New Mazda compact crossover due in 2014
* Mazda to build Nissan Juke rival * 'CX-3' will be make its debut in 2014 * Likely to be priced from around 13,000...
The all-new Mazda 3 hatchback revealed yesterday is set to be followed by a Nissan Juke-rivalling small SUV.
The new crossover, which is likely to be badged as the CX-3, will be revealed next year, high-level sources have hinted to What Car?.
As with all of the latest Mazdas, the new CX-3 will be built on the weight-saving Skyactiv architecture and use the same engines as the 3 hatchback. That means it will be offered with the familiar 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesels. It will also be available with the new 1.5-litre 99bhp petrol engine.
As with the 3, it will eventually get the option of a smaller-capacity diesel engine likely to be 1.5- or 1.6-litre so that Mazda can offer a CX-3 model to beat the sub-100g/km CO2 tax threshold.
The CX-3 will also be fitted with the company's latest-generation infotainment system, which incorporates a head-up display and smartphone connectivity. This will provide internet access, an apps portal and access to online radio stations. The system will appear first in the 3 hatchback.
What's still unclear is whether the CX-3 will follow the CX-5 and be offered with both front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive options. The bulk of the new entrants to this market, such as the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur, are front-wheel-drive only, so it seems likely this will also be the sole set-up for the CX-3.
You can expect the CX-3 to have a competitive starting price of around 13,000.
The 3 and the CX-3 will start a run of new models for Mazda. Within the next three years there'll be an all-new MX-5, a replacement for the Mazda 2 and Mazda 5 and the likelihood of a larger seven-seat SUV.
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