Following the alleged leak of a brochure imaging showing the refreshed Mazda3, documents have emerged revealing the full extent of key changes to the mid-life update.
THE RECENT image of a Mazda Alexa (the name of the Mazda in Japan) supplied to and published on Carscoops which was lifted, allegedly, from a Mazda sales brochure in Japan has the internet on fire with speculation. No details followed the release of the leaked image, but Practical Motoring has seen a document outlining the key changes to the refreshed Mazda3 which is, according to said document, now available for “forward order”.
This forward order relates to countries taking the Mazda3 and not dealerships opening their books. Australian motoring site, Car Showroom, first published details of this document and contacted Mazda Australia for comment, but the Japanese car maker declined to comment.
So, the internal memo says: “The Mazda3 is a mid-lifecycle facelift, concentrating on new exterior and interior design changes, as well as improvements to driving dynamics (ride and handling) and vehicle NVH. There’s also an attention to safety, once again offering select safety technologies across the line-up”.
Key changes, according to this memo (and it says there will be other changes):
- New 18-inch alloy wheel design;
- LED headlights to replace bi-xenon;
- Power folding exterior mirrors;
- Addition of electric parking brake on select models;
- Removal of CD Player.
Whether these other changes include an update to the safety features across the board remains to be seen. But the recent-ish Mazda update which saw the addition of standard safety features that had previously been cost-options could also find their way onto the Mazda3. This is a relatively safe bet given the recent release of the new Honda Civic which offers a larger, standard safety suite than equivalent Mazda3 models.
While Mazda hasn’t commented on these details, the internal memo stated that forward orders were now available meaning that it can’t be too long before we see official images and information about the refreshed Mazda3. Indeed, with the new Mazda CX-5 due for reveal in November, there’s a good chance the Mazda3 could go on show at the Paris Motor Show in September. Regardless, there’s a good chance we’ll see it on the market before the end of this year.
Skyactive engines need a complete overhaul, about time they produced power and torque figures not from the 1990’s.
Any news on:
Android Auto/Apple Car play
Color options (interior/exterior). The machine grey on the MX5 would look fantastic on this car!
Repacking of options (such as Homelink)
Hi @ziggy14ca, you’ll get your wish… yes, the document we’ve seen mentions that Machine Silver will be available. But we’ve only seen one page with no mention infotainment. Sorry. – Isaac
I saw the colors after I posted, thanks.
Hopefully the NVH improvements will be significant enough as I believe the Civic has leapfrogged the Mazda3 in this regard.
I would gladly give up the retractable mirrors if they retained the CD player – I still am hanging on to my physical media. I do believe they had the player only in the higher end GT, so perhaps that will carry over (fingers crossed) since the interior pictures above seem to form a mid-tier car.
Waiting to see how the 2017 Civic hatchback compares, but that is still a few months off and details are just as sparse on that.
Good one. I’m not so sure about the CD Player, which I agree is a shame. I was testing a VW Transporter the other day and it was refreshing to see a CD Player in it… As for the Civic… I can tell you it’s a long way ahead of the Mazda in both ride and handling and in NVH. For me, Mazda has always struggled with its underbody insulation which meant that whenever you drove across a loose surface it would sound like a machine gun going off under the car, and that’s the same across its entire range, including SUVs. Yes, its made changes to the Mazda6 to address this, but… In terms of the Civic hatch, spec wise, you could just look at the sedan line-up… although there’s a possibility the hatch will get ‘magic’ seats. – Isaac
From what I have pieced together so far for the new 2017’s: The Mazda3 is expected in October, the Civic hatch in August and the Subaru Impreza in December (if that early!). The CVTs in the latter two, as well as the seemingly underwhelming HP numbers on the Impreza and ingress/egress on the lower riding Civic make me geared going towards the Mazda (pun intended). This is despite me having 2 previous Mazda’s spanning 22 years and wanting to spread out and try a different brand. Mazda have really complicated my choice by making such a pretty car with this new gen.
Non WRX Imprezas are very ordinary cars and if CVT only then scratch them altogether. Engines are more underwhelming than Skyactive.
I asked the dealer about a month ago. He claims he hasnt heard anything yet about the 2017 3s. Tho who knows for sure. I expect a announcement soon about the details. They are usually really hush about these things because they dont want to affect current sales. So they will only release the info a month or so before the newer model is expected.
Ive owned 3 mazdas. You sir are exaggerating..lol.
I’m the exact opposite ziggy14ca. I’d gladly sacrifice the CD player and have auto folding mirrors. I have a narrow garage and bang the mirrors most of the time I walk past them unless I remember to fold them, particularly in the dark. The only thing in my CD player is the Satnav disc. All my music is on a USB stick. Horses for courses I guess.
The issue for me is the real benefit of folding mirrors probably is not worth the effort given:
The mirrors may protrude a couple of inches from the full width of the vehicle.
There may physical barriers of snow/ice build up the limit their function. This is the same issue I have with the rain sensing wipers which try to spring to life when starting the car, only to discover they are stuck in place due to freezing rain.
Perhaps Mazda will continue to have the sense to outfit these amenities with each market in mind.
Snow and ice is never a problem here in Sydney, Australia. As I said, horses for courses.
I still use Cds myself. The Mazda is more sportier car therefore it wont be as soft as a Civic. The NVh thing has been exaggerated. We test drove two of them. Plus the new Civic spaceship thing isnt to my liking and i like the smaller 3.Hopefully once the decison maker makes up her mind im hoping we will up w a 2017 3. I assume Mazda will make a announcement by the end of the summer. Right now they just rolled the 2017 Cx3 and the new Cx9..
It’d be good to see the inclusion of a Sport mode for the auto tranny, as has been available in North America from the first release of the current model.
I still use Cds..They should keep the cd player im sure they are getting a good price on them..
Ordered a Mazda 3 SP GT with the safety pack the other day was told that the safety pack now comes standard and the whilst not giving much away was told that the new car would have an updated grill and a few other extra features … delivery date early August so I now believe that the car is the update