First shown in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 3 will not only include the above new motor, which has been confirmed as displacing 2.0-litres, but also a hybrid assisted 2.0-litre SkyActiv-G petrol and the same 1.8-litre SkyActiv-D turbodiesel used in the recently revised CX-3.

As per the details leaked earlier this month, the SkyActiv-X produces 133kW/222Nm, but has now been confirmed as the beneficiary of hybrid assistance like the SkyActiv-G, meaning that the powerunit comes with a 24-volt electric motor for a mild-hybrid setup that is claimed to improve fuel consumption while also recuperating and then releasing energy lost during braking.

Dubbed M Hybrid, the setup in the SkyActiv-G motor, which also displaces 2.0-litres, has resulted in a claimed fuel consumption figure of between 6.0-litre and 6.7-litres/100km as per the WLTP requirements, with power being rated at 90kW and torque at 213 Nm. While the SkyActiv-X can only be paired to a six-speed manual gearbox, the SkyActiv-G has the option of a six-speed automatic, though Mazda’s i-Activ all-wheel drive system can be had as an option on hatchback variants.

Replacing the previous 1.5 and 2.2-litre oil burners, the SkyActiv-D comes with a NOx Storage Catalyst (NSC) system that converts nitrous oxide into nitrogen, as well as new injectors and a variable turbocharger to improve low-down torque. Claimed to consume diesel at between 4.8 and 5.7-litres/100km, the SkyActiv-D makes 85kW/270Nm, and can also be had with the six-speed manual or six-speed automatic ‘box.

At present, Mazda South Africa has yet not confirmed local availability of the new 3.