Too many SUVs? New 2024 Mazda CX-70, incoming CX-80 and existing CX-60 and CX-90 won't oversaturate the line-up with SUVs, says Australian boss

After the global reveal of the new Mazda CX-70 and its confirmation for the Australian market, Mazda Australia boasts three mid-size SUVs in its line-up, part of a seven-strong range of SUVs overall.

Mazda Australia's Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi spoke to CarsGuide shortly after the CX-70's reveal, the model expected "towards the end of the year", he confirmed, though said a new addition to the range doesn't mean the brand has too many SUVs.

"I haven't come across a customer saying 'you're giving them too much choice, please reduce it'," Bhindi told CarsGuide.

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The model will later be joined by a fourth member of the brand's Large Platform Group, the CX-80, completing the line-up of CX-60, -70, -80 and -90.

"In the Large Platform, Mazda Corporation has got four nameplates. The majority of the bigger markets are getting only two - it's either 60 and 80, or 70 or 90," said Bhindi.

"Well, Australia, you know the small country, is the only one that's getting all four. And it's an exciting proposition. It's a privilege for us."

The new CX-70 was expected to be a wider version of the CX-60.

While Mazda's shift into the SUV space has been persistent, it's been accelerated by the Large Platform Group, with some models offering similar positioning to others.

The existing small SUV pair - CX-30 and MX-30 - are differently styled models sharing a platform and some powertrains.

Similarly, the new CX-70 was expected to be a wider version of the CX-60, as is thought to be the case with the CX-80 and -90, though upon its reveal it was confirmed the CX-70 is to some extent a five-seater roughly the same size as the CX-90.

Upon its reveal it was confirmed the CX-70 is to some extent a five-seater roughly the same size as the CX-90.

With CX-5 and CX-60 taking up the medium SUV space, and CX-70 and CX-90 so similar before the arrival of the CX-80, Vinesh Bhindi reiterated that the line-up expansion is part of Mazda's plan to offer customers choice, regardless of overlap between models.

"We see it as an opportunity to give more choices to Australian consumers. There may be some overlap, people might say well, you know, there's small differences here between 60 and 70 being a five seater configuration, but we think it's important enough to give that choice to Australian consumers because we can. And we're the only one."

It should be noted that, despite the Large Platform Groups models effectively replacing the popular CX-8 and CX-9 models here in Australia, with the latter both discontinued, Mazda Australia is adamant the likes of the CX-60 won't kill off the wildly popular CX-5.

Mazda Australia is adamant the likes of the CX-60 won’t kill off the wildly popular CX-5.

"Executives from Mazda Corporation have already flagged that there is a next CX-5.

"Maybe they'll call it something else, maybe call it CX-5. Let's not get into that discussion. But there is a product that will be [a continuation]."

While 'choice' is the key word in terms of Mazda's strategy, the brand isn't shifting focus based on expectations or hopes for what its customers might gravitate towards.

While ‘choice’ is the key word in terms of Mazda’s strategy, the brand isn’t shifting focus based on expectations or hopes for what its customers might gravitate towards.

The Large Platform Group being the 'new thing' doesn't mean Mazda is making that its primary focus, despite the brand's premium push.

"It really depends on consumer demand," said Bhindi. "If there's a bigger demand for the Large Platform, it's available and we can source them. But if the mainstream and the volume zones are a bit of a combination split and we have options as well.

"So we are nimble enough, it's not our plan to say these four nameplates will be the dominant offering. It really comes to the segments [where] our Australian consumers are saying 'that's the right car, that's the right size for me, that's the right value proposition'.

Vinesh Bhindi reiterated that the line-up expansion is part of Mazda’s plan to offer customers choice, regardless of overlap between models.

And we've always said that we're offering what we call 'Mazda Premium', but there is still a value equation attached to the Mazda brand, it's not as if it's out of reach.

"It's about choice. That's our strategy really, in a nutshell."