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Every time we see images of the 2015 Mazda3, it looks better and better. This one, which appeared on a Russian site via Jalopnik, is the clearest image we have yet. It looks like a lower, more compact CX-5. Hopefully it’s not as slow. Mazda is apparently set to reveal the car in New York on June 26th with a streaming webcast via Xbox Live.
32 Comments on “2015 Mazda3 Presents Itself...”
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Looks good.
One obligatory question. Will this body style become available in USA? I never really liked the over-styled 5-door Mazda3s. I love hatches, but between the current 5-door and 4-door 3, I’d take the sedan any day.
Man I want to love Mazda again… but I can’t get the taste of that 2009 MS3 out of my mouth. I hope the diesel succeeds in this diesel-adverse nation of mine. VW needs some good competition.
I hope someone wiped that stupid smile of the 3’s face!
What was wrong with your MS3?
I’m disappointed. It’s gone from a wagonette to a 4 door hatch. To me, those are the only thing on the road uglier than a sedan. Except for maybe those quad-cab short box sedans masquerading as pick-ups.
:-/
Agree. To my eye they ruined the looks and even more so, probably the functionality of the 3. Does every “wagon” need to mimic the Lexus RX?
I hope someone wiped that stupid smile off the 3’s face!
Wait, 2015? We need to wait more than another year before we get it?
It’s likely to be my next car, despite the rising beltline. I hate those. The current car has a similar beltline and I think it spoils the styling more than the smiley face.
It won’t be more than a year.
They’ve said their goal is to get to market this fall as a 2014 model year. However, they had a similar goal with the 6, which they missed. If the same thing happens again (and the 3 hits the street Q1 2014), it will be a ’15.
The first thing that popped into my head was, “What Alfa Romeo is that?”
That’s probably a very good thing. Now, hopefully they also removed the smiley, “just shoved a whole slice of watermelon in my mouth” look. The Mazda 3 Hatch has become shorter/ more raked to make room for the Mazda 6 wagon in the lineup.
Looks like a heavy Subaru Impreza influence (and not in a good way). Not feeling it. But, as stated, if the result is that Mazda fixes the other end by getting rid of the Joker-grin, it’s not all bad.
Exactly. Homage Impreza, except the Subie was better:
http://www.cartype.com/pics/5821/full/subaru_impreza_wrx_sti_sr_08_1.jpg
Of course, most anything would be an improvement sans that Mazda face.
From this angle, I’m seeing a Lancer hatchback without the visibility. I suppose I’ll have to wait until I see it in person.
Took a quick glance and thought it was a Crosstour…
Looks like a mildly restyled 2008 Impreza from that lead photo pic.
Precisely. That was the first thing I thought. And as I recall, that car was derided as being too boring. I’m not sure how this is an improvement.
Does the backup camera come standard? Looks like it is needed.
It matches very well the prior renderings that were leaked. Considering how good the CX-5 & 6 look, this is a significant letdown. Car & Driver’s rendering that put the 6’s front end on the existing 3’s body was far, far better.
The form & slope of the belt line is atrocious. Look at the difference in metal above the front wheel compared to the back–it makes the whole car look off-balance. It looks like someone squished a Nissan SUV. I grew tired of the trend to mismatch door handle heights a long time ago, and while this one isn’t as bad as some, it doesn’t help the looks. It has swaths of bland sheet metal around those back wheels. And the pointy windows & tiny rear window not only look bad, they will have about as much visibility as a panel van.
The tail lights aren’t a good shape for the car’s silhouette. Typically, the location & slope of the tail lights on the side of the car match the roof line if it were extended. While overused, it does make the design look consistent and integrated. These are just there because, hell if I know. (Actually, I bet it’s because they want them to have as similar a form as the 6.) Also, they come to an awfully sharp point above the license plate.
I think they went with the extremely raked lift gate for aerodynamics, and yes, that makes this a true hatchback and not a wagon at all. I don’t have anything against that; I think it works well with the Focus and Impreza, but those cars use tail lights & other features that work with the shape. This one–not so much.
A great observation someone else made is that it appears they want the rear doors to be the same on the sedan & hatch. That’s probably driving much of the shape of these features. While a worthy goal, I don’t like the results.
I simply want to comment to thank you on a great analysis of the design. Refreshing to see someone actually look at the design features and how they work together rather than the typical “looks like an X mated with a Y!!!”
Agree on all of the above. SO disappointed. What I really loved about the 3 was its sense of posture. With the upright and rippling rear panel, it looked like a fencer “en garde”: ready to meet a physical challenge with poise and humor.
This one looks like a Focus, Impreza, or (ugh) an Elantra GT. Instead of a lithe, dashing diamond thief, the car is a grumpy Middle Earth dwarf.
All the practicality of the hatch is lost. It is no longer a dog-suitable cargo area.
It looks quite handsome to me, although it would look a bit more handsome if the windowsills weren’t so sloped. I’m sure its front-fascia will match those of the CX-5 and 6, not at all a bad thing.
Still, it looks like it’s going to be beat out for interior space by everything else in its class. Again.
I don’t care for it at all. Much prefer hatchbacks with more classic styling, proportions….and visibility, like the Golf Mk7. From pictures, the 2014 Kia Forte 5 looks nice as well.
The Mazda3 has become the biggest selling vehicle in Australia.
You can see why, Zoom, Zoom, Zoom :) They must be doing something correct here.
I’m not really a Mazda man.
This doesn’t seem great looking. Still if you are in the sub 30k range Mazda makes some nice cars.. Reminds me of an an impreza. I hope they put the 2.5 liter skyactive in it that with a stick should be fun.
Not bad. We bought a Focus hatch after comparing it to the current Mazda3. I told the Mazda salesman that his product was a close second to the Focus and predicted that the next generation of the Mazda3 would be better than the Focus.
Rear visibility looks terrible on that thing. Looks almost as bad as the Hyundai Elantra hatch.
Is it me or does it look like an ’08-11 Impreza hatchback from this angle? Also, has some Mitsu Lancer hatch thrown in there.
As an owner of a 2012 3 hatch, I hope the rear of the sedan looks better than this. I don’t like it.
It’s heartening to see all the complaints about the beltline and obvious lack of visibility this car will have. I couldn’t agree more.
It’s also good to see some primatological humor in a TTAC headline.
It doesn’t look bad but but the gigantic c pillar and the ridiculously high beltline for rear passengers will most likely make for poor visibility and a claustrophobic interior (which most likely will be black on black).
I’m driving my second 3s hatch, my lease is over soon, all they need is to keep up with the same driving qualities, this is the #1 reason for getting this car for the second time, I don’t really care about “the face”, I also drove all the cars in this category and price range, the only one that came close is the Focus but I’m not into getting annoyed with that stupid A/T, also, I’m using manual mode very often, it’s just perfect in the Mazda.
As a Protege5 owner looking for an upgrade I have had very high hopes for this car. But judging by the renderings and spy shots I don’t think this will be the knockout that it could/should be. Mazda has all the ingredients with the CX5 and 6, but it appears they have incorporated too many of the design mistakes from the 2 into this. Practically, the rear visibility and cargo room will be atrocious, MUCH worse than my current car. My only (Mazda) hope after this will be crossing my fingers that they bring the 6 wagon to the States.
This looks like it will be a mistake. Will they really go with controversial styling after the smiley grill of the last 3?