1 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
2 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
3 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
4 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
5 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
6 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
7 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
8 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
9 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
10 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
11 of 12The 2017 Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque.
Will Americans latch on to what Mazda's selling?
Mazda is a small child up against a professional sumo wrestler in terms of its place in the global automotive industry.
At least that’s how Mazda’s North American chief, Masahiro Moro, characterized the automaker’s 2 percent market share to reporters shortly after a National Dealer Advisory Council meeting here this month.
Moro, a Mazda lifer who started leading domestic operations in January 2016, is in the beginning stages of a 10 year or more “Mazda Premium” strategy aimed at turning the company’s roughly 2 percent U.S. market share into a “good” 2 percent.
Moro, 56, sat down with Staff Reporter Michael Wayland to discuss the plan as well as other issues facing Mazda and the auto industry.
“A good 2 percent means our dealer network becomes profitable and becomes sustainable, with brand in mind and customer experience in mind. That is the foundation for us to reach the first gate.
“Until we reach that high-quality business operation, it is not my intention to push volume by diminishing or putting a low priority on improving the business foundation.
“That’s why I’m saying let’s go to a ‘good’ 2 percent first. That becomes your foundation for each dealer to accelerate growth because in order to accelerate your growth, you have to have good loyalty and consistent conquest. If your loyalty is lower, too much conquest, your business is going to never work.
“Our ultimate goal is to increase brand loyalty. We want to be the highest brand-loyalty brand, which is important for small companies or small brands in terms of scale to keep those strong bonds for life.
1 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
2 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
3 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
4 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
5 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
6 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
7 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
8 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
9 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
10 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
11 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
12 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
13 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
14 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
15 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
16 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
17 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
18 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
19 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
20 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
21 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
22 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
23 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
24 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
25 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
26 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
27 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
28 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
29 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
30 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
31 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
32 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
33 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
34 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
35 of 36Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade to the CX-5 is the design. The new one really looks like a mini CX-9—which is no bad thing.
“It’s important to have someone overarching our strategy to manage the entire customer experience. Our CMO is responsible to manage a customer’s experience consistently through all touch points.
“Mazda loyalty as of today is still much lower than industry average. ... We are climbing up right now, but our target is more than 50 percent. And then further up requires more efforts. But I believe that given Mazda’s lineup, which covers maybe 55 to 60 percent of the industry, more than 50 percent (loyalty), closer to 60 percent is a very, very good number.
1 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
2 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
3 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
4 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
5 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
6 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
7 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
8 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
9 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
10 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
11 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
12 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
13 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
14 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
15 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
16 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
17 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
18 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
19 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
20 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
21 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
22 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
23 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
24 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
25 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
26 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
27 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
28 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
29 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
30 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
31 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
32 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
33 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
34 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
35 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
36 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
37 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
38 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
39 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
40 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
41 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
42 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
43 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
44 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
45 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
46 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
47 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
48 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
49 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
50 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
51 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
52 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
53 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
54 of 55Put the top up and the RF instantly becomes more civilized. It’s quieter, calmer. But more importantly, that new hardtop adds stiffness to the structure you can feel.
“Our focus is always to provide better fuel efficiency, not only for the label but also real-world, actual fuel economy. That is why we try to improve the combustion engine. ... We believe this is the way to contribute to the overall environment.
The article "Mazda's Masahiro Moro: On the road to premium" originally appeared at Automotive News on 5/29/17.