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2017 Mazda 3 facelift:: leaked Japanese brochure surfaces online – UPDATED

UPDATE: The updated Mazda 3 has now surfaced in further detail, thanks to a leaked brochure out of Japan. New information has been included at the bottom of this article.


A photo claimed to be from a brochure for the facelifted Mazda 3 range was published online overnight.

Sent by a reader to Carscoops, the image seems to show the facelifted Mazda 3 hatch, known in its home market as the Mazda Axela.

According to the text at the bottom of the brochure, the hatch seen above is fitted with the company's 2.2-litre twin-turbo diesel engine.

Seeing as the third-generation Mazda 3 was introduced to the world around mid-2013, the popular small car is about due for a mid-life update.


Above and below: The latest Mazda 3 brochure leak, as of July 13, 2016.

If this leak is accurate, the facelift will be quite a mild one, with the front-end freshened up to resemble that of more recent Mazda models, including the CX-9 and CX-3 SUVs.

The grille's chrome wings are now thicker and blend directly into the headlight clusters. Correspondingly, the headlight shape and internal graphics have been altered slightly to account for its new interaction with the grille's chrome frame. The Mazda badge is now located entirely within the confines of the grille.

Other changes to the 3's front-end include a redesigned lower air intake, indicators and fog lights. The turn signals on the wing mirrors have been repositioned from the side to a new band along the lower-edge of the mirror housing. While not shown in the image, expect to also see updates to the rear-end and interior.

The well-regarded hatch and sedan range has been selling strongly in Australia. At the end of April 2016, 12,733 Mazda 3 hatches and sedans have found new homes locally this year. That's slightly behind the Toyota Corolla (12,783) and marginally ahead of the Hyundai i30 (12,654).

Australia

Expect the refreshed Mazda 3 to make its official debut some time during the second half of 2016, with an Australian introduction likely towards the end of this year or the beginning of 2017.


UPDATE: CarDrive has leaked images of entire brochure for the facelifted Mazda 3, confirming the updates seen in the spy photos reported last week.

While the hatchback gets minor changes to the rear fog light and reflector designs, it appears the rear of the sedan will remain largely unchanged.

Inside, the addition of an electric parking brake is confirmed, along with the centre console bin covered by a sliding lid, and the new steering wheel like the one seen in the MX-5 and CX-9 stablemates.

The new Mazda 3 will also be the first model in the line-up to feature the company's new G-Vectoring Control system, which is aimed at reducing driver fatigue, adding linearity to the steering system, and reducing the need for minute steering inputs in the straight-ahead position.

Eight exterior colours are detailed in the brochure; Soul Red Premium Metallic, Machine Grey Premium Metallic, Eternal Blue Mica, Sonic Silver Metallic, Titanium Flash Mica, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Jet Black Mica and Snow Flake Pearl.

CarAdvice will be attending the local launch of the facelifted Mazda 3 at the end of this month, so stay tuned for Australian details in the coming weeks.

Click the photos tab for more images of the Japanese brochure for the new Mazda 3

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