Mazda UK celebrates 2015 sales success and looks ahead to 2016

• Mazda UK has recorded its third successive year of sales growth.
• 2015 saw Mazda UK achieve a year-on-year sales increase of 20.4 per cent.
• Mazda’s fully SKYACTIV range is one of the youngest model-line ups in the industry.

Mazda UK recorded its third successive year of dramatic sales growth in 2015, ending the year 20.4 per cent up over 2014 - selling more than 45,500 cars. Mazda’s growth is well ahead of the UK market, which was up 6.3 per cent at 2.63m in 2015. This follows a successful 2014, in which Mazda’s sales grew 21 per cent over 2013, while that year sales had grown by more than 19 per cent over 2012.

After a year that saw the launch of the all-new Mazda2, the all-new Mazda CX-3 and the debut of the latest version of Mazda’s iconic MX-5 sports car, which was named 2016 What Car? Convertible of the Year, Mazda UK Sales Director Peter Allibon is looking forward to another strong year of sales performance. “All our factories are working at 100 per cent capacity which is fantastic,” explained Mazda UK sales director Peter Allibon, adding, “so it’s unlikely that there will be a fourth year of double-digit sales increases, but there are still opportunities for UK growth”.

Allibon is forecasting that Mazda’s sales will grow seven per cent in 2016 while the UK market is expected to be flat. “This year is going to be one of consolidation with modest levels of growth,” he said. “We will have a full year of all-new Mazda2 sales and, of course, the all- new Mazda MX-5 was only launched late last summer so we will have a whole summer of MX-5 sales to look forward to,” said Allibon. Mazda3, launched just two years ago in January 2014 and it’s now the most established car in Mazda’s line-up of sixth-generation models – it was also the best-seller in 2015 with sales up 37.4 per cent at 12,600.

“Having all six of our sixth generation cars in the showroom at the same time – something we’ve been working towards since 2011 – is great for our dealers and our customers,” said Allibon. It also reinforces Mazda’s position as the franchise of choice for dealer groups looking to expand their portfolio.

“Our plan for 2016 is to focus on getting the quality aspect of everything we do right. The expectations of our customers – many of whom have come to Mazda from premium brands – are different now and we need to be able to positively surprise them with exceptional service at every touch point.”

In 2015 not only did Mazda UK launch three all-new models and two major facelifts, it was the central feature marque  at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, supported its dealer network upgrade their showroom facilities and moved its UK headquarters to a building that reflects Mazda’s status as one of the most successful brands over the last three years. “I believe the Mazda brand and our current product range gives us the capacity to grow beyond 50,000 annual sales, but our dealer network is profitable at that level so if we do expand beyond this point we have to look at the size of our network and our own infrastructure to support those extra sales, while at the same time ensuring we continue to deliver the desired customer experience,” said Allibon.

 The entire Mazda range now features SKYACTIV technology and eye-catching KODO: Soul of Motion design and with the launch of the all-new Mazda MX-5 Sport Recaro Limited Edition and the addition of the 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel engine to the Mazda3 range, the early months of 2016 see Mazda continue to expand its award-winning model line-up.