After a surprise hit with their compact sedan and hatch combination, Mazda has reworked their popular Mazda3 into an all-new model and will be showing it for the first time in the flesh next month at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.
The company will keep both body styles for the second-generation (the sedan will be the first, then the hatch will follow). Both will most likely grow in all directions, with the most noticeable increase being a lengthened chassis and body.
The exterior and interior are getting a completely new look, according to the photos from Mazda and spy shots floating around the Internet the past few months. The front’s new look is inspired by the recently refreshened RX8, with a pronounced open lower grill, “floating” fog lights, and fantastic new angular headlamps. The sides lose the side mouldings and engine badge. In its place is a very strong character line along the bottom of the doors. The rear end receives an equal reworking, with futuristic-looking clear LED taillamps, a more complex bumper design, and a dual exhaust.
The interior has been shown in rough photos to closely mimic the new Mazda6’s interior.
Finally, engines have been upgraded for more power and more efficiency. The 2.0 liter will carry over, but the bigger news is a more powerful 2.5 liter four-cylinder will find its way under the hood. Both are rumored to produce more power than the current engines as well as be more fuel-efficient, which seems to be important to Americans right now. Both engines will be available with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission.
The sedan will hit showrooms first early next year, with the hatch following closely behind.
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