After serving dutifully since 2006, it appears that the Mazda5 has reached the end of the road. The 2015 model year will be the model’s last, and there are no plans for a replacement.
According to a press release outlining the automaker’s plans for the 2016 model year, the Mazda5 will be axed, leaving it without a minivan in its lineup. Instead, the company will rely on the seemingly unyielding demand for crossovers and sales of its hotcakes CX-5.
The Mazda CX-5 crossover, regarded as one of the best in the segment, sold 9,530 units last month and 62,873 over the last year. In addition, sales have increased about 6 percent since 2014. In contrast, the Mazda sold just 551 units of the Mazda5 last month, and 6,835 in the past year.
The departure of the Mazda5 means there will be no more compact sliding-door minivans left in the US market. The class that is still booming in Asia, where models like the Honda StepWGN and Toyota Voxy are hot sellers. Until this year, the Mazda5 was also the only minivan available in the US with a 6-speed manual.
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