New Mazda3 hatch and sedan now both revealed

Los Angeles Auto Show 2008 Mazda has now revealed both the sedan and hatch versions of its popular 3, prior to it going on sale next year.

Bologna
Mazda has revealed the first pictures of the 3 hatch ahead of its official unveiling at the Bologna Motor Show in Spain next week. As with the sedan, it's a gentle evolution of the themes established in the first generation model.

Los Angeles
At this year's Sydney Motor Show we were shown photos of the new 3 sedan, however it wasn't officially unveiled to the public until the Los Angeles Auto Show that's currently under way.

Safe, not sorry (part I)
When Mazda unleashed the redesigned 6 earlier this year, it was a riot of bulging fenders and complex headlight and tail-light graphics and, in some ways, almost unrecognisable from the clean simple lines of its forebears.

Safe, not sorry (part II)
With the new 3, however, Mazda is playing it safe. Yes, the headlamp and tail-light clusters are practically pilfered from the new 6 but it's instantly recognisable as a 3. Indeed the biggest changes are a slightly more curvy form, and the gaping mouth grille shared with the refreshed MX-5 shown at the Paris Motor Show.

Hello SP25
Overseas customers will be offered a choice of 2.0- and 2.5-litre petrol engines, as well as a turbocharged 2.2-litre diesel. If the current range is anything to go by, the 2.0-litre petrol will be the standard engine, with the 2.5-litre engine reserved for use in a sporty SP25 model, and the diesel likely some time in the future.

Inside
At the LA show, Mazda finally revealed the new 3's interior. It looks classier than the current model, with lots of metallic-look accents.

Deep
Like the current iteration, the new model features instruments in deep-set housings.

Recess
In a recessed portion atop the dash hides a small LCD screen for GPS-equipped models, as well as ta second display for air-con and audio.

Same difference
As a point of reference, this is current Mazda3 sedan, which is blockier and less organic than the new model.

Do not adjust your sets
Evolution not revolution is a pretty hackneyed term but it seems rather apt here. Again this is the current Mazda3.

First hatch
The first generation Mazda3 hatchback featured a unique set of body panels, which featured more sharp edges and creases than the sedan. The second-gen 3 doesn't quite offer the same level of differentiation between the hatch and the sedan.

Mark I interior
There's not too much wrong with the interior of the current car, except that it's noisier than expected. The new car, naturally, is claimed to be a more hushed place to be.