Underlining Mazda Australia’s aspirations for the 3 is its desire to take the ‘iconic’ hatchback and sedan nameplate to the forefront of the small car segment facilitated by a raft of updates.
Mazda Australia says the upgrades were implemented in line with consumer trends and customer demand which has resulted in the Mazda3 powertrain line-up being streamlined to comprise of the Skyactiv G 2.0 and 2.5-litre engines, which are both mated to the six-speed Skyactiv-Drive automatic transmission.
From the entry level, G20 models receive an upgrade to the Skyactiv G 2.0-litre petrol engine fitted with cylinder deactivation and other improvements to the combustion process resulting in lower CO2 emissions without compromising on performance or driveability.
Mazda says the changes elicit fuel consumption improvements of five per cent taking the model to 5.9L/100km for the hatch and 5.8L/100km for the sedan.
On the aesthetic side, the refreshed Mazda3 adds a new colour to the mix with Ceramic Metallic replacing Sonic Silver in the model’s eight-strong colour palette.
On the inside and drilling down into the model range, the G20 Touring grades and above receive new convenience features such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and USB Type-C ports.
G25 GT grades and above score a 10.25-inch Mazda Connect infotainment display, as featured on other Mazda nameplates, such as the CX-5, CX-8 and CX-9.
By ticking the options box for the Vision Technology package on entry level grades such as the G20 Pure and G20 Evolve buyers will access the 10.25-in Mazda Connect infotainment display.
