A new-generation Mazda CX-3 appears likely, with Mazda investing millions in its Thailand operations to become an "electrified" small SUV production hub.
A successor to the now 10-year-old Mazda CX-3 city SUV could appear in 2027 with a hybrid option.
Mazda has announced it will invest more than five billion baht ($AU235 million) in Thailand to establish the country as a manufacturing hub for "electrified" small SUVs, which will exported to Japan and other South East Asian countries.
Production of Mazda's new hybrid small SUVs is expected to commence in 2027.
Mazda currently builds the CX-3 light SUV in Thailand for most markets – including Australia and Japan – while the CX-30 small SUV is also manufactured there for South East Asia, but imported from Japan for Australia.
Future versions of the CX-3 and CX-30 are the most likely candidates to receive petrol-electric hybrid powertrains, with the Mazda 3-based CX-30 currently limited to 24-volt mild-hybrid options in some markets, while the Mazda 2-based CX-3 is not available with any type of electrification globally.
The Mazda CX-3 launched globally in 2015 and has since been discontinued in the United States and Europe, but it remains available in other markets – including Australia, where it achieved an annual sales record in 2024.
There has been no concrete news on a successor to the current Mazda CX-3 – nor if it will be joined by a new-generation Mazda 2 hatch, or if it will switch to a new name to further differentiate it from the larger CX-30.
Mazda's global president and chief executive officer Masahiro Moro said the investment will "establish Thailand as a manufacturing hub for its electrified compact SUV products".
"The vehicles to be produced will be high-performance compact SUVs that meet international standards, both in terms of environmental friendliness and hybrid technology," Moro said.
"This large-scale comprehensive production investment is to support domestic sales and exports to Japan and other countries, such as ASEAN countries, targeting a production of 100,000 units per year."
Mazda's current 'AutoAlliance' manufacturing facility in Thailand was established in 1995 in a joint-venture with Ford, while it also operates a separate, independent facility opened in 2015 to manufacture engines and automatic transmissions.
The investment will allow the carmaker's two current manufacturing facilities to support electrified vehicle production, including the addition of electric motors and high-voltage batteries, the Thailand Board of Investment said.
The Mazda 2 and CX-3 – along with the Mazda BT-50 ute built in an Isuzu factory – are the only Mazda vehicles made in Thailand for the Australian market, with all other models sourced from Japan.
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
