A new version of the Mazda 3 hatchback with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive was revealed by Mazda in Mexico on Friday.
Mazda is scheduled to unveil a new model for the U.S. market on Wednesday, and it's a safe bet the mystery model is this 3 hot hatch.
The car features the same 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 found in the Mazda 6 sedan and CX-5 and CX-9 crossover SUVs. The engine is good for 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque on 87-octane fuel, and 250 hp and 310 lb-ft when using 93-octane fuel.
2021 Mazda 3 with turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive leaked
That output, coupled with a standard all-wheel-drive system, should make for a winning combination. The only transmission announced so far is a 6-speed automatic, and we hear a manual isn't in the cards.
The only body style is the 3 hatchback but the mechanicals will transfer over to the 3 sedan next year. This should help differentiate it from the redesigned 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI and a new hot hatch from Toyota (most likely based on the Corolla), neither of which will spawn sedan variants.
Mazda hasn't given the car a special name, though this was to be expected. Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto in a 2018 interview ruled out a new Mazdaspeed 3 and explained the decision has to do with the brand focusing on a more premium image.
