Mazda takes cheeky jab at rival carmaker in latest NZ ad

Tuesday, 29 August 2023

The Mazda CX-60 is the brand’s first model built on its all-new large platform group architecture.

There’s nothing better in the world of marketing than when a brand uses its advertising to take a subtle (or not so subtle) swipe at its rivals. And, one such playful jab is concealed within Mazda New Zealand’s latest round of adverts for its all-new CX-60 and CX-90.

The brand has released no less than four 30-second television spots, with each positioning the CX-60 or CX-90 as an object of jealousy or desire amongst the ad’s protagonists.

The advert teases that the driver is considering an affair before, shock twist, revealing he’s lusting after a new SUV from Japan.

One of the ads shows a couple sitting in their car at an intersection, with the voiceover seemingly teasing that the driver is looking at other people crossing the road and thinking about ‘upgrading’ his significant other; only to reveal that the driver is looking at a passing Mazda.

“She knows. She knows you’re looking … that your heart is somewhere else. She can tell you’re dreaming of something better – an upgrade,” says the voiceover. “But then she realises, you get more in a Mazda.”

The superimposed full-length light-bar won’t fool us, that’s Volkswagen Tiguan through and through.

Fairly classic car advertising stuff, in other words. But what might pique the attention of car enthusiasts in the audience is the brief shot of the car the couple is driving, which just so happens to be a Volkswagen Tiguan.

Naturally, the Tiguan’s Volkswagen badge has been digitally removed from the vision, but those classic daytime running lights give the game away.

Sampling the first of Mazda's 'large product group' SUVs before it hits New Zealand in late 2023.

Choosing a Tiguan to feature in the ad could be a complete coincidence, of course. But the likelihood of that being the case shrinks when you consider what the CX-60 and CX-90 were designed to do; take on Europe.

Arriving in local showrooms last month, the new CX pair are Mazda’s first and second models built on its new large product group architecture – a platform built with refinement and driver feel at front of mind.

The new platform also anchors Mazda’s push for the CX-60 and CX-90 to be taken more seriously as direct rivals for premium and luxury SUVs out of Germany – including the likes of the Tiguan.

The Tiguan is one of the most popular premium German SUVs in New Zealand, but it doesn’t yet come with a hybrid or plug-in option.

Mazda has poured plenty of effort into the design and material mix of each car’s cabin, adopting new stitching techniques alongside its ‘Kaicho effect’ and ‘Hacho effect’ methodologies.

So, how do the two Mazdas actually compare with the Tiguan on paper?

Well, the Tiguan has a cheaper starting price of $49,990 for the 5-seater and $55,990 for the 7-seater Allspace. The two seat formats peak at $75,990 (5-seater) and $83,990 (Allspace) for each respective TSI R-Line AWD flagship grade.

The CX-60 starts at $78,990 for the Touring, but bear in mind that that’s a 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid – Volkswagen doesn’t yet offer the Tiguan with a plug. The 60 range tops out at $90,990 for the Takami PHEV. The 7-seater CX-90, meanwhile, is only offered in the one trim level; the $92,990 Takami 3.3-litre straight six mild hybrid.

The CX-60 and CX-90 are both longer and wider than their Tiguan equivalents, and both are also quicker to 100kph (unless you factor in the hotted up Tiguan R). All of the Mazda’s come with all-wheel drive, whilst the entry-level Tiguans make do with front-wheel drive. Arguably, the CX-90 is more a rival for the larger Volkswagen Touareg; a $99,000 proposition at its bottom end.

Perhaps Mazda’s playful play could spur on some kind of fun marketing retaliation. What says you, Volkswagen?