Did you know this very cute Mazda kei car is a rebadged Suzuki?
Japanese automakers rebadging models from other brands isn’t uncommon. There’s the Nissan Roox and Delica Mini, the Nissan Caravan (Urvan) and Isuzu Como, and many more. Mazda has also been doing the same with its Flair Crossover kei car, a rebadged version of the popular Suzuki Hustler, among other kei car models it has under its sleeve.
And while this isn’t so relevant outside Japan, we genuinely find kei cars interesting and do really hope that one day we can legally and properly purchase one locally. Anyway, the Mazda Flair Crossover was recently refreshed so keep reading to learn more about it.
The Flair Crossover does not do much to hide its Suzuki Hustler roots, only getting Mazda badging on top of changes that were also recently given to the Hustler. The lower variants’ front grille gets an inverted trapezoid pattern and more body-colored trim on the bumpers.
Meanwhile, higher variants get a slimmer front grille with a simpler and blockier pattern, along with black body cladding and blacked-out alloy wheels for a more rugged appearance. A new Woodland Khaki Metallic paint job is now available, and higher variants also get a two-tone paint finish.
But wait, there’s more.
Its advanced driver-assist system (ADAS) suite has been expanded with a new low-speed forward braking support system that has been added through the front parking sensors, along with lead vehicle departure notification, stop-and-hold function for the adaptive cruise control system that now supports stops of two seconds or more, lane keeping assist, and a blind spot monitor.
By the way, its interior is certainly looking quirky, wearing a trio of circles that have been chopped and flattened on the top and bottom portions, and housing the driver’s instrument cluster, the infotainment screen, and what looks like a passenger side storage compartment.
Now the best thing about the Mazda Flair Crossover could be its affordability, having a starting price of just JPY 1,610,400 or approximately Php 612,000. It’s sad that we can’t get this in left-hand drive, but it wouldn’t hurt to dream sometimes.
