on the rise in the region.

The CX-8 itself was introduced in 2017 as a longer version of the CX-5 with a three-line seating arrangement. The model shares the same platform as the smaller CX-5 and the larger CX-9. The vehicle is available in 6 to 7 seating configurations, depending on its market. The CX-8 has been marketed in various regions, including Japan, China, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.