Here's Everything You Need to Know About the All-New Mazda 3

Mazda has revealed the all-new Mazda 3 at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, nearly a month after teasing us what it'll look like via a teaser photo.

The all-new Mazda3 retains the brand's 'Kodo--Soul of Motion' design language although the Japanese carmaker calls it a 'matured' version 'that attempts to embody the essence of Japanese aesthetics.' Mazda also claims that while the hatchback and sedan variants share the same Mazda 3 moniker, both models have distinct personalities, with the hatchback being 'seductive' while the sedan is 'sleek and elegant.'

The all-new Mazda 3 adopts Mazda's new Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture,which provides better ergonomics to its occupants as well as reduced noise, vibration, and harshness levels through newly-developed damping structure, a newly-developed torsion beam setup for the rear suspension, improved sound-absorbing materials, and the use of a 'two-wall' structure that leaves space between the body and carpeting on the floor. The all-new Mazda 3 is also more driver-centric than ever based on the slew of changes the vehicle has underwent compared to its predecessor. The telescopic steering, for example, has an additional 10mm of movement at either end to offer a wider adjustment range of 70mm and deliver more precise control over the adjustment of the driving position. The gear shift lever has also moved forward and is now positioned higher, making it easier for the driver to move his or her hand between the steering wheel and the shift lever. The commander control has also moved forward, the cupholders are now in front of the shift lever, and the center armrest lengthened. The new Mazda 3 has a new 8.8-inch-wide center display on which a Digital Owner's Manual can be displayed. When a warning appears on the center display, it also presents an indication of the priority level and a link to the Digital Owner’s Manual. The driver can then access the manual to quickly receive an explanation of the warning and instructions on how best to respond to the situation. Even the audio system of the all-new Mazda 3 has been upgraded with a standard eight-speaker audio system, with the bass speakers placed in the corners where the sound is amplified while the other speakers were positioned on the left and right sail garnish and upper sections of the door trim where the sound is transmitted directly toward the occupant's ears to create a more natural sensation to distinguishing the sound's point of origin and enhances the depth and clarity of that sound. A 12-speaker Bose sound system adds a center speaker, a pair of rear satellite speakers, a subwoofer, and features custom tuning to provide more powerful bass and higher audio quality. The all-new Mazda 3 is powered by a range of Skyactiv engines. The Skyactiv-G 1.5-, 2.0-, and 2.5-liter gasoline engines have optimized intake ports and piston shape, split fuel injection and a coolant control valve to deliver higher levels of dynamic performance, fuel economy and environmental friendliness. The 1.8-liter Skyactiv-D diesel incorporates ultra-high-response multi-hole piezo injectors that allows the engine to utilize high-pressure, precisely controlled multi-stage injection, resulting in a finer balance of enhanced fuel economy, quietness, and reduced exhaust gases while also delivering a smoother, more robust performance. And then there's the pioneering Skyactiv-X compression-ignition engine that offers superior initial response, powerful torque, faithful linear response, and free-revving performance that, in combination with Mazda's intelligent new M Hybrid system, supports greater gains in fuel economy, and achieves higher levels of driving pleasure and environmental friendliness. The all-new Mazda 3 also gets the brand's evolved i-Activ AWD system which adds 'four-wheel vertical load' detection and works with the G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus) system to control torque distribution between the front and rear wheels, which reduces overall mechanical loss by approximately 60 percent over the previous model and contributes to improved fuel economy. The GVC Plus also adds direct yaw moment control via the brakes, enabling the car to better handle emergency avoidance maneuvers and offers more confidence-inspiring controllability in various situations, including lane changes at high speeds and driving on slippery roads. Safety also hasn't been overlooked for the all-new Mazda 3. Besides the use of ultra-high-tensile steel for the vehicle structure, a new knee airbag for the driver's seat is not only a first on a Mazda car, but will be included as standard equipment worldwide. And then there's Mazda's i-Activsense safety suite which includes a newly developed Driver Monitoring system that uses both an infrared camera and infrared LED to observe the driver's condition while driving by monitoring how wide open the driver's eyelids are at any given time, the number of times he or she blinks, and the angle of the mouth and face in order to determine the level of drowsiness or fatigue. If the system detects that the driver is drowsy or is becoming inattentive, it sounds an alert to make the driver aware and works in conjunction with the Smart Brake Support (SBS) system to shorten the time required for the brake warning to sound. Also part of the i-Activsense safety features are a Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA) that uses newly-adopted front side radars to detect other vehicles approaching from blind spots at the front right or left of the vehicle and alerts the driver of their presence, and a Cruising & Traffic Support (CTS) system that helps reduced driver fatigue by assisting with the accelerator, brake pedal, and steering operations when stuck in traffic jams on the highway. The all-new Mazda 3 will be rolled out to global markets starting from North America in early 2019. While there's no date yet on when we will receive it locally, judging by how aggressive Mazda Philippines is selling the current-gen model with low down payment promos, it could very well be sooner rather than later.

Body type	Sedan/Hatchback
Seating capacity	5 persons
Overall length x width x height (North American specification)	Sedan: 4,662mm x 1,797mm x 1,445mm Hatchback: 4,459mm x 1,797mm x 1,440mm
Wheelbase	2,725mm
Engine	SKYACTIV-G 1.5 SKYACTIV-G 2.0 SKYACTIV-G 2.5 SKYACTIV-D 1.8 SKYACTIV-X
Transmission	Six-speed automatic transmission Six-speed manual transmission
Front suspension	MacPherson strut
Rear suspension	Torsion beam
Steering type	Rack-and-pinion
Brake (front/rear)	Vented discs/solid discs
Tires	205/60R16 215/45R18

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