Highly rigid body
The basic development concept for the body shell of the all-new Mazda 3 was to improve the overall balance of the body's rigidity and ensure it firmly absorbs the reaction force of the dampers. To this end, particular attention went to reinforcing the area around the front and rear suspension mounts and the joint sections in each corner, which are subject to greater stress. Structural adhesive was used to strengthen the joints for the front and rear suspension towers, and spot welding was added to reinforce the joints of the door openings. The result is a substantial improvement in rigidity and body hysteresis (the degree of car body deformation due to repeated applications of torsional load).
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Transmissions
The 2.3-litre MZR petrol comes standard with a new five-speed manual
transmission that employs multi-cone synchronizers and a new cable shift system,
which reduces shift effort and provides for sh ...
Exterior
The Tribute has the same overall shape as the Escape but features unique
exterior trim and a different grille and headlamps, which were redesigned for
2005. Both SUVs exhibit a conventional small- ...
Safety
Side-impact and side curtain airbags are optional. All-disc antilock brakes
with brake assist are standard on s models and optional on i models. Traction
control and an electronic stability system ...