Mazda is moving into the crossover segment. The company announced that the vehicle shown as the MX-Crossport at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit will formally move from concept to a production vehicle in 2006 to be named the Mazda CX-7.

In Mazda’s new global naming strategy, crossover-type sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) will carry the CX designation (CX-7); core vehicles will continue to carry the name MAZDA and a number, based on vehicle size (MAZDA2, MAZDA3, MAZDA5, MAZDA6); rotary-engined sports cars carry the RX designation (RX-8) and piston-engined sports cars carry the MX designation. The Tribute SUV, MPV and B-Series Truck will continue with their current names.

Ford and Mazda entered into a capital alliance in 1979 when Ford acquired a 25 percent stake in the Hiroshima-based company. Ford increased its stake in Mazda to 33.4 percent in 1996, and the two companies operate in partnership.

Mazda has already committed to a hybrid version of the Tribute through that partnership—the Tribute shares its platform and Ford engines with the Escape, but has different styling and suspension settings. (Earlier post.)

The Tribute is still selling relatively well; year-to-date sales through April were up 10.8% to 14,435 units. Mazda as a whole managed to increase its car sales 2.5% (based on the MAZDA3 and MAZDA6—all the other car models dropped sharply), although its truck sales dropped 5.6% (even including the Tribute sales).

Details on new CX-7, including the powertrain, will come later. Mazda should take the initiative to launch this as a hybrid, or with a hybrid option, from the start. Anything less will be a mistake.