March 2009 Mazda5 Sales

[remarquian]

[Here's the monthly sales report I've been doing, it just adds the historical monthly sales from 2007 to 2009]

North America Mazda released their March 2009 sales data.

The Mazda5 had a pretty good month: 2,642 Mazda5s were sold in March, down 4.2% from March 2008.

For comparision 9,784 Mazda3s were sold in March.

Here's the data I gathered from 2007 to the present.

                      North American Mazda5 Sales

           Jan    Feb    Mar   Apr   May   Jun     Jul     Aug    Sep    Oct   Nov  Dec  YTD
2009   1340 2257 2642                                                                                    6239
2008   1699 2021 2758 2011 2072 1416 1336 1324  1080  1921 1499 2884 22021
2007   1323 1565 1657 1214 1449 1096  956  948     852   558   468  1627  13717

 

[remarquian]

Here is all the Mazda March 2009 data:

		Month-To-Date							Year-To-Date								
																	
		March		March		%		% MTD	March		March		%		% YTD		
		2009		2008		Change		DSR	2009		2008		Change		DSR		
																	
Mazda3		 9,784 		 12,635 		(22.6)%		(19.5)%	 23,780 		 27,107 		(12.3)%		(11.1)%		
Mazda5		 2,642 		 2,758 		(4.2)%		(0.4)%	 6,239 		 6,478 		(3.7)%		(2.4)%		
Mazda6		 4,463 		 7,741 		(42.3)%		(40.0)%	 10,505 		 19,601 		(46.4)%		(45.7)%		
MX-5 Miata		 1,009 		 1,664 		(39.4)%		(36.9)%	 1,917 		 3,248 		(41.0)%		(40.2)%		
RX-8		 187 		 333 		(43.8)%		(41.6)%	 498 		 912 		(45.4)%		(44.7)%		
CX-7		 1,589 		 3,396 		(53.2)%		(51.3)%	 4,327 		 9,136 		(52.6)%		(52.0)%		
CX-9		 1,795 		 2,679 		(33.0)%		(30.3)%	 5,179 		 6,729 		(23.0)%		(22.0)%		
Tribute		 426 		 1,568 		(72.8)%		(71.7)%	 1,178 		 4,112 		(71.4)%		(71.0)%		
B-Series Truck		 79 		 155 		(49.0)%		(47.0)%	 172 		 366 		(53.0)%		(52.4)%		
																	
Total Vehicles																	
																	
CARS		 18,085 		 25,131 		(28.0)%		(25.2)%	 42,939 		 57,346 		(25.1)%		(24.1)%		
TRUCKS		 3,889 		 7,798 		(50.1)%		(48.1)%	 10,856 		 20,343 		(46.6)%		(45.9)%		
																	
TOTAL		 21,974 		 32,929 		(33.3)%		(30.6)%	 53,795 		 77,689 		(30.8)%		(29.8)%		
																	
																	
MEMO:																	
																	
IMPORT CAR		 13,622 		 17,390 		(21.7)%			 32,434 		 37,745 		(14.1)%				
IMPORT TRUCK		 3,384 		 6,075 	 4,400 	(44.3)%			 9,506 		 15,865 		(40.1)%				
IMPORT TOTAL		 17,006 		 23,465 		(27.5)%			 41,940 		 53,610 		(21.8)%				
																	
DOMESTIC CAR		 4,463 		 7,741 		(42.3)%			 10,505 		 19,601 		(46.4)%				
DOMESTIC TRUCK		 505 		 1,723 		(70.7)%			 1,350 		 4,478 		(69.9)%				
DOMESTIC TOTALS		 4,968 		 9,464 		(47.5)%			 11,855 		 24,079 		(50.8)%				
Selling Days		25		26					75		76						
Note:  MPV is a discontinued vehicle.

 

[starlightmica]

Outselling the CX-7 and CX-9 so far. Wow.

 

[x10dude]

Outselling the CX-7 and CX-9 so far. Wow.

I don't think the worst if over yet..
I read an article that Mazda has cut production by 60%

 

[Heat]

Mazda also just really slashed their incentives.

February and March incentives on the Mazda5 was $1,000 cash back plus 0% financing for three years plus no payments for 90 days.

The April incentive is $500 cash back and 0.9% financing for three years (or 2.9% for 5 years).

 

[remarquian]

My take on it is that people are not buying the cars they want, limited only by the payments they can afford, but are buying cars based on price and what they truly need.

Sales for the Odyssey decreased to 8,156 a 36 percent drop from the 13,261. They are down about 40% of the YTD.

 

[Katner]

I just read in either Motor Trend or Car and Driver that the Mazda5 marketing budget allocation is $0.00. And they have sold their entire production allotment to date.

Imagine building a car that you don't have to advertise or promote. Just put it on the lot and let people drive away with them.

I thought that $0 in marketing was impossible but think about the last time you've seen a Mazda5 commercial. I never have.

(go ahead and flame me now with all your Mazda5 commercial sightings).

 

[sapacif]

I thought that $0 in marketing was impossible but think about the last time you've seen a Mazda5 commercial. I never have.

(go ahead and flame me now with all your Mazda5 commercial sightings).

I think that is true in the USA. I never have seen one here in Texas. I see Mazda commercials, but none for the Mazda5.

 

[switek]

I had never seen or heard of the 5 until I started researching a new family car purchase. My wife liked her sister's Matrix so I started looking at Toyota. Having owned a Mazda truck I thought to check their website and viola, the 5. One drive and the wife fell in love. The website was the advertising which caught my eye. I think they could sell more if people saw the merits of this vehicle.

 

[x10dude]

I had never seen or heard of the 5 until I started researching a new family car purchase. My wife liked her sister's Matrix so I started looking at Toyota. Having owned a Mazda truck I thought to check their website and viola, the 5. One drive and the wife fell in love. The website was the advertising which caught my eye. I think they could sell more if people saw the merits of this vehicle.

Most people still never heard of the Mazda5... In this car market environment and no marking, it will probably will stay that way for the foreseeable future. Too bad, because it really is a nice vehicle.

 

[Woochifer]

In this economic climate, those sales are exceptional.

I also recall reading that the Mazda5 had one of the shortest inventory turnarounds in the industry last year. Mazda had TV ads for the 5 right after they introduced the vehicle, but I haven't seen any since then.

I think the sales figures come down to allocation. North America does not get a big allotment of Mazda5s compared to the rest of the world, and that vehicle wasn't even designated for sale in North America when the current generation first came out.

But, Mazda took a chance, figuring that they could sell about 15,000 units a year. Once the sales took off, Mazda increased the allocation to North America and the current sales figures account for that higher allotment. Basically, Mazda is selling every 5 (with a very short turnaround) that they can spare for the North American market.

 

[x10dude]

In this economic climate, those sales are exceptional.

I also recall reading that the Mazda5 had one of the shortest inventory turnarounds in the industry last year. Mazda had TV ads for the 5 right after they introduced the vehicle, but I haven't seen any since then.

I think the sales figures come down to allocation. North America does not get a big allotment of Mazda5s compared to the rest of the world, and that vehicle wasn't even designated for sale in North America when the current generation first came out.

But, Mazda took a chance, figuring that they could sell about 15,000 units a year. Once the sales took off, Mazda increased the allocation to North America and the current sales figures account for that higher allotment. Basically, Mazda is selling every 5 (with a very short turnaround) that they can spare for the North American market.

Agreed. Good post. Too bad the allotment for N. America is so small.
Perhaps the strength of the Mazda5 in this climate is getting their attention. In one year, it went from being their lowest selling model to the 3rd biggest (behind the 3 and the 6)... well in reality, it was mainly because the other models sales fell through the floor.

 

[rodslinger]

I have seen Mazda ads with a 5 in them on TV. Usually on the Mazda brand ads to discuss general sales enents they show the 5 along with all the other models. But I have not seen a Mazda5 specific ad like we do for the 3, 6, CX7, etc...

 

[x10dude]

I have seen Mazda ads with a 5 in them on TV. Usually on the Mazda brand ads to discuss general sales enents they show the 5 along with all the other models. But I have not seen a Mazda5 specific ad like we do for the 3, 6, CX7, etc...

I don't think Mazda every anticipated that the Mazda5 would be a strong performer in their lineup. They spent a ton on advertising the new Mazda6 a few months ago but the sales numbers has downright dreary. The Mazda6 and Mazda3 are in really tough and competitive segments so advertising is probably necessary. While the Mazda5 really has no equivalent competition.