The new Sport Utility Vehicle model – the Mazda New CX-8 – is launched at Thaco Mazda's plant in Quang Nam Province. — VNS Photo Xuan Phuong

Truong Hai Automobile Joint-Stock company (Thaco), in co-operation with Japan’s Mazda Motor Corporation, launched a new Sport Utility Vehicle model – the Mazda New CX-8 – at Thaco Mazda's plant last week at the Chu Lai-Truong Hai Automobile Mechanical Industrial Zone.

Thaco said at the launch ceremony that Viet Nam was the fourth market in the world and the first in ASEAN where the model had been launched.

In Viet Nam, Thaco Mazda will debut three classes of the CX8 model – Premium, Luxury and Deluxe – produced at the Quang Nam Province-based plant.

Mazda began manufacturing and selling cars in co-operation with Thaco three years ago, and total sales volume has exceeded 130,000 units with Viet Nam ranking among Mazda’s top ten markets by sales volume.

Mazda chose Viet Nam as the first ASEAN market to build and launch the CX-8, and the first factory to manufacture the CX-8 in the ASEAN region is the Thaco-Mazda plant, which started operations in 2018.

The local car maker has developed 49 Mazda showrooms and service centres in Viet Nam, and nine more were scheduled to open later this year, according to Thaco.

It currently manufactures and distributes Korea’s Kia model, Japan’s Mazda, and France’s Peugeot and Germany’s BMW. — VNS