AutoWeek thinks Mazda has a marketing problem on it hands, with a lineup that includes five different people movers that it says are “all about the same size and all within a relatively narrow price band.” Mazda’s lineup includes the Mazda5, a six-seat compact minivan; the Mazda6 five-seat sport wagon; the Tribute, a five-seat car-based SUV; the CX-7, a five-seat mid-sized crossover; and the new CX-9, a seven-seat crossover.

While several industry analysts agree that Mazda is cutting things to finely, Mazda marketing executives insist the five products can co-exist because they appeal to different buyers. The Mazda5 appeals to a completely different buyer than any of the others. There also are differences between buyers who want a five-seat crossover like the CX-7 and those looking for a seven-seater like the CX-9.

We tend to agree with Mazda, with one exception. Mazda says there are differences between Tribute buyers and CX-7 buyers, but we think the difference is too small to make it worthwile. Mazda could likely move many of its Tribute buyers into a CX-7, and CX-7 margins are likely to be higher. And we wouldn’t even consider counting the Mazda6 wagon in the mix.

## Source: AutoWeek ##

Posted in: Mazda, Ads/Marketing, Minivans/MPVs, Crossovers, SUVs, Car Buying
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