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Mazda Reports December Sales Gain

5 January 2000

Mazda Reports December Sales Gain; Increase Attributed to All-New MPV and Millenia Luxury Sport Sedan

    IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 4 -- Mazda North American Operations
(MNAO) today announced U.S. sales of 17,205 units for the month of December, a
6.8 percent increase over the same period last year.
    The all-new 2000 Mazda MPV minivan recorded strong sales for the month
with 3,104 units, up 222.6 percent from last December.  Sales of Mazda's
Millenia luxury sport sedan, which now costs less than it did when it was
introduced in 1994, posted a dramatic increase of 141.6 percent.
    Continuing its turnaround in North America, Mazda is up 1.3 percent on a
year-to-date basis versus last year.  Mazda's sales gains in 1999 were led by
the new MPV, which posted a 29.2 percent increase over 1998.  The Protege
compact sedan (up 11.8 percent) and the Millenia luxury sedan (up 14.8
percent) also turned in strong sales in 1999.
    Mazda North American Operations is responsible for the sales and
marketing, customer parts and service support of Mazda vehicles in the United
States.  Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., MNAO has more than 750 dealerships
nationwide and is owned by Mazda Motor Corporation, Hiroshima, Japan.


                          MAZDA SALES FOR DECEMBER 1999

                              MONTH-TO-DATE             YEAR-TO-DATE
                    December  December  % Change December  December  % Change
                        1999     1998              1999      1998

    Total Vehicles
    CARS              11,623     12,021   -3.3%  188,927   186,502    +1.3%
    TRUCKS*            5,582      4,093  +36.4%   54,781    54,045    +1.4%
    TOTAL             17,205     16,114   +6.8%  243,708   240,547    +1.3%

    Imported Vehicles
    CARS               6,061      6,145   -1.4%  102,178    94,912    +7.7%
    TRUCKS*            3,104        962 +222.7%   16,055    12,425   +29.2%
    TOTAL              9,165      7,107  +29.0%  118,233   107,337   +10.2%

    U.S. Assembled Vehicles
    CARS               5,562      5,876   -5.3%   86,749    91,590    -5.3%
    TRUCKS*            2,478      3,131  -21.0%   38,726    41,620    -7.0%
    TOTAL              8,040      9,007  -10.7%  125,475   133,210    -5.8%

    *  Beginning January 1999, the MPV minivan was reclassified as a truck to
be consistent with the industry system.


                            MONTH-TO-DATE               YEAR-TO-DATE
                     December December  % Change December December  % Change
                        1999      1998              1999      1998

    Imported Vehicles By Model
    Cars
     Protege           3,738      4,472  -16.4%   65,242    58,349   +11.8%
     Millenia          1,394        577  141.6%   19,198    16,717   +14.8%
     Miata               939      1,096  -14.3%   17,738    19,843   -10.6%
    Trucks
     MPV               3,104        962 +222.7%   16,055    12,425   +29.2%

    U.S. Assembled Vehicles By Model
    Cars
     626               5,562      5,868   -5.2%   86,735    91,147    -4.8%
     MX-6*                 0          8      --       14       443       --
    Trucks
     4x2               1,913      2,367  -19.2%   31,090    32,552    -4.5%
     4x4                 565        764  -26.0%    7,636     9,068   -15.8%

        *  discontinued model