Mazda delays launch of 2016 Mazda2 subcompact

In a terse statement issued today, Mazda announced it’s delaying the launch of its all-new 2 subcompact hatchback until sometime next year. It was originally set to go on sale late this summer, and has already made its public debut at auto shows in Canada and the U.S.

The decision comes as a surprise to us, but serves to explain why it pulled the car from the (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) AJAC Eco-Run, scheduled for the end of March.

Mazda says it’s pushing back the 2’s arrival so it can focus on the launch of other new models, specifically the MX-5 roadster and CX-3 compact crossover. Fair enough, we say, as those are higher-profile models: the CX-3 will be a bigger seller, and the MX-5 is the brand’s “halo” car, and the new design will do much to draw drivers into the brand’s showrooms.