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Live pics of 2014 Mazda3 from NYC, sedan on its way

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, straight from the memory cards of our own cameras. As you can see, the only version of the 2014 Mazda3 that the automaker is showing off at the moment is the hatchback, but we've gotten confirmation from Mazda that the sedan version will be shown sometime within the next five weeks.
So far, Mazda isn't commenting on whether or not we can expect a higher-performance Mazdaspeed3 version of the car, but we've got our fingers crossed. In any case, we're quite drawn to the appearance of this new hatchback from Mazda, with its flowing lines and character creases setting it apart from the rest of the compact segment in which it competes.
We also appreciate the sound engineering that went into the new 3. Despite boasting a wheelbase that's longer than the car it replaces, we're pleased to see that Mazda has kept its exterior size in check - it's actually shorter overall than the last-gen model - while also reducing weight by about 200 pounds. That's bound to be good for the new 3's dynamic properties.

Mazda delays US launch of Skyactiv-D engine

Japanese automakers haven't lead the charge towards diesel power in the same way as, say, the Germans have. But Mazda is out to change that. It has been following Audi's lead on the racetrack with oil-burning racecars right here in America, and will soon translate that excitement to the road by introducing its Skyactiv-D engine in North America. It just won't happen as soon as we expected.
Mazda announced today that, while its diesel engine meets current emissions requirements, the company has decided once again to push back an introduction originally slated to kick off in the Spring. According to the brief statement below, Mazda wants to take more time to find "the right balance between fuel economy and Mazda-appropriate driving performance."
In other words, the Zoom-Zoom brand apparently thinks its diesel engine doesn't deliver the zoom-zoom American drivers would expect, so we'll have to wait just a little bit longer. Details to follow closer to launch, whenever that will ultimately take place.

2014 Mazda3 2.0L Hatchback officially rated at 40 mpg highway

The Environmental Protection Agency has spoken, and these are the miles per gallon numbers it has officially bestowed on the 2014 five-door Mazda3 hatchback with the SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter engine: 29 city, 40 highway, 33 combined when fitted with the six-speed manual; 30 city, 40 highway and 33 combined when equipped with the six-speed automatic.
Those numbers exactly match the fuel economy targets that Mazda had set for the car when optioned with the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G with 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. For comparison to other cars in the segment, the EPA numbers for the 2013 Honda Civic sedan are 28 city, 39 highway, 32 combined when its 140-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder is paired with the five-speed automatic. The Hyundai Elantra GT gets 27 city, 37 highway and 30 combined according to the EPA when its 148-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder is paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The numbers for the 2014 Ford Focus aren't out yet.