LA 2018: Mazda Set To Debut New Generation 3 - SkyActiv-X Confirmed

With a video title that says “A New Era Begins November 2018”, there’s little guesswork as to what Mazda has up their sleeves for next month.

The video released by Mazda teases a silhouette of what appears to be a hatchback, almost certainly hinting at the upcoming all-new Mazda 3.

Pausing the video at the 2 second mark gives us a brief look at the new model’s C-pillar, which is clearly inspired by the Kai Concept that was showcased at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, albeit with regular door handles.

At the 5 second mark, we can see that the side profile of the car now sports regular side mirrors, unlike the slim units found on the Kai Concept.

But design elements aside, what Mazda meant by its ‘New Era’ is its upcoming SkyActiv-X powertrain, which was covered in detail here.

In short, the new SkyActiv-X engine with compression ignition will be able to offer superior fuel efficiency, and yet have far better engine response when compared to the current crop of SkyActiv engines.

Last but not least is the new platform that will underpin the upcoming Mazda 3. One of the main changes is the rear suspension - out goes the proven multilink rear suspension set up of the current model, which is set to be replaced by a simpler rear torsion beam design.

More details of the new generation Mazda 3 are expected to be made known when the model debuts next month at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.