Mazda has announced that it will be discontinuing production of the Mazda CX-8 3-row crossover SUV at its Hiroshima plant in late December. It serves as the flagship model in the Land of the Rising Sun.

The CX-8 was first introduced in Japan in 2017 and is the sole 3-row model offered there following the discontinuation of its MPV models, the Biante and the Premacy/Mazda 5.

Basically a narrower twin to the CX-9 which was never sold in Japan, the CX-8 saw minor improvements throughout its 6-year lifespan in the country with the most recent being in late-2022 with a facelift and the addition of the Mi-Drive drive selection.

Also read: 2023 Mazda CX-8 facelift debuts in Japan: Revised looks, same engines, improved safety

“Since its introduction, it has created a category of 3-row crossover SUVs for Japanese families and has enjoyed the patronage of many customers over the years,” Mazda said in a statement translated from Japanese.

Sales of the CX-8 in Japan will soldier on until stocks run out but the 3-row crossover has never been a huge volume seller for Mazda, averaging around 17,000 units a year. According to data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association (JADA), the CX-8 is ranked around the bottom half of the monthly Top 50 sales chart.

Also read: Pros and Cons: 2022 Mazda CX-8 2.5 Turbo - Complete package but thirsty

The CX-8 is expected to be replaced by the rear-wheel drive (RWD) CX-80 which is planned to be launched in 2024. The CX-80 is essentially the bigger brother to the CX-60 and is a narrower twin to the CX-90 which made its Southeast Asian debut in the Philippines.

Also read: From equivalent of RM 303k, 3-row Mazda CX-90 makes ASEAN debut in the Philippines

As for Malaysia where the CX-8 is locally assembled (CKD) at the Inokom plant in Kulim, the 3-row SUV will reportedly carry on for a few more years. Currently, there are 5 variants of the CX-8 offered here:

• CX-8 2.5G 2WD Mid – RM 184,000
• CX-8 2.5G 2WD High – RM 190,000
• CX-8 2.5G 2WD High Plus – RM 205,000
• CX-8 2.2D 2WD High Plus – RM 212,000
• CX-8 2.5G Turbo AWD High Plus – RM 220,000

The CX-80 will be a more refined product than the CX-8 and hence it will be priced even higher than its predecessor when it gets launched.