The Lost Angeles Auto Show unveiled some of the hottest new vehicles expected on the market in 2019. Among those was the new 2020 Mazda 3, which packs a number of new technologies under the hood.
It comes with four doors in both the sedan and hatchback version. Mazda officials claim that each version attracts a distinct group of customers, even though the cars are practically the same under the body.
Fox News’ automotive editor Gary Gastelu talked to Mazda Vehicle Dynamics Manager – Dave Coleman about three major advancements in the new 2020 Mazda 3 over its predecessor.
Premium design
In the interview, Dave Coleman said they are taking Mazda 3 to a more premium level.
The exterior and interior have undergone significant improvements. The vehicle has clean and gracious forms which run continuously along the whole length of the vehicle.
Mazda’s design directive – Kodo: “Soul of Motion” – tries to capture the dynamic beauty of life and embody it into its vehicles. Chief Designer Ikuo Maeda draws inspiration from living, moving creatures.
Reduced noise
The 2020 Mazda 3 runs significantly more quietly compared to older models.
The designers at Mazda worked hard to modify and tune hundreds of interconnecting parts to reduce overall noise when inside the vehicle.
Reducing noise is an interactive and labor intensive task, which doesn’t reward overall performance, but improves the comfort and offers a refined driving experience.
Introducing the all-new #Mazda3 as seen at the @LAAutoShow https://t.co/SAude2Pzkl pic.twitter.com/HeBITv1qhS
— Mazda Lakeland (@MazdaLakeland) December 26, 2018
All wheel drive
As SUVs take bigger and bigger chunks of the market, Mazda does not intend to give up on the standard car market at all. Instead the company is looking to give it’s passenger vehicles the comfort and reliability of SUVs while keeping the fun of driving low in a smaller, more nimble car.
The new 2020 Mazda 3 will come with all wheel drive, making it a viable option for markets with cold, snowy winters.
There is also a performance and handling aspect to introducing AWD. Mazda 3 comes with the company’s G-Vectoring Control. This system controls how power is distributed to each axle.
As the vehicle turns, the front and rear axles receive just the right amount of torque to allow all four wheels to turn with exact needed speed to get you through the corner and out on a straight path.
It’s a subtle assistance, but you feel the overall effect in how naturally the car turns and how few corrections you need to make while steering.
SkyActiv-X Engine
In 2018 Mazda made news with the launch of its new revolutionary engine: SkyActiv-X. Now, the SkyActiv-X comes to Mazda 3.
The the engine is a hybrid of gasoline-burning and diesel-burning engines.
A gasoline-burning engine uses a lower compression ratio of around 10:1 up to 12:1. Higher compression ratios improve the thermal efficiency of the engine and produce more power and torque for the same amount of gas burned.
However, increasing the compression ratio of a gasoline engine, creates the risk of “knock.” “Knock” happens when combustion occurs prematurely, which kills any performance and produces damaging vibrations, reducing the engine’s lifespan.
Diesel is a less volatile fuel compared to gasoline. This allows diesel engines to use high compression ratios of 15:1 up to 20:1. When so tightly compressed, diesel self-combusts when injected into the cylinder. By using a precisely timed injection, the diesel combusts at just the right moment to reduce the chances of “knock.” Diesel engines are also, in general, heavier and sturdier, so they can take the increased stress when knock occurs.
SkyActiv-X gives the best out of both worlds: The engine uses a 14:1 compression ratio, which makes the combustion efficient and draws more power using less gas. A precisely timed spark ignites the fuel before it can “knock,” therefore creating a reliable and robust engine.
Ultimately, Mazda 3 owners will be able to choose from five different engine options, but for its launch in the US, the car will get the 2.5 liter, SkyActiv-G gasoline engine. It delivers 184 bhp and 185 lbs/ft of torque.
Mazda claims the engine produces 15% more torque and is 15% more efficient than its current gasoline engines. Mazda claims SkyActiv-X doubles these figures.