Mazda's Small SUV Could Get A More Rugged Version Soon

Mazda is a notable outlier. It doesn't offer anything like the current glut of off-road SUVs on the market today. Mazda's CX-50 comes close, but the brand tends to keep to its luxury and sporty niches. However, a recent interview with CarSales indicates that the company is always monitoring consumer demand, and that the brand could head for a more rugged SUV if it feels there's a spot in the lineup for such an SUV.

Koichiro Yamaguchi, program manager for the 2026 CX-5, said he monitors customer feedback closely...