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- The Mazda6 has fallen victim to Australian safety regulations.
- The aging model continues to be phased out of most markets.
- Mazda Australia has not yet decided on a successor.
Mazda has announced that it will officially withdraw the Mazda6 sedan and wagon from the Australian market, citing compliance issues with upcoming regulations. Australia was one of the few markets where the aging Mazda6 was still available, as it had been discontinued in most regions, including Europe, Japan and North America.
Although the Australian-spec Mazda6 sedan and wagon are equipped with features such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), these systems do not comply with the Australian Design Act No. 98/00, which comes into effect on 1 March 2025.
This regulatory hurdle has sealed the fate of the Mazda6 in Australia, which will join a growing list of discontinued models from other automakers with similar issues.
Falling demand
Although production of the Mazda6 has now ended, the company said it has secured a "healthy supply" of units across all trim levels for the Australian market, meaning both the sedan and wagon should still be available.
The Mazda6 was sold in Australia for 22 years across three generations since its launch in 2002 and has sold almost 150 customers. The peak was in 2005, when 15 units were sold, but the history of recent years has a different trend.
Only 2024 Mazda1354 units were sold in Australia in 6, highlighting the shrinking demand for mid-size sedans in a world increasingly dominated by crossovers.
The official announcement does not mention a successor, but only notes that the brand is "shifting focus to further refine its multi-solution strategy," offering models with internal combustion engines, mild hybrids, and PHEV powertrains.
Future replacement
The current generation Mazda6 debuted in 2012, followed by updates in 2015 and 2018. Despite the restyling, the sedan became another victim of the crossover boom, leaving US and Canadian markets in 2021, Britain in 2023 and Japan in 2024.
After leaving Australia, the aging model remains available in a few markets around the world, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, although its days are undoubtedly numbered.
Rumors of a rear-wheel-drive, six-cylinder successor to the Mazda6 have been circulating for years, but they have yet to materialize. Instead, Mazda has focused its energy on expanding its SUV lineup,
Mazda to launch sedan in China in 2024 EZ-6 based on the Changan with electric powertrain options and extended range. The fully electric version, called Mazda 6e, was recently introduced in Europe and the UK, serving as an indirect replacement for the ICE sedan and a competitor to the Tesla Model 3. At the moment, the appearance of the novelty for Australia has not been announced.
