The long-running favorite Mazda CX-3 could be on its last legs and production for the Japanese market may be discontinued.
The light crossover SUV – which was first introduced in 2014 – is currently being built in Thailand for markets such as Japan and Australia, as well as in Mexico for that market.
However, there is now a notice on Mazda’s Japanese website that reads: “Production of the Mazda CX-3 for the domestic market will end at the end of February 2026.”
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“In Thailand, production of the CX-3 will continue and we will announce future product plans in due course. In addition, the CX-3 will also continue at the factory in Mexico,” a Mazda Australia spokesperson said when asked what impact this announcement has on our market.
“Going forward, Mazda will continue to optimize its product range and production locations based on market demand and regulatory requirements in each global market.”
“In addition, from Mazda Australia’s perspective, we will of course continue to offer the CX-3 locally for the foreseeable future.”
This could therefore simply be the latest step in a staggered retirement of the CX-3. It was already phased out in key markets such as the US and Europe in 2021, but it lives on in markets such as Mexico and various Southeast Asian countries.
Mazda did something similar with the Mazda 6, discontinuing it in the US and Canada in 2021, the UK in 2023, China and Japan in 2024, and Australia in 2025. The even older midsize car remains in a handful of markets in Asia, including Malaysia and Thailand.
So it’s unclear how long it will be before Australia joins the list of markets that no longer offer the CX-3.
The company seemingly teased design sketches of a CX-3 replacement 12 months ago ahead of a new vehicle entering production at its Thai factory in 2027. However, it subsequently unveiled a very similar-looking concept vehicle at the Japan Mobility Show in October, previewing what appeared to be a Mazda 2 replacement.
Despite introducing the CX-30 small SUV in 2019, Mazda Australia retained the CX-3 as a smaller, cheaper alternative.
The aging CX-3, which sits in VFACTS’ “Light SUV” segment, remains a strong seller. It even outsells the Toyota Yaris Cross, despite being a much newer model from Australia’s leading brand.
Mazda Australia delivered 15,429 CX-3s last year, ahead of the Yaris Cross (10,928), but 16.4 percent fewer than the previous year.
For 2025, Mazda Australia has dropped the entry-level CX-3 variant and increased the base price by $3420. This was part of an ongoing update that also brought more features across the range and detail changes such as new wheel designs.
MORE: Explore the Mazda CX-3 showroom
