Mazda to Appoint New CEO, Ramps Up EV Push

Mazda has a new man at the helm — one who wants to strengthen the brand's electric offerings and its presence in America

Masahiro Moro and Akira Marumoto shaking hands
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  • Masahiro Moro, previously head of Mazda's North American operations, steps up to CEO.
  • Shift up top comes after launch of underwhelming MX-30 and Mazda's $11 billion investment in EVs.

While we generally like Mazdas overall, the automaker's first fully electric vehicle, the MX-30, is a bit of a dud. It looks cool and is actually pretty fun to drive, but the EPA-estimated 100 miles of range is abysmal. Luckily, Mazda realizes any new EVs it produces will have to make an impact. The automaker has already committed $11 billion to developing new EVs, and last week, announced it will promote Masahiro Moro to CEO to realize its plan.

Moro was previously the CEO of Mazda North American Operations from 2016 to 2021. Critically, the company's current CEO, Akira Marumoto, will stay in power until June. Then, the company's shareholders and board must approve Moro's move to CEO. Marumoto took the position of CEO at Mazda back in 2018, and it is believed he will remain in an advisory role. However, Mazda has not officially stated as much.

During the announcement of Moro as CEO, Mazda also unveiled a number of other personnel changes. These include the promotion of Jeffrey H. Guyton to Moro's old seat. He will now fill the role of Oversight of Operations in North America, as well as representative director and CFO.

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2022 Mazda MX-30 front

Laying the groundwork for the future

Mazda is, frankly, an automaker that has largely been slept on in the U.S. The MX-5 is an icon, but many of its other cars are overlooked by consumers. But its recent focus on premium interiors, rather than thrilling driving dynamics, are starting to pay off. While sales have fluctuated over the last few years due to global production issues, Mazda's North American sales were higher in 2022 than they were in prepandemic 2019. And MX-30 aside, Mazda's newer vehicles, including the three-row CX-90, show great promise. As long as Mazda can stick the landing with the next generation of EVs, there's no reason it cannot hit the targets it has set.

2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata rear

Edmunds says

Given the botched launch of the MX-30, some new blood was needed to change the tide at Mazda. If it can put this new leadership and its recent $11 billion EV investment to work, Mazda will become a serious competitor to brands like Lexus and Cadillac.

by

Chase Bierenkoven has been writing about cars in his head since he was a child. Now, he does it for real, covering automotive news and producing reviews for outlets like Edmunds, Forbes Wheels and CarBuzz. Chase's career as an automotive journalist began in 2020, and he has already written scores of road tests. Some favorites of Chase's include the Dodge Challenger 392, Mazda Miata, Kia EV6 and Bentley Bentayga. Outside his work with cars, Chase is often found justifying his latest broken German sports car to anyone that will listen or enjoying the outdoor spaces of his native Colorado.

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