2004 Mazda MX-Micro Sport Concept

A New Take on the Crossover Craze

More than a fancifully concept vehicle, the Mazda MX-Micro Sport is a four-seat crossover that is going into production this year, bringing a welcomed addition to the Japanese automakers line up.

Thats what Stephen Odell, Mazdas Senior Managing Executive Officer in charge of Global Marketing, Sales and Customer Service, said when the sheet was pulled off the car at the North American International Auto Show.

"A production version of the MX-Micro Sport concept will debut in a key automotive market during calendar year 2004, and Mazda is currently reviewing opportunities in other key markets including North America," Odell said.

Mazda has had its best collection of cars ever in its lineup, with the introduction of the new RX-8, the redesigned MPV, and the Mazda 3 and 6, he noted. Sales of the brand were up 14 percent in 2003 when compared with 2002, except in the highly competitive North American market where its performance has been relatively flat.

"With the market place awash in incentives and new product offerings, its easy to be lost in a crowd," Odell said. "For Mazda to stand out, we have to do something outstanding."

Odells comments seem to hint that the MX-Micro Sport is bound for the U.S. and Canada, but he remained noncommittal. The concept cars interior features, though, with its speedometer in "mph," strongly hint that it is coming to America.

And, just before the covering was taken off the car, Odell had remarked: "the concept offers local auto show visitors a chance to appreciate the possibilities of a small Mazda in the North American market."

Gotcha! Well, maybe, maybe not.

MX Shares Zoom-Zoom with Mazda 2

The MX-Micro Sport shares much of the same architecture as the foreign market Mazda 2, but is longer and wider with 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels while using a totally different exterior style, Odell said.

At 156.7 inches in length, the MX-Micro Sport concept is compact in size, and is 19.9 inches shorter than the new Mazda 3 5-Door. At the same time, it is nearly as wide as the Mazda 3 and 3.3 inches taller, so the cabin feels open, spacious, and offers room enough for four adults.

The Mazda 2 was first produced in February 2003 and is, basically, a revamped Ford Fusion, a European car, having replaced Mazdas odd-looking Demio that was sold across the "pond." Also, the 2 is built in Japan and at the Ford Valencia Assembly Plant, Spain, alongside the Fords Fiesta and Fusion, and those vehicles are exported to 65 countries.

So, the MX-Micro Sport may not be coming to North America first--speedometers and other trim components are easy to change. The trade newspaper, Automotive News, opined that the crossover would probably be made for Japan and maybe Europe this year.

The concept car features a MacPherson-type front suspension and a torsion beam rear suspension that Mazda says is tuned to provide a lively driving response and natural balance. Powering the crossover is Mazdas MZR 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder engine that produces 148 hp at 6,500 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque 4,500 rpm.

The engine rests on liquid-filled engine mounts to reduce unwanted NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). The exhaust manifold, Mazda says, has been specifically tuned to provide a pleasant, sporty engine note (the car was not turned on during the press conference, however).

Exterior Dressed to Delight

The MX-Micro Sports A- and B-pillars and window sashes are painted in high-gloss black creating a highly integrated appearance with the darkened glass of the side windows. The concept vehicle was also colored with a specially formulated, deep-gloss ZZR red paint.

The front of the Micro Sport has a fresh interpretation of the companys well-recognized five-point grille, Odell said. It has a large air intake in the front skirt and bold vertical slits at either end of the front bumper emphasize the look of forward motion.

The vehicle features large headlamp units feature clear lenses and reflectors with a curved shape characteristic of Japanese designs. At the back, at either end of the rear bumper, are centrally located dual exhaust pipes

Opening the hatch, the trunk area has a detachable partition for flexible stowage arrangements. When placed at the floor level, the partition allows the area beneath it to be used as sub-trunk. When placed in the upper position, the partition can both be used as a rear shelf and to conceal large packages underneath.

Designed With Technical Competence

"The interior has a remarkable technical competence, but its not overly complicated," Odell said. "The car is what one comes to expect from Mazda."

Opening the doors exposes two-tone, brown and black leather front bucket seats with large side bolsters, like sports cars would have, providing ample side support. The seats also feature a red stripe running along their sides, a theme carried over on other parts of the car.

The rear fold-down seats have a sporty bucket look and are designed to provide excellent lateral support and ease of vehicle entry and exit. Both front and rear seats have generous thickness in the shoulder area, and assure firm and comfortable seating. For ample headroom, the A-pillars and side windows feature relatively upright angles.

The easiest example of technical competence is Mazdas keyless entry system. The system uses a "credit card" that contains personalized information about the driver. When inserted into a receiver in the instrument panel, information such as common destinations for the navigation system and preferred audio sources are automatically set by the system. In addition, the card activates the engine start switch mounted on the instrument panel. The engine is started with a simple push of a button, and can be shut down just as easily.

The instrument panel central section incorporates a highly reflective silver finish that works to complement the large, black-on-white instruments (which light up as red at night). To the right of the steering wheel is a large, multi-function display and below that is the place receiver for the key card.

Between the driver and front passenger is the central display screen to help control the cars various communication, information and entertainment systems. Like the instruments, the center display is trimmed with a highly reflective silver finish.

Mazda Needs Car in Lineup

"Mazda certainly has to make some room in its lineup for emerging growth in the crossover arena," noted automotive analyst Mike Jackson of CSM Worldwide of Northville, Mich. "It certainly combines a lot of features that consumers are going for, such as a better ride and handling performance along with greater functionality."

Crossover vehicles are certainly coming of age because they combine the performance of cars with the panache of SUVs and cargo capacity of minivans, he said. The most notable examples on the market are the new Chrysler Pacifica and the Scion xB, but a wave of additional vehicles from a variety of automakers is coming onto the market.

One possible weakness with the design is its hatchback. Many consumers in North America have shunned cars with hatchbacks. However, since the MX-Micro Sport should appeal to potential SUV and minivan drivers, who are familiar with liftgates, the new Mazda should be able to overcome any objections.

There is a growing variety of possible competitors for the MX-Micro Sport, should it come to North America, Jackson noted, such as a number of compact, tall wagons. The car might even compete with the Mini.

"The Mini certainly has a pretty premium position, but the Mazda is much larger, with a four door offering and a little bit of cargo room that certainly bodes well for this entry," Jackson said. "But, I dont think the Mazda has the cache that is associated with the Mini, so I think they would be a bit more cautious on their price point."

Continuing to Rebuild Mazda in America

"Arguably, Mazda lost its way seven or eight years ago, and as a result ... the best thing we can do is focus on who we are and execute it as best as you can," Odell said.

Mazda, with its relationship with Ford--the Dearborn, Mich., based company owns more than a third of the Japanese company--has brought many great products to the market in model year 2004, such as the new RX-8 sports car with a modern version of a rotary engine, he said.

"The Mazda 3, for instance, is a byproduct of the association between the two companies," he said. "We are just a little company whose aim is to grow a little bit at a time and sensibly. Our aim is to grow profitably rather than just over expand ourselves and hit a volume number that doesnt mean anything from the profit perspective."

Mazda, however, had dropped its upscale Millenia sedan because it didnt have enough engineering resources to develop a profitable product.

"You have to focus on where Mazda should be and how you can execute it," Odell said. "You can never say never in this business, that there wont be another opportunity for us to move up a segment, but thats where execution becomes important."

So, will Mazda start a new micro-sized crossover trend in America? Something similar to the MX-Micro Sport appears likely.