Yahoo Autos All-New 2019 Mazda 3 Sedan and Hatchback Teased Again Ahead of This Month’s Debut
UPDATE 11/13/18: We've added a gallery of spy photos that show the new 3's exterior and interior.
UPDATE 11/8/18: Mazda has released another teaser image for the new 3, showing the full profile of the sedan model and a better look at the rear of the hatchback. The sedan's greenhouse looks fairly evolutionary compared to the current model, but the hatch has a radical look nearly identical to the Kai concept from the 2017 Tokyo auto show. Mazda also has officially confirmed that the new 3 will make its debut at the Los Angeles auto show at the end of this month.
A new version of the Mazda 3 is just around the corner: Mazda has released a video showing a glimpse of the next-generation compact car and said that it will make its debut next month. That means it's probably going to bow at the Los Angeles auto show, which is happening at the end of November. (The image below is an artist's rendering from a previous story, showing what the next 3 could look like.)
We already know a fair amount about the new 3, which was previewed by last year's Kai concept. The teaser video (below) shows what looks like a rear view of the 3 hatchback, which seems to have a similar curvature as the swoopy, attractive concept.
The 3 will also offer a new high-tech engine as an option, which uses a compression-ignition system for better power and efficiency. Essentially a supercharged four-cylinder engine, this new tech is called Skyactiv-X and will be available alongside conventional Skyactiv gasoline engines similar to the 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter offerings in today's car. We drove a prototype of this new engine last year and have explained how it works from an engineering perspective. Basically, the engine combines conventional spark ignition with compression ignition (as in a diesel engine). The benefits are improved efficiency and more power. Figure in the neighborhood of 190 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque from 2.0 liters, as compared to 155 horses and 150 lb-ft in the current Mazda 3's 2.0-liter four.
The impending arrival of the 3 likely means that the next-generation car will be a 2019 model in the U.S. Mazda isn't saying when it will go on sale, but figure an arrival date sometime in the middle of next year. When it reaches showrooms, the Mazda 3 will face off against competitors such as the Honda Civic, the Volkswagen Golf, and the Hyundai Elantra.
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