Finally Mazda is tapping into the success of their Nagare themed concept cars. The new Mazda 6 is a great looking car but the new 3 begins to show signs of the future. The Mazda brand has done a great job defining their future one car at a time. Each new model is taking the language one step farther. The Zoom Zoom slogan is beginning to come to the surface.
The current Mazda 3 has always been a nice car, but it certainly didn’t have any emotion. Seeing these two versions side by side shows how much character has been injected into the new design. Overall the new 3 is a great looking car, but it does have some issues….
Starting in the front, the huge smiley face is just a tad over the top. Minimizing the gaping holes would really help visually strengthen the front clip as well as integrate it into the rest of the body better. The front fenders now resemble the rest of the Mazda lineup and are a nice differentiator from other sedans.
(photos provided by Autoblog)
The rear shoulder crease is nicely defined, actually adding some form back there. The bone lines running through the rockers are also not “shy.” These elements add a lot of energy carrying our eye around the car. The light graphics carry on the interesting graphic shape and details from the new Mazda 6.
The surfacing on this car is very sophisticated for a relatively inexpensive vehicle. As a designer I am glad to see such attention to surface details. Surface is free (well kinda) so why not make it the best looking as possible.
This new design will lend well to the much anticipated Mazda Speed version along with the 5 door hatchback. I can’t wait to see it at Detroit and on the roads in the coming months. Mazda has a bright future and will be a fun brand to watch develop further.
The overall design is a bit more zoom zoom then the rest of the vanilla out there. I like the new direction. I also like how Mazda is actually taking some of the inspiration from the show cars and integrating that into the production cars.
1 thing I completely dislike.
#1 is the really generic attempt to add more flair to the fenders. It does not work that well on the RX-8, why carry it along the entire car brand.
Yes it is a bit of a differentiator………but it is the laziest of all design elements, reminds me of the PT Cruiser, Chevy HHR, The Chevy HRE Dodge Power wagon, etc……..
Mixed feelings for me on this one. It seems that Mazda has been creating their brand identity with a little bit of muscle in their designs. Their strong, muscular shoulders are being carried through to quite a few of their designs from their SUV’s to the just released mid sized Mazda 6 sedan. I welcomed this approach in their CX-7 and CX-9 design. SUV’s can get away with having a powerful stance and presence on the road. I was ok with the Mazda 6 incorporating this feature. Just check out the article “zoom zoom zoom here comes the Mazda 6.”
However, I am not too sure if it is appropriate for the Mazda 3. It has lost some of that “nimble” and light feel to it. So in this respect, I agree with “Digitals” comments above. This design cue seems to be a bit over used.
The front facia, though nicely detailed, appears a little too busy and a bit heavy. I prefer more of a cleaner look. The side of the vehilce does a great job of creating some visual interests with surface tension at the bottom of the door panel. You see this type of surfacing in the 3 series as the character line of the vehicle.
It would be good to see some interior pics to understand how they have progressed.
Ramkey