Mazda is back! Can the brand keep Ford off its back this year with updated 2025 Mazda CX-60, updated BT-50 ute and strong sales of the Mazda CX-3 small SUV?

Mazda looks to be back on track with its sales in Australia, after a mixed year in 2024.

The Japanese carmaker lost its number two placing on the year-end sales charts last year after its registrations declined by 4.0 per cent to 95,978.

While those are still healthy numbers by anyone’s measure, it wasn’t quite enough to keep Ford at bay. The Blue Oval recorded 100,170 sales in 2024, a 14 per cent increase on its 2023 tally.

But so far in 2025, Mazda sales have steadied and the total sales are ahead of the same period last year by 5.7 per cent.

Interestingly that has coincided with a drop in Ford sales of 5.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year. As a result, Mazda is sitting on 25,119 units to Ford’s 21,399, keeping Ford in third for now.

Both are far behind the long-time number one Toyota on 57,797 so far in 2025.

Ford is still selling loads of Rangers and Everests and will likely put up a fight to regain its position, but Mazda is experiencing solid sales growth for new and old models alike.

Of its newer offerings, the CX-60 has finally started to connect with buyers, perhaps more so now that stock of the discontinued CX-8 and CX-9 has run dry.

CX-60 sales are up by 114 per cent year on year, even with a major update just around the corner. The update will seek to address some of the criticism of the medium-sized SUV’s throttle response, transmission mapping and ride issues.

Another one of the four newish SUVs in its line-up - the CX-80 - is also experiencing a sales bump. Mazda has sold 1283 examples of what is essentially a seven-seat version of the CX-60.

The other two new models, the related CX-70 and CX-90, have not seen the same level of interest, which is unsurprising given their more premium positioning in the line-up. Just 83 CX-70s have found homes this year, while 190 people have bought a CX-90.

The 4x4 versions of the recently facelifted BT-50 ute are also selling well, up 3.0 per cent this year to 3197 units, which is solid but not as much as its twin under the skin, the Isuzu D-Max (4891).

It’s Mazda’s older models that are also doing some of the heavy lifting. The CX-3 is 10-years old now - albeit with a number of updates in that time - yet it remains the top-selling light SUV in Australia by some margin. Mazda has sold 4337 so far this year, up 2.7 per cent securing a spot ahead of the Toyota Yaris Cross and Suzuki Jimny.

The larger CX-30 small SUV may not sell in the numbers it used to but it is ahead of last year by 4.4 per cent. Similarly, the mid-size CX-5 is no longer Australia’s favourite SUV - the Toyota RAV4 holds that title now - but 5538 sales in the first quarter is nothing to be sniffed at.

Even the recently discontinued Mazda6 sedan and wagon is the only model in its market segment in positive territory this year.

The Mazda3 remains the second best-selling small car under $45,000 behind the all-conquering Toyota Corolla. The smaller Mazda2 which dates back to 2014 is also ahead of last year’s sales by 27.5 per cent.

There are reports of Mazda preparing to end production for the CX-3 and Mazda2 globally but Mazda Australia has said it is committed to the models here.

But can Mazda maintain this momentum? And what new models are coming to maintain the brand’s sales?

The update to the CX-60 is expected to boost sales of that model even further, although it is already leading the over $60,000 medium SUV segment.

Beyond that, can we expect a new-generation CX-5 this year? Yes and no. The CX-5 will be revealed in 2025, but don’t expect it in Mazda dealerships until next year.

The BT-50 pick-up may get another update soon, too. Its mechanical twin, the Isuzu D-Max, is expected to usher in a new 2.2-litre Ddi ‘Maxforce’ engine producing 122kW/400Nm.

Whether it replaces the 1.9-litre ‘RZ4E’ four-cylinder engine (110kW/350Nm) and 3.0-litre ‘4JJ3’ engine (140kW/450Nm) in the BT-50 line-up, or is an additional engine is unclear.

Another likely addition to the Mazda line-up this year could be its first dedicated EV model. The Mazda6e is built in China by Mazda’s long-time partner, Changan, and despite being tapped as a China-only model originally, is now being rolled out to some international markets.

The 6e - also called the EZ-6 in China - is about to head to the UK, which is another right-hand-drive market and that means Australia is likely to follow. The sedan could land here before the end of the year giving Mazda a rival for the popular BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3.

While the soon to be revealed EZ-60 electric SUV should also make it Down Under, that won’t be for a while yet.

Mazda has had an EV in the form of the MX-30 small electric and mild hybrid crossover, however it only lasted a short time and was dropped in late 2023 after only a few years of slow sales.