The new Mazda3 showcases a styling direction that will eventually spread to the entire Mazda lineup, Laurens van den Acker, Mazda's design chief has said.
The car rides on an improved version of the global Ford Focus C1 platform and is longer than the outgoing model. Overall length is now 180.9 inches (up 3.5 inches), while width is 69.1 inches, height is 57.9 inches, and wheelbase remains 103.9 inches.
A rubber-isolated subframe up front supports the entire powertrain, the rack-and-pinion steering system, and the lower attachments of the coil spring MacPherson strut suspension. The independent multi-link rear suspension also uses coil springs with one trailing arm, two lateral links, and one toe-control link per side.
