Mazda is entering the burgeoning subcompact crossover segment with the all-new 2016 CX-3, revealed today at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle looks very much like a high-riding version of the new Mazda 2, and when it arrives in showrooms next summer it will be aimed directly at rival subcompact crossovers such as the Chevrolet Trax, Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, and Honda HR-V.

For the U.S. market, power will come from a Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Mazda hasn’t confirmed performance specs just yet but expect it to match the 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque offered by the same engine found in the Mazda 3. Available in other markets will be a Skyactiv-D 1.5-liter four-cylinder diesel engine.

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A six-speed automatic will be the only transmission, and power will be transferred to either the front wheels or all four. In either configuration, Mazda boasts the CX-3 will have "reassuring confidence" on the road from its combination of electric power steering, front strut and rear torsion-bar suspension.

In the technology department, the CX-3 benefits from the latest active and passive safety systems grouped under the i-Activsense banner. There will also be the latest version of the Mazda Connect infotainment system.

This week’s L.A. Auto Show is a busy one for Mazda. Joining the CX-3 on the automaker’s stand is the 2016 MX-5 sports car as well as the updated 2016 CX-5 compact crossover and 2016 6 sedan. Full coverage of the show can be accessed via our dedicated hub.

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