Mazda has said there will NOT be a Mazdaspeed version of the new 3. But they have also said the 2.5 turbo motor will fit. Time will tell.
https://www.autoblog.com/2018/12/03/mazda3-mazdaspeed-mps-hot-hatch/
To me, the sedan looks more expensive than the hatch. From a distance, it looks like it could be the latest BMW, whereas the hatch will never be mistaken for a luxury class vehicle. When I compared my sedan to the hatch version, I could see that the sedan trunk with fold down seats is plenty large enough for anything I'd have to throw in it. But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder......
personally, I wish they would have complimented the new Mazda3 with the Mazda6 Wagon that the rest of the world gets.
don't get me wrong, I like the new '3 hatch and it's on my short list, but so is the golf sport wagen/alltrack, '6 sport w/manual, and now the Subaru BRZ Premium [such a fun car to drive even though it isn't blazing fast]
if the US market is going to be flooded with puffed up wagons, aka CUVs, why not just bring actual wagons.
I would be happy if the '6 wagon was a limited run car of 5k-7k units.
The biggest foul up at Mazda dealers is the total lack of color because the color palette has not changed in 7+ years...
When I was in the Philippines, few years ago, I visited a Mazda showroom in Alabang. They had a 6 wagon, a truck and of course, the Mazda 2 sedan.
Other than halo vehicles (as the Viper was to Dodge), those types that have a history of poor sales in the US will not be sold here. This is why you don't see any RX7s, Supras, MR2s, Fieros, Subaru Bajas, etc. It's pretty much all about the money.
I rarely see Honda Civic type Rs in San Diego. Let's see how long that model lasts, although its benefit is that the less expensive versions of Civic sell well; maybe it will be around for awhile.
Mazda CX-6: How a wagon could sell better than the Mazda6
There is no Mazda CX-6. It doesn't exist, nor have we talked to anyone at Mazda about its existence.
However, let me now say that there SHOULD be a Mazda CX-6, or to put it another way, a Mazda6 Wagon that's been Allroad-ified with a modestly raised suspension, plastic body cladding and all-wheel drive. You know, the way Americans prefer their wagons.
During the Regal TourX launch, Buick's product planning folks pointed out that such a crossover wagon (let's go with that term for now) filled a market niche that's really not being satisfied. One that's more stylish and luxurious than a Subaru Outback, but more functional and less expensive than an Audi Allroad. It would cater to people who seek something different from the norm, both in terms of brand and body style. Sure, it's certainly not a big market niche, but it is seemingly growing.
Well, if Buick is indeed onto something and that growth continues, then Mazda could most definitely go after that same market niche. Sure, it's a small niche, but all three Mazda6 generations have sold in such minuscule numbers (33,402 in 2017), why not try something completely different? I could easily see a CX-6 outselling its sedan sibling. Such a Mazda crossover wagon would only have a Buick and Subaru as competition, as opposed to trying to draw customers away from the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and every other midsize sedan at a time when the entire segment is hemorrhaging sales. It would also nicely complement a lineup of crossovers that includes the CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9, providing yet another alternative to entice customers.
Let me also say that, having driven both the Regal TourX and a Mazda6, that the two could be cross-shopped. I'd argue the Mazda actually has a more luxurious cabin than the supposedly "premium" Regal, while Mazda's new turbocharged 2.5-liter (250 horsepower, 310 pound-feet of torque) outdoes the Buick's potent 2.0-liter. Meanwhile, the Mazda6's standard, naturally aspirated 2.5-liter (184 hp, 185 lb-ft) should offer comparable fuel economy as the Subaru Outback (28 mpg combined) without making you suffer through a CVT.
Now, as for adding all-wheel drive, the Japanese market version of both the sedan and wagon (known as the Atenza) can apparently be had with it. Can it be packaged with the turbocharged engine?
That's another question, but all the other pieces are seemingly in place to bring the Mazda6 wagon to the United States. It could even have a better chance of success than the sedan.
Somehow, I doubt that Mazda will simply take your advice and start redesigning the 6 wagon. Really, I'm sure they have had market research and historical data to justify their holdback of these vehicles.If they made an 'Outback'ed' or 'Alltracked' version of the 6 wagon available here, it would likely sell just as those models do.
Somehow, I doubt that Mazda will simply take your advice and start redesigning the 6 wagon. Really, I'm sure they have had market research and historical data to justify their holdback of these vehicles.
I have often wondered why Toyota never made a Sienna hybrid van; heck, they make hybrid versions of almost everything else! (Corolla hybrid is coming soon.)
Yet, the hybrid van is not happening.
It could be that they fear sales of such a vehicle would cannibalize sales of the CX5.
It's not really a re-design. You add some suspension travel and some cladding and voila, you have a vehicle for North American tastes.
I have no idea what they're market research states but other companies obviously see an open market there as they introduced vehicles in that demographic (Buick and VW) to add to Subaru and Audi.
The 2019 models go on sale this March, and Mazda announced Wednesday that the sedan and hatchback variants will be priced at $21,000 and $23,600, respectively, excluding $895 for destination.
The Mazda3 is a bit more expensive; the new sedan costs $2,905 more than a 2018 model, while the hatchback commands an additional $4,255 over its predecessor.