2014 Mazda3 captured in spy shots

[Mazdafreak16]

The next generation Mazda3, set to arrive here either late this year as a 2014 model or early next year as a 2015 model, was spotted wearing camo.

It appears that it will closely resemble the look of the 2013 CX-5 and 2014 Mazda6. The current '3 has very controversial styling, and the CX-5, CX-9, and Mazda6 have been very well received styling-wise, so this should have much-improved looks.

No word yet on the engines or transmissions, but I expect the fuel-sucking 2.5 will be dropped and the SkyActiv 2.5 will be added to it's arsenal, mated to the choice of either a 6 speed manual or automatic transmission. Don't bet against their diesel; it would probably be the lesser powerful version, but if the diesel '6 goes well, don't be surprised to see it dropped in the '3.

Expect fuel economy to raise slightly. The current 2.0 SkyActiv sedan is rated at 40 hwy, and with a few more years to advance their SkyActiv suite of tech, along with a probable weight loss, this should get a boost to about 30-31 city, 41-42 hwy. The diesel should get noticeably better fuel mileage if it is offered.

Mazda hasn't released anything about a probable Mazdaspeed3, but unless they say otherwise, it's a good bet it's not far behind, albeit mated to either an updated 2.3 T or possibly a diesel.

 

[LH451]

The shape is just too friggin awesome, I must say this is making me so indecisive when it comes to buying a car lol

It probably won't be out of the question to put a 200-ish hp 2.5 or a diesel middle trim before a Mazdaspeed version. If they do, I'd seriously consider it over Kia's new Forte SX hatch with the 1.6T from the Hyundai Veloster Turbo even if it had less cargo room just knowing how well Mazda tunes its chassis.

 

[daonly1around]

Our Corporate guy who came to do training on the 6 says that the Hatchback will be launched late this year as a 2014 model with the sedan to follow shortly.
There are strong rumors that some or most of the Mazda3 will see the 2.5 Skyactiv G motor

 

[cburrell]

The shape is just too friggin awesome, I must say this is making me so indecisive when it comes to buying a car lol

It probably won't be out of the question to put a 200-ish hp 2.5 or a diesel middle trim before a Mazdaspeed version. If they do, I'd seriously consider it over Kia's new Forte SX hatch with the 1.6T from the Hyundai Veloster Turbo even if it had less cargo room just knowing how well Mazda tunes its chassis.

I would wait for the 3 if I was you, if it is a nice suspension setup you want. It is like night and day comparing how well a Mazda's suspension is tuned compared to a KIA or a Hyundai. Yet if I was forced to chose between the Forte or the Veloster, I would go Forte, because from all I've have read about the new Forte SX, it comes closer to a decently setup suspension than the Veloster does, but there again it isn't as good as Mazda's either.

 

[cburrell]

Makes me want to trade clown face in for the new design.

 

[LH451]

The Veloster turbo got dinged really bad for its suspension and chassis tuning and the fact that the new Forte SX is more practical is what put it on the map for me. Reliability-wise, Mazda might be better. I'm hoping for a full suite of skyactiv tech for the 3, and still wish for a wee bit more oomph from the 2.5 though. Heck if its 200 pounds lighter, its probably gonna be one hell of a car though the thought of a diesel hatchback just makes me drool lol

 

[Mazdafreak16]

Our Corporate guy who came to do training on the 6 says that the Hatchback will be launched late this year as a 2014 model with the sedan to follow shortly.
There are strong rumors that some or most of the Mazda3 will see the 2.5 Skyactiv G motor

So Mazda will have two contenders for M/T's Car Of The Year! (The '6 and '3). If one of those wins (especially the '6), Mazda will definantly have at least one big hit on their hands!

 

[Canadian-ES-GT]

Our Corporate guy who came to do training on the 6 says that the Hatchback will be launched late this year as a 2014 model with the sedan to follow shortly.
There are strong rumors that some or most of the Mazda3 will see the 2.5 Skyactiv G motor

The plant in Mexico that will be producing the 3 won't (supposed to) "go online until March 2014". If your corporate guy is right, maybe it means that the next generation 3 for North America will be made in Japan. I would prefer it that way!

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/05/mazdas-new-mexican-plant-capacity-rises-to-230-000/

 

[Mazdafreak16]

The plant in Mexico that will be producing the 3 won't (supposed to) "go online until March 2014". If your corporate guy is right, maybe it means that the next generation 3 for North America will be made in Japan. I would prefer it that way!

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/05/mazdas-new-mexican-plant-capacity-rises-to-230-000/

It seems like the Japanese assembled Mazdas seem to be a bit more bullet-proof. It's more costly for Mazda to build them in Japan, but the quality shows.

 

[cburrell]

The Veloster turbo got dinged really bad for its suspension and chassis tuning and the fact that the new Forte SX is more practical is what put it on the map for me. Reliability-wise, Mazda might be better. I'm hoping for a full suite of skyactiv tech for the 3, and still wish for a wee bit more oomph from the 2.5 though. Heck if its 200 pounds lighter, its probably gonna be one hell of a car though the thought of a diesel hatchback just makes me drool lol

Than you should just wait for the turbo charged skyactiv diesel for the 6 that will becoming out later this year. Who can resist a diesel that creates 173 Hp at 4500 rpm's but 310 lb-ft at 2000 rpm's. Man that kind of torque in a car is something to get excited about.

 

[Nybiomed]

....All wheel drive version pleeeeze....

Than you should just wait for the turbo charged skyactiv diesel for the 6 that will becoming out later this year. Who can resist a diesel that creates 173 Hp at 4500 rpm's but 310 lb-ft at 2000 rpm's. Man that kind of torque in a car is something to get excited about.

(hump)

 

[LankyBastard]

Than you should just wait for the turbo charged skyactiv diesel for the 6 that will becoming out later this year. Who can resist a diesel that creates 173 Hp at 4500 rpm's but 310 lb-ft at 2000 rpm's. Man that kind of torque in a car is something to get excited about.

Unfortunately the horsepower on the diesel was dropped to 162 for North America. Thankfully the torque stayed the same.

 

[Antoine]

Thread cleaned.

Please keep this thread on topic with useful posts.

Everyone's cooperation would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

[Goldie2009]

Not feeling the Rear Quarter Design....Not very Unique anymore..Looks like anyother Wagon on the road...

I guess just have to wait for the final design!

 

[boosted1]

AWD for the MS3, will most likely not happen. I heard that a SkyActive G with Turbo is in the works. Whether its a 2.0L or a 2.5L, is unknown.

 

[2.0_Mazda]

^ Where did you here about Sky-G turbo? I heard Mazda would have too many difficulties with the high compression design to fit a turbo. Sounded like they weren't going for turbo engines. I may be wrong though.

I also don't know how it would make financial sense to bring a turbo 4 developing 260+ horsepower. I don't see it being used in enough of their cars (Speed 3, 6, possibly CX-9). The take rate for the 6's last V6 was apparently very low and it would be cheaper to outsource a V6 for the CX-9, which is what they are doing now.

Nevertheless, I would love to see a new 2015 Speed 3 in dealers, I just don't think it'll be with a turbo engine. Would like to be proven wrong though!

 

[boosted1]

^ Where did you here about Sky-G turbo? I heard Mazda would have too many difficulties with the high compression design to fit a turbo. Sounded like they weren't going for turbo engines. I may be wrong though.

I also don't know how it would make financial sense to bring a turbo 4 developing 260+ horsepower. I don't see it being used in enough of their cars (Speed 3, 6, possibly CX-9). The take rate for the 6's last V6 was apparently very low and it would be cheaper to outsource a V6 for the CX-9, which is what they are doing now.

Nevertheless, I would love to see a new 2015 Speed 3 in dealers, I just don't think it'll be with a turbo engine. Would like to be proven wrong though!

I read about a Sky Active-G Turbo in Motor Trend about a year ago.


Car and Driver



Next Mazdaspeed 3 Could Go Diesel
August 29, 2010 at 7:45 pm by Dave VanderWerp





A pretty big-deal little tidbit slipped out during the recent Mazda technology forum we attended: the company is tinkering with the idea of a diesel powertrain for the next-gen Mazdaspeed 3. And this came straight from Robert Davis, Mazda USA senior VP of product development, who is one of the key guys making these decisions for the U.S. market.

He alleviated some of our skepticism with a few details. First, he says that the younger crowd that is buying the Speed 3 doesn’t have a negative perception of diesels. They likely weren’t around, or were too young to remember the dark days in the 1970s and ‘80s, when diesels got their bad reputation for stinking and smoking. When someone says “diesel” to these people, they instead think of modern and very clean Audi/VWs, BMWs, and Mercedes.

Davis also promised that, even if the Speed 3 did get a diesel powertrain, “performance wouldn’t be degraded,” and that “it’s going to take more than a 190-hp version of the diesel to make that happen” (referring to the fact that a Speedified diesel would have a state of tune significantly higher than the new, 2.2-liter Sky diesel that we drove at the event). Of course, diesels inherently make a ton of torque, something the torque-steering Speed 3 doesn’t really need any more of. Plus, we like the rorty sound of the current, heavily boosted four-cylinder, something that would certainly be lost, or at least watered-down, with a diesel.

We’re still not convinced. Consider the best example of a performance diesel that’s sold in the U.S. today, the BMW 335d. It makes so much torque (425 lb-ft) that it’s largely unusable, the diesel model isn’t nearly as quick as the 335i, and the fuel-economy benefit of the diesel is, of course, eroded when pumping up the power.

But nothing’s been decided yet. And Mazda officials also confirmed that there’s already work being done to add a turbocharger to the Sky gasoline engine for a future high-powered application, such as a Speed variant.

 

[LankyBastard]

Apparently, the idea of making the next Speed3 a turbo diesel has been tossed around. I can't imagine more torque in that car though, AWD would be the next logical step.

 

[boosted1]

Apparently, the idea of making the next Speed3 a turbo diesel has been tossed around. I can't imagine more torque in that car though, AWD would be the next logical step.

If Mazda went with a TD,they would have to either make it AWD or try to obtain a torque management system from another manufacturer. GM's HiPer strut system comes to mind and it works pretty well at holding back the demons.

 

[2.0_Mazda]

^ I'm sure GM's system works well, but I would way prefer AWD. Also, it would give the Speed 3 a unique and interesting combo. Golf R competitor!