Following the lead of its big brother, the Mazda6, the 2014 Mazda3 has been going through the gamut of updates to put it in a better position to compete against the likes of the Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Jetta, and the Chevy Cruze which all heavy hitters in their own right. Mazda is going to have to work hard to stay in the running as all the automakers have been focusing on updates and refreshes in this car segment. From the sounds of it though, Mazda is aware of that as well and it seems no aspect of the Mazda3 is being kept for granted in Mazda’s attempt to rule the roadways in the compact car division.
The 2.0 liter SkyActiv four cylinder engine is expected to remain the same and why should it, when it’s still pretty much brand new? It will still get 155 horsepower which puts a nice little zip in the Mazda although won’t keep up with all its competitors in regard to power. But since the Mazda3 was put on a serious diet, it shouldn’t have as much of a load to haul which could speed it up nicely. It is still expected to get 40 highway miles per gallon, which is pretty much par for course in the compact segment. There is a diesel powered version of Mazda3 on the drawing board, but there is no confirmation that this version will be coming out anytime soon.
Mazda does intend to take the somewhat cartoonish styling away from the Mazda3, much like it did from the Mazda6. Instead the new version will look more aggressive with new headlights and a prominent black grille. Mazda is using sculpted sheet metal to create a more aerodynamic design, but there probably won’t be anything radically changed on this model since it is Mazda’s best seller.
Source Car and Driver