Will there be a 2023 Mazda3?

Mazda is saying farewell to the base 2.0-liter engine on the 2023 Mazda 3, the company announced this week. Now the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder is the base engine, and for 2023, it receives a five-horsepower increase and improved fuel economy. 

Now the lowest-price Mazda 3 on sale for 2023 will be the 2.5 S trim that costs at $23,615—a $1,400 increase over the lowest-price 2022 model after a small price increase in April. Yet for that extra cash, you get a decent little upgrade. Along with the pricing changes, Mazda announced that the now-base 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine gets a bump up to 191 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. 

Furthermore, Mazda says its updates to the larger engine's cylinder deactivation tech allowed them to achieve an estimated EPA fuel economy rating of 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined. That all matches what the 2.0 liter offered, save for its highway mileage where the 2.5-lieter engine now gets 1 more mile-per-gallon. 

On the opposite end, the highest-spec 2023 Mazda 3—a fully loaded turbocharged AWD Premium Plus hatchback—will start at $36,365 before any paint options like Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint ($595). The top-spec 2.5-liter turbo engine isn't going anywhere, thank goodness. Models with the turbo engine now start at $33,515. 

The six-speed manual remains an option, albeit only on the 2.5 S Premium hatch—as in, the top-spec one available with the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine. These start at $30,215 for 2023, which admittedly stings a bit to type even if it is a pretty loaded trim. Could we not get a lower-spec manual Mazda 3? Or perhaps a sedan? 

However, Mazda says its Carbon Edition trim was so popular that they will now offer this package—with its pretty Polymetal Grey exteriors and red leather interiors—with all-wheel-drive as well. The Carbon Edition is offered on 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine sedans and hatchbacks with the six-speed automatic transmission, and it features a 12-speaker Bose audio system, black 18-inch alloy wheels and gloss-black heated door mirrors on top of everything the Preferred trim offers, like heated eight-way-adjustable front seats and a power moonroof. 

Maybe if more of y'all bought manuals—well, you know what I'm going to say here. 

Per Mazda, the 2023 hatchback models will arrive at dealerships first this fall, with model-year 2023 sedans following suit in winter. 

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the price difference between 2022 and 2023. After an increase in April, the 2023 Mazda 3 will cost $1,400 more than its predecessor.

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The 2023 model year updates continue and the latest comes from Mazda, which has announced a handful of changes to the Mazda3.

Starting under the hood, the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine is now capable of producing 191 hp (142 kW / 194 PS) and 186 lb-ft (252 Nm) of torque. That’s a slight increase of 5 hp (4 kW / 5 PS) and Mazda noted the improved performance doesn’t require premium gasoline.

Furthermore, the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine has been equipped with updated cylinder-deactivation technology to be “more efficient in specific operating conditions.” Thanks to this change, the model can return an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of up to 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined. To put those numbers into perspective, the 2022 Mazda3 2.5 Sedan returned up to 26 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined.

Also Read: 2023 Mazda CX-50 Gets $750 Price Hike, Meridian Edition Arrives This Fall For $39,950

Staying under the hood, the entry-level Mazda3 2.0 Sedan has apparently been dropped as the company failed to mention it. The model started at $21,150 and featured a 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine developing 155 hp (116 kW / 157 PS) and 150 lb-ft (203 Nm) of torque.

Now, the entry-level model is the Mazda3 2.5 S, which starts at $22,550 as a Sedan and $23,550 as a Hatchback. That’s an increase of $450 across both models and it means the 2023 Mazda3 now costs $1,400 more than last year’s model, but buyers will receive a significantly more powerful base engine.

Elsewhere in the lineup, the Mazda3 2.5 S Carbon Edition will now be offered with all-wheel drive. The model starts at $27,200 and features a Polymetal Gray exterior with black 18-inch alloy wheels and gloss black mirror caps. Other highlights include red leather seats and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.

The Mazda3 2.5 S Premium has also been revamped as models equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission now come standard with all-wheel drive. That being said, front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual are still available on the Mazda3 2.5 S Premium Hatchback.

The turbocharged variants largely carryover, but the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo is now available exclusively as a Hatchback. That’s unfortunate, the performance-oriented models have a familiar Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo engine developing up to 250 hp (186 kW / 253 PS) and 320 lb-ft (433 Nm) of torque on premium fuel.

The 2023 Mazda3 Hatchback will arrive at U.S. dealerships this fall, while the Sedan will follow in winter.

Note: Pricing excludes a $1,065 ($1,110 in Alaska) destination and handling fee

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