It is now official: the refreshed Mazda 3 series will celebrate its first public appearance at the 2018 Los-Angeles International Auto Show in the USA this fall.
According to the manufacturer, the 4th-gen compact hatchback model will be based on the Mazda Kai Concept and will offer substantial improvements in build quality and performance. This doesn’t really come as surprising, since the series has seen a considerable decline in sales over the past several years. By releasing the next generation, Mazda must be hoping to revive the public interest in its “number three” vehicle.
Rumors persist that the upcoming series may be based on the SkyActiv Vehicle Architecture. If true, then its engine palette should also get a new 187-hp (140 kW) engine.
The current Mazda 3 generation has been around since 2014. An update was issued a few years ago for the American market, offering little in terms of eye candy but featuring a major technical improvement. The new series received G-Vectoring Control, a software feature that automatically adjusts engine torque depending the current workload and steering wheel movement.
Photo: express.co.uk