Yum, Yum: Mazda3 Sales. Would Mazda2 Eat Its Sister?

Some Mazda officials are concerned that the Mazda2 would cannibalize sales of the larger Mazda3 and that is leading to hesitation by the company to bring the smaller car here. Essentially this duo is the Mazda equivalent of the Ford Fiesta and Focus, a lineup that Ford itself cannot wait to offer here in the States.

We're hearing lots of excuses as to why the Mazda2 is not here. The above concerns are one reason, but Mazda has also stated that the engine it has certified for the U.S. market cannot be shoehorned into the Mazda2’s engine bay and that is also holding things up.

You can probably guess my opinion: of course Mazda should offer the car here! I think we will see the car arrive here eventually, but there isn't any rush. Mazda is launching the Mazda6 this year and the new Mazda3 next year, so we'd probably see the Mazda2 arrive in 2011 if market conditions stay the same.