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Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 hatch just as happy as the sedan

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:34:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hatchback, Mazda

Click above for high-res gallery of the Mazda3 five-door hatchback from Detroit

Mazda took the wraps off the five-door hatchback version of the redesigned Mazda3 at the Bologna Motor Show last month, but here in Detroit, we saw the car for ourselves at its North American debut. As you can see in the gallery of high-res pics below, the Mazda3 five-door gets the same swoopy sheetmetal as the sedan we saw in Los Angeles, including the comic smiley face front end. What's new is the lengthened roofline that drops down at a steeper angle to create a wagon-esque profile. Some of the D-pillar design cues remind us of the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix, but it also resembles the old Mazda3 hatch more than the new sedan. While we prefer the five-door to its four-door counterpart, we know customers want both, so this makes sense for Mazda.

Mazda3i models are still fitted with the MZR 2.0L engine, putting out 148 hp at 6500 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm and controlled by either a manual or automatic five-speed. The Mazda3 MZR is packing the newly up-sized 2.5-liter four, providing 167 hp at 6000 rpm and 168 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm, with a choice of either a five-speed auto or a six-speed manual. And naturally, we're looking forward to the next Mazdaspeed model, preferably in hatch form. Check out the official press release after the jump for more details and the gallery below for plenty of high-res pics.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 five-door

Continue reading Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 hatch just as happy as the sedan

Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 hatch just as happy as the sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Mazda3 five-door hatchback gets real

John Neff — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Europe, Hatchback, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for high-res gallery of the Mazda3 five-door hatchback

Mazda has officially taken the wraps off its five-door hatchback version of the redesigned Mazda3 at the Bologna Motor Show today. As you can see in the gallery of new high-res pics below, the Mazda3 five-door gets the same swoopy sheetmetal as its four-door brethren, including the super happy smiley front end face. What's new is an extended roofline that drops down at a steep angle to create a wagon-esque profile. With a D-pillar that kinks up at a swept back angle, the look is very similar to that of a Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix that's been stepped on by a giant. The new cargo capacity will no doubt be appreciated by families who can put every extra cubic foot to good use, and if the current generation Mazda3 is any indication, this will also be the basis for the Mazdaspeed model.

At the moment, all the specs for the new Mazda3 five-door hatchback are for the European market, so don't expect its new 2.2L and carryover 1.6L turbo diesel engines to be available in the U.S. Europeans will also have a choice of 1.6L and 2.0L gas engines, though we expect the U.S.-spec model to offer the same 2.0L and new 2.5L four-cylinder engines as the sedan. Check out the official press release from Mazda after the jump for more details and the high-res image gallery below for more shots of the new Mazda3 five-door hatchback.

Gallery: 2010 Mazda3 Hatchback

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Officially Official: Mazda3 five-door hatchback gets real

Officially Official: Mazda3 five-door hatchback gets real originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots (Sort of): Mazda3 five-door hatchback

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Hatchback, Mazda

Click above for more "official spy shots" of the 2010 Mazda3 5-door

The styling of the new Mazda3 is generally pretty good, with one notable and extremely controversial element: that happy-go-lucky smiling face. Still, we've yet to get an official uncovered glimpse of the upcoming 5-door hatch, so there may still be some surprises up Mazda's sleeve. Today we discovered the odd batch of "official spy shots" straight from the horse's mouth, Mazda that is. They show the upcoming hatchback as it sheepishly plays peek-a-boo with its sedan sibling through some beautiful European scenery. From what we can tell, that blissfully chipper visage is alive and well on the 5-door. The rest of the details, unfortunately, are still pretty obscured by all that effective black vinyl clothing.

When it finally is debuted at the 2008 Bologna Motorshow in Italy next month, the hatch's engine options should basically mirror those of the sedan's, which means the U.S. will initially get both a 148-horsepower 2.0L and a larger 167-horse 2.5L version of the MZR four cylinder engine. Could a Mazdaspeed3 be far behind?

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2010 Mazda3 5-door

[Source: Mazda Via Carscoop]

Spy Shots (Sort of): Mazda3 five-door hatchback originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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