Shanghai (ZXZC)- Mazda Motor (China) Co., Ltd. reported a year-on-year (YoY) retail sales drop of 8.9% with a total of 251,776 vehicles delivered in China from January to November. As for the Nov. sales performance, the Japanese automaker witnessed its sales in China tumble 42.8% over the year-ago period to 19,179 units, the seventh month in a row that faced YoY sales dwindle in this country.

Changan Mazda's year-to-date (YTD) sales reached 151,310 units, declining 7.6% over the same period a year ago when the sales were significantly growing thanks to the launching of the second-generation Mazda CX-5 and soon-to-be-cancelled vehicle purchase tax exemption. The joint venture will launch the Mazda CX-8—a brand-new large-sized 7-seater SUV model on December 7, which is expected to further increase the overall sales.

As Mazda's first China-made large-sized SUV model, the CX-8 measures 4,955mm long, 1,842mm wide and 1,733mm high with a wheelbase of 2,930mm. Its presales price announced at Auto Guangzhou 2018 ranges between RMB260,000 and RMB340,000.

The other joint venture FAW Mazda delivered 100,466 vehicles through November, a YoY decrease of 10.8%. The company has only three models up for sale, including two locally-produced models—the Mazda ATENZA and the Mazda CX-4, as well as an imported model Mazda MX-5 RF. The less abundant product mix may somewhat curb the sales growth.