Actually, GoodCarBadCar doesn’t have any spyshots of the ’18 Mazda3, and my guess is that the car won’t be called the 3 by that time anyway, nor will it run a 2.3L 4-cylinder engine with a 4 or 5-speed automatic. 
It won’t be that different, don’t worry. The current 3 is one of the most pleasing small cars to drive and the hope is that Mazda won’t lose their zoom-zoom.
It’s more than a marketing campaign; Mazda really put a lot of effort into making their cars drivercentric.
So what’s all this about 2018? Mazda is asking Facebook members to write 150 words describing the 3 of 2018. In fact, a sketch is simply optional. Ten of these cars will become semifinalists, and then Facebookers will narrow it down to five in a round of voting. (I’ll be participating.) Fortunately for these five members, they’ll work with Mazda designers to perfect their 3 of the future, after which another round of voting takes place.
The winning design will become a full-scale model for debut at the L.A auto show, with the winner getting $1,000 to spend in Los Angeles and a current 3 to drive in SoCal traffic during their time at the auto show.
Search Mazda at Facebook.com and you should see the design challenge, with 530 members and 27 wall posts as I write.
