Many manufacturers have wanted to take credit for being the pioneers, the ones who got ahead of the market and launched the first SUV. The crossover phenomenon was quite sudden, with key players like the Nissan Qashqai or BMW’s X variants .
Its success was immediate and soon the trend became an obligation, rare was the firm that did not present its SUV. He even reached the highest levels with the controversial Porsche Cayenne, a misunderstood model that saved the ballot for a brand in recession. Mazda also reacted to the strong demand for off-road models but did so by paying particular attention to driving sensations and the beauty of the bodywork. Somewhat forgotten aspects in that eagerness to enter a rising market. Like so many other firms, the Japanese manufacturer previously flirted with off-road and even pick-up models. On the occasion of its centenary, it is a good time to look back and recognize how Mazda traveled until the appearance of its CX-5, CX-3 and CX-30.
Arguably, SUV fashion has hit the buyer for the past 15 years. Its appearance relegated minivans to pure oblivion and the same is happening with saloons or family cars. Its versatility managed to convince the buyer of the need to own a car capable of traveling poorly paved areas, even though you were never going to put it on a dirt road. Its easy access to front and rear seats , added to the sense of security that driving higher brings , were the perfect formula to fill our cities with SUVs. The essence, however, is far removed from the asphalt and glass jungle that is our metropolis. The vast majority of SUVs were developed from a reliable and unsophisticated 4×4 off-road. Models that saw their body decked out and their off-road capabilities disappeared.
The seed
Mazda’s first SUVs were functional models with rugged and unrefined aesthetics. On its way to mass production, Mazda developed the Pathfinder XV-1. It was a 4×4 based on the Toyota Land Cruisers of the time and it was only sold in the old Burma, between 1970 and 1973. Many went to the army and the police of the country but, for the rest of the world, it is a model a stranger. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that pickup manufacturing put Mazda on the map. In this commercial line appeared the Mazda Proceed Marvie, launched in 1991 with certain SUVs and three rows of seats. It was sold in Japan, some Asian countries and in Australia, where it was called the Ford Raider.
Evolution was different on the other side of the planet. Americans love cars of considerable size and wild character. For that market, the firm devised the Mazda Navajo , which was a retouched Ford Explorer Sport , with four-wheel drive and a 4.0-liter V6 gasoline engine. Before going on to create its own SUVs, Mazda tried again with the collaboration of Suzuki and its Shield. The model was called Proceed Levante and was marketed in the 1990s.
Mazda creates its first SUV
The Mazda Tribute was developed jointly with Ford, which had interests in the Japanese company. They used the Mazda 626 as a platform and were officially unveiled in 2000. The Tribute was slightly sportier than the Ford Escape and was marketed in Europe with a 2.0-liter 125PS petrol engine and a 199PS 3.0-liter V6 . The first of them fit better in the 2001 old continent market so versions with front and all-wheel drive were made. The success of these models was relative and there was even a second generation for America and some other country. However, Mazda already had its sights set on the unstoppable rise of SUVs and accompanied that permanence with the launch of the CX-9. It was a model with more pure and sporty lines designed to be driven and enjoyed on asphalt roads.
In Europe, the Mazda CX-7 was chosen , based on the MX-Crossport concept car presented at the 2006 Los Angeles Motor Show. It was a completely different model from what had been seen up to then in the firm, away from the crude image and without grace of the previous off-roaders. It rode a 2.3-liter gasoline block that produced 260 hp and was praised for its dynamic behavior. Its sales were affected by the lack of a diesel engine, which arrived in 2009 with the 2.2 l 172 hp, but it was the seed of success.
The CX models
The Mazda CX-5 was the first to turn to the Kodo design philosophy. It also incorporated Skyactiv technology with the latest innovations in engines, chassis and transmissions. The ride quality was much higher, its image cleaner and all of it managed to impact the European market. It was launched in 2012 and by 2013 it accounted for 19% of sales in the British market. Little by little other proposals arrived to meet the enormous demand for SUV models.
The Mazda CX-3 , based on the Mazda2 platform, competes in the compact SUV segment. Its elegant design and the simplicity of its driving have fallen in love with many drivers. Just a few weeks ago, its latest update was made official with more equipment and cylinder disconnection technology for the 2.0 Skyactiv-G block. Nor can we forget the Mazda CX-30 , the latest to arrive with the revolutionary Skyactiv-X engine, which is ignited by compression and is controlled by spark.
