Bermaz To Locally Assemble Mazda CX-8 In Malaysia, Estimated Launch In mid-2019

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The forthcoming three-row seat Mazda CX-8 will be assembled locally at Mazda Malaysia’s plant in Kulim, Kedah by mid-2019, according to information gathered from an investors’ newsletter published by RHB Research.

Further checks with Bermaz Auto have confirmed that the CX-8 will follow the same introduction plan as the all-new CX-5, in that there will be no fully-imported CBU (completely built up) models, and the CX-8 will be launched in Malaysia as a CKD (completely knocked down) model.  

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Exports to Philippines, where Bermaz’s subsidiary Bermaz Auto Philippines is also the distributor, have yet to be confirmed but is highly likely.

Details on the CX-8’s powertrain and seating configuration for the Malaysia-bound CX-8 is still unclear. In Japan, the CX-8 can be ordered either as a six- or a seven-seater, powered exclusively by a 2.2-litre SkyActiv-D diesel engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission.

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Measuring 4,900 mm long, the CX-8 is just 175 mm shorter than the CX-9. It’s also 129 narrower and 17 mm lower than the CX-9. Despite being smaller, it is the CX-8 that has more headroom, but of course, legroom is slightly tighter than the longer CX-9.

The odd positioning between the two models is because the CX-8 was originally meant to be Mazda’s flagship for its domestic market in Japan, where the CX-9 is not available. The CX-9 is primarily aimed at buyers in North America.

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However, Carlist.my understands that there is a strong interest for the CX-8 in Australia, and Mazda Australia have made a successful business case of pitching the CX-8 as a cheaper alternative to the CX-9. Following this, several regional markets including Malaysia and Philippines have expressed a similar interest in the CX-8.

Currently, there is a huge price gap between the CX-5 and CX-9. The most expensive CX-5 variant, the 2.2-litre AWD GLS turbo diesel, tops out at RM174,779 excluding insurance while the cheapest CX-9 starts at RM289,571 excluding insurance (2WD, 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol). We expect the forthcoming CX-8 to be priced somewhere in the low to mid RM200,000 range.  

Gallery: Mazda CX-8 - Japan Market Model

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