2027 Mazda3: After 6 Years, The Compact Could Do With A Refresh

Mazda’s been so focused on beefing up its SUV lineup in recent years that it’s left the Mazda3 sitting in the corner without getting much attention. While the Japanese automaker hasn’t given any official word on what’s next for its compact model, a set of new independent renderings are trying to imagine what a heavy refresh could look like.

The fourth-generation Mazda3 debuted in late 2018 before entering production and dealerships in 2019. Available in both five-door hatchback and four-door sedan versions, it was immediately praised for its handsome yet aggressive styling. But, like your favorite band that releases a killer album and then disappears for years, the Mazda3 has been conspicuously absent from any significant updates since. Now, it’s clear that an update is long overdue.

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Instead of a simple facelift, independent digital artist Digimods Design has created a Mazda3 sedan that showcases how a new generation might look like. The design incorporates styling cues from Mazda’s latest models, giving it a more upscale appearance

The front end of the compact sedan takes inspiration from spy shots and renderings of the next-generation CX-5, which is set to debut later this year. It features sharp LED headlights that wrap around the grille, paired with sporty bumper intakes and a sculpted hood.

Renderings: Digimods Design (sedan) and MV Auto (hatchback)

Mazda

The side profile of the Mazda3 sedan concept sticks with the greenhouse and wheelbase of the current model, though the door surfaces and rear fenders have been reworked. The result is a more modern silhouette, but one that still feels familiar.

At the back, however, things get a little less exciting. The tailgate has been revamped, and while the slimmer headlights borrowed from Mazda’s SUV lineup look nice, they don’t quite measure up to the sculpted rear end of the current model, which has always been one of its stronger points.

While Digimods Design went all-out with the sedan, they didn’t extend the same treatment to the hatchback. However, another independent digital artist, MV Auto, has created renderings of a facelifted Mazda3 hatchback, drawing styling cues from the electrified Mazda 6e / EZ-6 sedan. This interpretation of a future model blends a familiar silhouette with redesigned front and rear ends.

Are We Really Expecting A New Mazda3?

Good question. While Mazda is keeping its cards closed about its future plans for the Mazda3, we sincerely hope that a new version will arrive sooner rather than later. The discontinuation of the aging Mazda6 has left the Mazda3 as the sole ICE-powered sedan offering of the Japanese automaker, and one of the few non-crossover models next to the MX-5.

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A new or significantly updated Mazda3 will likely continue to use its existing front-wheel-drive platform, as the rear-wheel-drive setup is better suited for larger models. It’s also expected to offer a self-charging hybrid powertrain, helping it compete more effectively with rivals like the Toyota Corolla. This hybrid could either come from the Toyota-derived system in the mechanically related CX-50 or from a new in-house hybrid setup that will be introduced in the next-generation CX-5.

Looking even further into the future, there’s hope that the Mazda3 might get the brand’s upcoming Skyactiv-Z gasoline powertrain, which is slated to arrive in 2027. Mazda promises that this engine will bring “unprecedented efficiency,” which, given their track record, might actually mean something.

We’ll probably learn more about Mazda’s plans for the compact hatch and sedan at some point. Until then, we’ll rely on our spy photographers, hoping they catch a glimpse of camouflaged prototypes to confirm that the Mazda3 is, in fact, still alive and kicking.