For the model year 2022, the Suzuki Alto twin is given a major overhaul.
The Mazda3 compact sedan or hatchback is the best option if you are looking for a small Mazda vehicle. The Mazda2 is no longer available in North America. Mazda discontinued selling this model many years ago. It was reintroduced in the Toyota Yaris hatchback but it was discontinued before the 2021 model year.
The Japanese brand offers something smaller in its home country. The Mazda Carol, also known as the Mazda Carol, gets an enormous update for 2022. It will continue to be the entry of automaker Mazda into the Kei category. It’s the Suzuki Alto’s twin brother, which is sold in Japan and other parts.
The Mazda Carol has been redesigned exactly as the Alto. The Mazda Carol shares both the 658cc inline-3 Suzuki engine and the 657cc mild-hybrid powertrain. Surprisingly, an all-wheel-drive model is available, but the 2WD MHEV registers 65.2 miles per gallon (27.7 km per liter) per the WLTC.
In the Kei category, the partnership between Suzuki & Mazda dates back to the late 1980s, when Mazda re-entered this segment. The body design and styling of the Suzuki Carol is similar to the Alto’s, but the Carol’s cabin features are different.
For the model year 2022, the story is the same. Mazda has followed the lead of Suzuki’s Japan with the 9th-generation Alto, and is now introducing the 8th-generation Carol.
The Mazda Carol will be sold in Japanese dealerships starting mid-January 2022. It will retail for 998,800 yen (or around $8,680 depending on current exchange rates).
The Mazda Carol is unlikely to be sold in the US. This shouldn’t be an issue since Mazda’s cross-country crossovers, led by CX-5, are much more popular in the US.