End of the road for the Mazda6 in Australia after 22 years

Mazda has confirmed that the Mazda6 will exit Australian showrooms amid slowing demand for mid-size cars and the ongoing rise of the SUV.

Australia is one of the final markets where the Mazda6 is still sold after it exited both North America and many European markets in 2021, China in 2023 and its native Japan in 2024.

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In 2024, just 1,354 Mazda6s were sold in Australia - less than a tenth of its peak performance, which was 14,783 deliveries in 2005. Even in 2015, it exceeded 5,000 sales locally with just under 150,000 sedans and wagons sold in total to date.

The Mazda6 is the latest car to exit the once-popular mid-size segment, with cars like the Ford Mondeo, Subaru Liberty, Volkswagen Passat, Nissan Altima, Kia Optima, Citroen C5 and Peugeot 408 no longer sold in Australia. Just the Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata and Skoda Octavia remain in local showrooms - plus the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Polestar 2 and BYD Seal if you add EVs to the mix.

The all-electric Mazda6e will replace the Mazda6 in Europe, but Australian sales are yet to be confirmed. There was also speculation of a new-generation 6 based on the same ‘Large Architecture’ platform as the brand’s new large SUVs like the CX-60, but they are yet to come to fruition.

“We owe a lot to Mazda6 in helping to make the Mazda brand what it is today,” said Vinesh Bhindi, Managing Director for Mazda Australia.

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“Coinciding with the origins of our Zoom Zoom philosophy, its local introduction in 2002 contributed to a paradigm shift for the brand, and it immediately became widely praised as the benchmark for front-wheel drive dynamics and involvement.

“While we have seen the market shift its preference towards SUVs in recent years, the Mazda6 has always been – and continues to be – held in particularly high regard by loyal enthusiasts and keen drivers alike.”

The final Mazda6 models have been made for Australia, though the company says that there is still healthy stock for those wanting to snap one up.