Next-Generation Mazda3 Leading Brand to Bold New Era

The Mazda3 is part of a long line of groundbreaking Mazda vehicles that have helped make it the best-selling Mazda in the world.

Available in over 120 countries, the Mazda3 has sold over six million units since its debut in 2003 and accounts for more than 30% of the company’s annual sales volume.

The seventh-generation Mazda3 sets a new milestone as the first production model to lead the brand into a bold new era. Blending beautiful design and exhilarating driving dynamics, the Mazda3 was developed to inspire and create an emotional bond and deep engagement with its customers.

“The Mazda3 is a strategic model that has driven Mazda’s growth from both a brand and business perspective. The outgoing sixth-generation Mazda3 has delivered Mazda’s renowned driving pleasure to over 12 000 southern Africa customers. Our mission is to build on this legacy and deliver a product that will exceed both customer expectations and industry standard with the next-generation Mazda3. The next generation of Mazda cars will enhance the value of the car-ownership experience. Through these products, Mazda Southern Africa, together with our dealer partners, aim to further raise Mazda’s brand value and work towards our goal of building ever stronger bonds our customers,” comments Craig Roberts, Mazda South Africa’s managing director.

Japanese Aesthetics

The next-gen Mazda3 adopts a matured Kodo design language that embodies the essence of Japanese aesthetics. While the overall design presents a simple, single form, subtle undulations bring the styling to life through shifting light and reflections that glide over the body surface. The result is a richer and more powerful expression of vitality than seen in previous Kodo models. Despite sharing the Mazda3 name, the hatch and sedan models have distinct personalities – the design of the hatch is dynamic, while the sedan is elegant.

Mazda’s further-evolved Kodo design is skilfully applied to the sedan’s hood, cabin and boot and evokes an air of elegance and sense of sleekness. The body features a horizontal flow that accentuates the look of a wide and low stance, while presenting a calmness that appeals to a sophisticated audience. In contrast, the hatch is meant to be sportier and more emotional, featuring aggressive body sides and C-pillars that do away with traditional body lines and adopt constantly shifting reflections. The hatch design is topped with a roofline that suggests speed and helps express a powerful presence. Exclusive to the Mazda3 hatch, polymetal grey is a newly developed exterior paint option that fuses the hard appearance of metal with a glossy smoothness, to create an entirely new expression of style. Other differences include black roof lining on the hatch derivatives from the Active model. The Astina hatch gets black metallic 18-inch alloy wheels. Sedan derivatives have grey roof lining and on the Astina model, silver metallic 18-inch alloy wheels.

Perfect Fit

Mazda’s design ethos continues with an all-new interior and cockpit environment that delivers a perfect fit and connectedness while driving. Inside the cabin, the new Mazda3 driver will experience improved reduction to external noise and the elegant minimalistic cabin offers reduced visual noise. The vehicle’s uncluttered cockpit has controls and switches with a consistent and unified feel that provide the driver with intuitive operation of the cabin. The centre console has been redesigned with the shift knob, new commander control and armrest moved forward, while the cupholders are repositioned to the front. This new configuration provides a more natural feeling for any driver.

The new Mazda3 offers two interior colour options. First is the recognised black interior colour that emanates strength and sophistication. Then, exclusive to the Mazda3 hatch, is the new optional burgundy red leather seat trim, which offers a deep, vivid appearance that heightens the emotion of the exterior design.

Technology

The clear view of the driver facing the MZD Connect screen with improved system performance, standard Android Auto and Apple Carplay and head-up display help keep the driver focused on the road; while the adjustable upright driver seating position with a low center of gravity lends a reassuring sense of confidence when driving.

The Mazda3 is the first to introduce an all-new 8,8-inch Mazda ConnectTM infotainment screen supporting MZD Connect, which comes standard on all models. Also standard is an all-new three-way layout eight-speaker sound system from the Active model, and the BOSE 12-speaker layout from the Individual model.

A new leather wrapped steering wheel featuring illuminated controls and switches expresses luxurious cues. Standard features such as the seven-inch TFT reconfigurable gauge cluster display, Bluetooth phone and audio pairing, remote keyless entry, push-button ignition, auto door lock, auto headlights and wipers, electronic parking brake, new knee air bags and two USB audio inputs elevate the Mazda3 to premium status. Also among the long list of standard features are driver and passenger one touch windows, LED headlamps and headlamp levelling and from the dynamic model rear parking sensors and cruise control.

New additional features from the Individual model include the frameless auto dimming rearview mirror, full auto air-conditioning and a 10-way power adjustable driver seat with lumbar support. The Astina model additions include rear air vents, a rearview camera, rear combination lamps, daytime running lights and adaptive LED headlamps.

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