2020 Mazda 3 Sedan Introducing

2020 Mazda 3 Sedan Introducing https://goo.gl/pn4SkN

The 2020 Mazda3 takes a huge risk
The 2020 Mazda3 is a gamble, and while it may look seductive with its newest iteration of Mazda’s Kodo design language, the big risk is under the hood. Mazda has focused on its strengths – style, driving engagement, and being just plain different from Ford, Kia, Hyundai, and others – but it’s what the Mazda3 isn’t that may decide its fate.
It’s certainly a handsome car. Mazda is insistent that its two body styles – hatchback and sedan – target very different types of customers, but they’re effectively the same until you get back to the C-pillar. Then you get to choose between the more flexible cargo space – but vision-impairing tiny rear window – of the hatch, or the more traditional shape of the sedan.
Inside, too, Mazda has put in the effort. Like the refreshed Mazda6, there’s a noticeable uptick in both design and the quality of the materials. Switchgear looks and feels better, while the general aesthetic is that of a car in a more premium tier. An 8.8-inch infotainment screen will be standard.
What’s really interesting, though, is Mazda’s decision when it comes to powertrains. Although there’ll be five engines in the line-up eventually, at launch the US will only get one of them. Mazda’s strategy with electrification is also likely to be controversial.
When it arrives on US dealership forecourts in early 2019, the 2020 Mazda3 will have the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter engine. That’s a four-cylinder gas engine, and it’ll be paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic. Power and performance for the car haven’t been confirmed yet, though it’s worth noting that Mazda’s current 2.5-liter engine will get you 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque.

Late in the year, however, there’ll be a second, far more interesting engine option. That’s the Mazda Skyactiv-X with M Hybrid system, and it’s something the automaker has been working on for a while. It’s not, after all, what you’d normally assume from a hybrid.