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One of the Prettiest Mid-Size Sedans in the Segment Is Now Dead in the UK

Normal passenger cars have lost significant ground to crossovers and SUVs these past few years, and one of the body styles that has struggled to keep up with high-riders is the mid-size sedan. Unfortunately, some models have been discontinued altogether, and others are on the verge of being dropped, with no replacements in the pipeline.
Mazda6 11 photos
Photo: Mazda
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The latest D-segment car to have been killed is the Mazda6 in the United Kingdom. The decision to pull the plug on what is still arguably one of the prettiest vehicles in the segment was discovered by Autocar, which received official confirmation from a Mazda representative.

But why did the Japanese automaker sound the death knell for the Mazda6? Due to poor sales, of course. According to CarSalesBase, they sold 4,890 units of the mid-size model in 2021 in Europe, and 6,950 in 2020. This represented a significant drop over 2019, when they parted ways with 22,048 examples.

In the United States, 16,214 and 16,204 units of the Mazda6 were sold in 2021 and 2020 respectively, and it was dropped last year. Thus, customers wanting a four-door Mazda will have to make do with the smaller Mazda3, which starts at $22,550. The compact car is also available as a hatchback, priced from $23,550, excluding destination. These two are joined by the MX-5 Miata and MX-5 Miata RF, offered from $28,050 and $35,750 respectively, and they remain the brand’s only passenger cars available in our market. The rest of the lineup comprises only crossovers, and includes the CX-30, CX-5, CX-50, CX-9, and MX-30.

Originally unveiled in 2012, the third-gen Mazda6 was given two mid-cycle updates, one in 2015, and the other in 2018. Depending on where it was sold, it came with a choice of three gasoline units and one diesel, mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. Besides the sedan, which is a rival to the likes of the Skoda Superb and Peugeot 508, the Mazda6 also comes in the wagon body style, which inevitably guns for the likes of the five-door Volkswagen Passat.

Now, it may not be available to order anymore in the United Kingdom, but the Mazda6 is still being sold in other European countries. In Germany, for one, the company’s official website reveals that it starts at €32,900 (equal to $35,750) regardless of the body style, and in Spain, it kicks off at €34,655 ($37,660) for the four-door, and €35,155 ($38,200) for the five-door. At the time of writing, the Mazda6 was not listed on the brand’s websites in France and Italy. Also, on an even sadder note, the quoted outlet reports that it is unlikely to be replaced, given Mazda’s current focus on crossovers, so we will soon bid farewell to it for good.
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About the author: Cristian Gnaticov
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After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
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