Photo: Guido ten Brinks/SB-Medien
The Mazda KAI Concept was first shown last October on at the Tokyo Auto Show, and through all the usual design study pizzaz, we can already see the upcoming Mazda3 compact hatchback.
The new model is expected to debut later this year, and if it manages to retain at least 70 percent of the concept's presence, we're probably looking at a winner. It's hard to imagine the Mazda3 ever overtaking the big names in this segment - particularly the Volkswagen Golf - but that doesn't mean it wouldn't fully deserve to.
You see, the new hatchback from the Hiroshima-based carmaker should be more than just a pretty shell. The company has been making huge improvements in the quality of its interiors in later years, up to the point where Mazda can hold its own against any other manufacturer without premium aspirations.
The new Mazda3 is likely to receive a fully-digital instrument cluster (as an option, of course) as well as a large head-up display (something it already offers, though it hasn't chosen one of the highest-quality solutions).
But perhaps the most important selling point for the new model is going to be the SKYACTIV-X technology. In case you missed it, this new generation of gasoline engines will be the first to introduce compression-ignition for this type of fuel. Previously only used with diesel, this method will essentially boost the power plants' efficiency by roughly 30 percent.
The Mazda3 will be the first model to feature a SKYACTIV-X engine, further increasing its importance to the brand. We've seen Toyota's new entry into this segment - the 2019 Auris introduced in Geneva - so it's clear things are heating up in what was already a boiling section of the automotive world. The new Mazda3 needs to bring something new to the table, and with looks like this and a completely new type of engine, it might just have what it takes to make it.
You see, the new hatchback from the Hiroshima-based carmaker should be more than just a pretty shell. The company has been making huge improvements in the quality of its interiors in later years, up to the point where Mazda can hold its own against any other manufacturer without premium aspirations.
The new Mazda3 is likely to receive a fully-digital instrument cluster (as an option, of course) as well as a large head-up display (something it already offers, though it hasn't chosen one of the highest-quality solutions).
But perhaps the most important selling point for the new model is going to be the SKYACTIV-X technology. In case you missed it, this new generation of gasoline engines will be the first to introduce compression-ignition for this type of fuel. Previously only used with diesel, this method will essentially boost the power plants' efficiency by roughly 30 percent.
The Mazda3 will be the first model to feature a SKYACTIV-X engine, further increasing its importance to the brand. We've seen Toyota's new entry into this segment - the 2019 Auris introduced in Geneva - so it's clear things are heating up in what was already a boiling section of the automotive world. The new Mazda3 needs to bring something new to the table, and with looks like this and a completely new type of engine, it might just have what it takes to make it.
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