Updating cars year after year means
no two updates are often alike. Sometimes, you'll get a new paint color. Other
times, you'll end up with a whole bunch of new stuff, even though it's not a
proper mid-cycle refresh or an introduction of a new generation. Mazda's
updates to the 2017 Mazda3 rest in the latter category. Everywhere you look,
there's something new.
I'll start with the exterior. It's
largely unchanged, save for a new grille and a new rear bumper on the Mazda3
hatchback. If you are willing to drop some coin, you can also upgrade the 3's
peepers to LEDs, which is a nice touch that saves you from having to replace
bulbs ever again. Now, you just replace the whole headlight.
Inside, the 3's rocking a new
steering wheel, which has been nicked from the CX-9 crossover, and can now be
heated. The door cubbies have an extra 10 inches of opening, the cup holders
now have a sliding cover, and an electronic parking brake is now standard. The
optional HUD has been upgraded with full color, and the LCDs inside the gauge
cluster have been tweaked to provide higher contrast.
Driving has been improved in
several ways, or not, depending on how you view improvement. The most obvious
addition is G-Vectoring Control. There's also a new Sport Mode for
automatic-transmission models, and the car is 3 decibels quieter at 25 mph
thanks to more insulation and redesigned weather-stripping. So, the car is
softer than before, and more in tune with the needs of drivers that aren't
exactly chasing sporty characteristics.
Its safety suite receives some
upgrades, as well. A new front camera extends the operating speed for its
autonomous emergency braking, and Mazda's traffic-sign recognition system will
read traffic signs and display them on the HUD.
The 2017 Mazda3 goes on sale in September, and pricing will
be announced closer to its release date.
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