December 2011 - Mazda

IRVINE, Calif. (January 4, 2012) - Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported December U.S. sales of 22,353 vehicles, an increase of 4.1 percent versus last year. On a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis, Mazda's December 2011 sales also were up 4.1 percent. December 2011 represented Mazda's best December since 2007, the strong sales showing attributable to the launch of the company's innovative SKYACTIV-G engine and SKYACTIV-Drive and -MT transmissions in the 2012 Mazda3 compact sedan and 5-door hatch.

Closing out an up-and-down 2011 that saw consumers starting to return to showrooms, although still shopping as much as they were actually buying, Mazda's U.S. sales were up 9.1 percent over 2010, with 250,426 vehicles sold.

Key December sales notes:

- Mazda2 sales were up 60.9 percent, with 1,342 vehicles sold in December.

- Mazda5 sales were up 52.5 percent, with 1,206 vehicles sold.

- CX-9 crossover SUV sales were up 27.8 percent, with 4,206 vehicles sold. This represented the best-ever December for the award-winning three-row, seven-passenger CX-9.

- Mazda3 sales of 9,264 vehicles accounted for a 2.7 percent increase over last year. The new 2012 Mazda3 features Mazda's innovative SKYACTIV-G engine and SKYACTIV-Drive automatic transmission that achieves 40 MPG on the highway, all without sacrificing driving performance.

Rounding out December sales for the North American market, Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported its best-ever month with sales of 3,660 vehicles, accounting for a 10.0 percent increase versus last year. MMdM also celebrated its best-ever year in 2011 as sales surged 19.0 percent with 29,860 vehicles sold.

In a very challenging market, Mazda Canada, Inc. (MCI) sold 4,868 vehicles in December, down 7.0 percent. For the year, MCI sold 69,186 vehicles, down 12.0 percent versus last year.