– Move will further enhance automaker's ability to meet growing demand for SUVs globally –

Hiroshima, Japan: Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that, from November, it will produce the Next-Gen Mazda CX-5 medium SUV at Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi prefecture, in addition to the Hiroshima Plant where it is currently produced.

The move will help Mazda respond quickly and flexibly to growing demand for SUVs globally.

Mazda aims to create a production system that can respond flexibly to changes in demand for crossover vehicles as it works to meet its global sales goal of 1.65 million units, as laid out in its Structural Reform Stage 2 medium-term business plan (covering the period from fiscal year ending (FYE) March 2017 through FYE March 2019).

In December last year, the company also began producing the Mazda CX-3 small SUV at Hofu plant in addition to Hiroshima Plant.

Launched in Japan in February, the Next-Gen Mazda CX-5 is already proving popular, with 16,639 sales in its opening month – which is about seven times its monthly target. 

"As with the Mazda CX-3, starting production of the Mazda CX-5 at Hofu Plant, as well, is part of our plan to build a production framework that gives us more flexibility between plants and between models," said Masatoshi Maruyama, managing executive officer in charge of global production.

"We will do everything we can to get customers the crossover vehicles they want as quickly as possible."

The Next-Gen Mazda CX-5 will launch in Australia soon.