Speaking in an interview to Autocar, Jeremy Thomson, the leader of Mazda UK, said the brand was looking at Lexus to figure out how it move upmarket.
To improve its image, Mazda will now pay more attention to the aesthetics, build quality and features of its cars. Speaking about the key advantages of new Mazda cars, Thomson said the exterior design would be more refined and laconic going forward compared to most Japanese competition. He added that residents of Europe who had the opportunity to look at this new design were delighted.
Having said that, the company apparently lacks the intention to compete with any premium brands in Europe directly: according to Thomson, they are beyond reach for now. Competing with Lexus is entirely possible, however, Mazda will be prioritizing clientele that values handling and character of Mazda cars over creature comforts here. The latest MX-5 is a good example of what to expect in terms of handling.
It seems like the new CX-60 SUV set to debut on March 8 will preview the new design direction to us at last. It will also show us a glimpse of a new car architecture developed with premium vehicles in mind (longitudinal engine layout + RWD in the base spec). All we know about the upcoming CX-60 right now is that it is going to be a hybrid.