When the first-generation Mazda 3 was released, it introduced a level of driving pleasure and sense of quality which exceeded its class. Five years later, total sales have surpassed 1.8 million units and the Mazda 3 has won a total of 90 automobile awards around the globe. The new Mazda 3 builds on the virtues of the first generation and reflects increasing worries about environmental issues, the rapid expansion of motorization, and growing diversity in the criteria people use to value cars. Development was carried out by R&D staff in Japan, the US, and Europe working together to reflect Mazda's long-term vision for technology development, "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom," which aims to achieve harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety features. As a result, the all-new Mazda 3 evolves the original model's acclaimed sporty driving and design, and achieves top class environmental and safety performance.

Program Manager Yoshiyuki Maeda says, "We focused on achieving an exhilarating experience that drivers would sense directly. We targeted dynamic driving performance that responds to the driver's intention and excellent environmental and safety features that offer pride and confidence whenever the driver is behind the wheel. In order to create exhilaration in every element of the vehicle, we worked to enhance each aspect of the driving quality."

• Design: inheriting the Mazda 3's established identity while making it more expressive
• Exterior design - expressive and emotional styling
• Interior design - sophisticated, sporty, and high quality
• Driving dynamics - The evolution to a more sophisticated sporty ride
• Powertrains for all driving experiences
• Catalyst that uses single nanotechnology
• Power steering, suspension and brake systems
• Highly rigid body
• Class-leading aerodynamics
• Cabin environment - sense of oneness between car and driver
• A sporty cockpit that improves functional beauty
• Multi information display (MID)
• Seats that fit better, provide greater support and are more functional
• New welcoming functionalities
• Substantially reduced road and wind noise
• Safety
• Environmental performance
• Efforts to promote vehicle recycling