The first of Mazda’s new generation of vehicles to roll off the production line, the Mazda3 builds on the success of a model that has been enjoyed by family hatchback customers since its original debut in 2003. Launched in 2013, the outgoing third-generation model featured the Kodo:Soul of Motion design that has been a driving force in enhancing Mazda’s design values since the Shinari concept premiered in 2010.

Now, Mazda takes Kodo one-step further, treating the car as a work of art. The result is a new level of sophistication and elegance inspired by the central elements of Japanese aesthetics. The first cars to embody Mazda’s new artful design language were the RX-Vision concept unveiled at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and the Vision Coupe concept exhibited at the 2017 show. The evolved concept won global design prizes in 2018, with the Vision Coupe being crowned Concept Car of the Year at the Geneva Motor Show and named Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year at the Festival Automobile International in Paris. The Mazda3 is now the first production model to adopt this evolved version of Kodo design.

With clean lines and unique proportions, the sporty hatchback conveys a sense of anticipation and energy that creates a strong emotional appeal. Powerful C-pillars help to achieve a unique rear design in which the cabin and body appear to form a single solid mass. To achieve the car’s signature look, Mazda eliminated all character lines and relied entirely on beautifully curved body panels which reflect the surrounding environment. The dark metallic colour and bold contouring of the signature wing clearly distinguishes it from the Saloon.

Mazda’s designers, engineers and production departments worked hand in hand to bring the full beauty of Kodo design to life in the Mazda3. One characteristic resulting from the dedication to craftsmanship is the distinctive surface of the body side panels. Depending on the viewing angle and on the way light hits the surface, smooth transitions in the reflections of the body panels are created. Furthermore, the Mazda3 features a new low-to-the-ground front nose design, which adds greater flow and beauty to the car’s proportions. It was made possible by integrating the functions of parts at the front, thus maximising space efficiency. In addition, the panel edges around the wheel arches are fully folded back on themselves, reducing the gap between tyres and wheel arches to highlight the car’s stylish look.

The Mazda3’s updated lamp design shaves away all unnecessary elements to leave only the essence of a light fixture. The resulting round design has an expression of depth and a dynamic presence that is unique to the Mazda brand. The headlamps adopt a simple ring-shape lighting pattern in the centre accented by illumination on the side section. The rear combination lamps feature four round lights with gradations in their illumination that create an appearance of being directed towards the front. In addition, the three-dimensional design of the outer lenses on the hatchback creates a solid look.

Exclusively offered on the hatchback, the newly developed Polymetal Grey Metallic paint combines bright aluminium flakes and opaque pigment, fusing the hard appearance of metal with plastic’s characteristic glossy smoothness. The colour’s tonality changes depending on the light, accentuating the hatchback’s beautiful form. The body colour line-up also includes Mazda’s two signature colours, Soul Red Crystal Metallic and Machine Grey Metallic, along with Deep Crystal Blue, Snowflake White Pearlescent, Arctic White, Sonic Silver Metallic and Jet Black Mica, making a total of 8 colours available for the hatchback version and 7 colours for the Saloon.

The Mazda3 Saloon marks itself out as a stylish compact executive saloon with its unique proportions and styling. With an identical wheelbase, it is 200mm longer than its hatchback brother, and when it comes to exterior panels it shares just its windscreen and bonnet with the hatchback. Flowing from front to rear in a single motion, the saloon’s smooth surface movements evoke elegance and maturity akin to the Vision Coupe concept car. Its chrome plated grille and unique front bumper adopt a horizontal layout that accentuate a low and wide stance on the road. The combined result is a refined expression of sophistication.