4th Gen Mazda 3 | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

November 30, 2023September 18, 2024

Protect Your Mazda 3/CX-30 with The CS Skid Plate

We are excited to announce another product for both the 4^th Gen Mazda 3, 2021+ Mazda 3 Turbo, and 1^st Gen Mazda CX-30! The new offering to the lineup is the CorkSport Skid Plate which utilizes our tried and true 11 gauge aluminum construction with a 2-piece design for an OEM-like installation. The CS Skid Plate is perfect for anyone who is lowered or anyone who likes to take their car out on forest roads and wants more protection over the thin factory splash guard. Keep on scrolling for more details!

2019+ Mazda 3 Turbo Skid Plate installed

OEM Splash Guard vs CorkSport Skid Plate

Starting with the OEM splash guard, there is much to be desired in terms of protection. The factory piece is made of thin plastic that is only designed to protect the bottom of your engine and transmission from things such as water, dust, and small debris. This can lead to a problem when you have lowering springs on your car or go on a camping trip.

In both of these situations, there is a greater chance of objects such as rocks and other larger debris hitting the splash guard and puncturing or even ripping off the splash guard completely, leading to potential damage to your oil pan or other critical components.

The CS Skid Plate on the other hand is all aluminum and can better protect against these threats to ensure that you can get to your destination and back intact. This provides you with peace of mind whether you like to go on rocky forest roads, up to the mountain through snow & ice, or are lowered and trying to get over speed bumps.

CX30 undercarriage Skid plate protection

Improved Plate Design

To provide a factory fit, we have CAD-designed the CS Skid Plate to mount directly in place of the OEM splash shield. This means no drilling, cutting, trimming, or issues during the installation.

The Skid Plate is also a 2-piece design similar to the OEM splash shields so that installation is easier and that there is some adjustability for minor variation between vehicles and to also help reduce the shipping cost. We also implemented an air duct into the CS Skid Plate that is similar to the one on the factory AWD splash shields to help supply cool air to the front differential.

Finally, there is an oil access cover that you can move out of the way to easily change your oil and filter without removing the 2 main skid plate sections.

Quality Matters

Each CorkSport Skid Plate is made from laser cut and precision formed 11 gauge 5052 aluminum. This ensures a consistent fitment that will make installation straightforward as well as the much-needed increase in engine protection. Included with the CS Skid Plate are stainless steel button head bolts that provide great corrosion resistance and are lower profile than a traditional hex bolt to reduce the chance of them getting snagged.

If you want to increase the protection to the underbody of your Mazda, the CorkSport Aluminum Skid Tray is a great option! Head over to the product listing for the video and more images and feel free to call us with any questions!

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April 13, 2023March 5, 2024

The Best Camber Plates for the Mazda 3 & CX-30

We are excited to announce the release of the CorkSport Camber Plates for both the 4^th GEN Mazda 3 and the 2020+ Mazda CX-30.

You likely already invested in our SRI and rear sway bar, but if you are looking to further enhance the driving characteristics of your Mazda, the CS Camber Plates are a great mod to add to your build. Whether you want to fine-tune your setup for the track or you are looking to upgrade to a more aggressive wheel and tire combo, the CorkSport Camber Plates will give you the extra adjustability needed. Continue on reading for more details on the CS Camber Plates.

The camber plates are designed to take the place of your factory strut top so that whether you are on lowering springs or factory springs, installation is quick and simple. For previous generation camber plate kits, it was required to cut the top of the strut tower to gain access to the camber plate to be able to adjust it while installed. This is not the case, however, for the 4^th GEN Mazda 3 and CX-30! Making camber adjustments is easy and if they ever need to be removed, permanent modification was not required during installation. The Mazda 3 Camber Plates also feature a pillow-ball bearing that replaces the factory rubber mount and makes sure that the strut bar does not move excessively while driving in demanding situations.

Now let’s get to the amount of camber adjustment the CorkSport Camber Plates provide. On the Mazda 3 you can expect camber adjustment ranging from -2.4 to +0.9 degrees. There is a noticeable difference between the two, so if you are looking to fit a more aggressive wheel and tire combo the camber plates may help you achieve it without rubbing the paint off your fenders. The camber adjustment will also help if you plan on tracking your car or want to fine-tune your setup to your driving style on the backroads.

Finally, let’s go over the construction of the CorkSport Camber Plates. The camber plates feature a top and bottom plate. The top plate houses the adjustment slots for the lower plate and is made out of 6061-T6 aluminum that is then CNC machined. The lower plate features the pillow-ball bearing and is manufactured out of steel to provide the necessary strength needed to secure the strut in place so it does not move during hard driving. Also included with the CS Camber Plates is all the necessary hardware so you can get back out on the road to find your optimal camber setting quickly.

The CorkSport Camber Plates are a great mod to continue to enhance the handling performance of your Mazda 3 or CX-30 and also if want to build upon the aggressive appearance at the same time. Be sure to check out the website for additional photos and video on the camber plates and feel free to contact us with any questions you might have.

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February 7, 2023March 23, 2023

Boost Appearance & Handling with the 2019+ Mazda 3 Coilover Kit

Looking for the next mod to turn your 4^th GEN Mazda 3 into the hot hatch Mazda should have made? We are proud to introduce the CorkSport Performance Coilover Kit for 2019+ Mazda 3 and Mazda 3 Turbo. Drastically improve the handling and looks of your GEN4 with stiffer spring rates, damping adjustability, front camber adjustability, and lowered ride height. We went back to the drawing board and created a completely new coilover kit design that shares no similarities with our older coilovers! Read on for full details.

The CorkSport coilover kit uses a 5K front spring and 7K rear spring (~280lb/in. and ~392lb/in.) for optimum balance of ride and handling. We went through extensive testing to ensure the springs bring stiff enough rates for novice autocross and track handling, yet soft enough rates for the daily commute. These spring rates have a larger increase in the rear than in the front. This helps to reduce understeer and bring the handling closer to neutral. This also keeps the car having a natural frequency of the rear suspension slightly higher than the rear. This matches OEM specs and ensures great driver feedback and comfort. You can even go for the optional Swift Springs for some added special sauce!

Paired with the 5K and 7K springs are a set of 30-way adjustable dampers. The damping was carefully chosen to match our spring rates and to provide a wide adjustment range for a variety of vehicle uses and personal preferences. A car on max soft damping has a sportier ride than OEM but is still perfectly comfortable on the daily commute. A car on max stiff damping has a much more active feel that offers great driver feedback when attacking a backroad or when on track. We find most people end up somewhere in the middle, with 10 clicks from full soft being our recommended starting point.

While the CS coilover kit is focused on handling improvement, it does add a noticeable appearance boost. At maximum low, the CS coilover kit is ~2.25” lower than OEM. There is ~2.75” of adjustability in the front and ~1.5” of adjustability in the rear. This puts the maximum high adjustment at ~0.5” higher than OEM in the front and ~0.75” lower than OEM in the rear. So if you prefer a more subtle drop for an OEM+ look we’ve got you covered! Lowering the ride height isn’t all about appearance though, it does make for a lower center of gravity for reduced body roll and increased driver confidence.

2020 Mazda3 Upgraded Coilovers Min-Height

The CorkSport coilovers are an easy direct bolt-in for your Mazda 3, with no permanent modifications or special tools required. They can be installed in just a few hours using the full-color CS installation instructions and included hardware. You can be sure the installation with last as all components in the kit are made from corrosion-resistant materials and/or coated to keep the rust away. All aluminum comes anodized while all steel parts are powder coated for years of reliable performance!

If you’re looking to transform the look and handling of your 4^th GEN Mazda 3, look no further than the CorkSport Coilover Kit! Check out the product listing HERE for more pictures and be sure to give us a call if you have any further questions!

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December 7, 2022December 7, 2022

Not-So-Low Lowering Springs For The Gen4 Mazda 3 Turbo

Since releasing our original turbo springs for the Mazda 3, we have noticed that some people would like lowering springs for their Mazda 3 Turbo that offer a milder drop in ride height, but still provide the same great handling characteristics as the originals. This is the reason behind the new CS lowering springs for the turbo Mazda 3; the “Not-So-Low” springs. The drop in ride height has been reduced 0.5 inches in the front and 0.3in in the rear and offers another option for those wanting lowering springs for their Turbo Mazda 3. Keep on reading to get a look at the new CS lowering springs in action.

Turbo Lowering springs on a 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo in gray

First let’s go over the main difference between the new CS lowering springs and the original ones. Ride height is increased 0.5 inches over the previous lowering springs in the front and 0.3 inches in the rear which brings the total drop to 1.0 inch in the front and 1.5 inches in the rear for hatchback models. The slightly heavier sedan nets a total drop of 1.0 inch front and 1.6 inches in the rear. The sedan sits just slightly lower in the rear because of the extra weight, but also sits level and looks fantastic! The milder drop in ride height still looks low enough to give your Mazda an aggressive stance, b

Now onto the benefits of the CS lowering springs that you can feel. The improvement in handling that you get from the CS lowering springs really helps bring some much needed sharpness to the Mazda 3 Turbo. Lowering the height of the car also results in the center of gravity being lower, which helps reduce the amount of body roll felt while driving. Also in conjunction with this, is the increased spring rates, which also play a major part in reducing body roll while cornering. This gives you more confidence while driving at the limit. We have also adjusted the rear spring rates to help reduce understeer when pushing your car to the edge and helps give it more neutral handling characteristics.

Red Mazda 3 with the Not So Low Lowering Springs

For the new CS lowering springs we have retained the proven spring rates from the original lowering spring kit. This results in a front spring rate of 3.4K while the rear has a spring rate of 5.9K. This gives you a great balance of still being able to enjoy daily driving while also giving you a sportier feel when hitting the backroads. The Turbo Mazda 3 also features stiffer dampers that control the extra weight added by the turbo better so the ride is smooth and not bouncy.

Single side view of black not so low lowering springs

These springs also feature the same simple installation of the original kit and only require modification to the factory bump stops so that proper suspension travel is retained at the lower ride height. The springs are made with high tensile strength spring steel to ensure that they perform consistently and will not settle over time. The springs are then powdercoated black to provide a durable finish and protect against corrosion. They also feature spring silencers to prevent any additional noise during suspension travel.

Back side of 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo with Lowering Springs

Well that covers the major details of the new CS lowering springs for the Mazda 3 turbo. Head over to the product listing for more pictures and give us a call if you have any questions on the lowering springs.

P.S. The car in the above images is riding on Advan GT wheels in 19×8.5 +38 size, wrapped in Kumho 235/35 R19 summer tires.

P.S. – We hope are as happy as Aaron Maves with his new springs!

CorkSport sponsored drive Aaron Maves with Mazda 3 Turbo installed Lowering springs

March 17, 2022March 5, 2024

2019+ Mazda 3 & 2020+ CX30 – License Plate Relocation Kit is here!

If you’re looking for a quick and easy mod to boost the appearance of your 4^th Gen Mazda 3 and CX-30, the new CorkSport License Plate Relocation Kit is a great place to look. The factory front license plate location is front and center which detracts from the aggressive front grill of the 4^th Gen Mazda 3. The CS relocation kit moves the front license plate out of the center of the grill and over to the side for an overall better look. A comparison between the factory and CS license plate locations can be seen below. The CS relocation kit is also super simple to install and takes only 15-30 minutes to complete. Read on for a detailed look at the components included in the Mazda 3 License Plate Relocation Kit.

First let’s take a look at the tow hook screw that is used to hold the license plate bracket. The tow hook screw is made out of high strength steel and zinc coated so that it will hold up in all types of environments. The tow hook screw also utilizes the factory mounting location to avoid any permanent modifications to the front end of your Mazda. Now onto the main component of the CS kit which is the license plate bracket. Starting out as an 11 gauge 304 stainless steel sheet the bracket is bent to provide quick access to the main mounting bolt and to also flow better with the lines of your front bumper. The license plate bracket includes a quick detach feature so if you ever need to run through a car wash you can quickly loosen the bolt with the provided low profile 19mm wrench and lift it up and off.

We have also positioned the license plate bracket out of the view of the parking sensors so everything continues to work as it should. Finally, all of the hardware included in the kit is stainless steel and we provide tamper resistant screws to hold on your license plate so it’s more difficult if anyone tried to remove it.

Thanks for checking out the CorkSport License Plate Relocation Kit for the 4^th Gen Mazda 3 & CX-30! Be sure to head over to the product page and scoop one of these up if you want an appearance boost for the front of your Mazda.

License Plate Relocation Kit

Get the license plate relocation kit for the 2019+ Mazda 3 & 2020+ CX30

GET THE KIT

License Plate Relocation Kit

Get the license plate relocation kit for the 2019+ Mazda 3 & 2020+ CX30

GET THE KIT

OEM Splash Guard vs CorkSport Skid Plate

Improved Plate Design

Quality Matters

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

License Plate Relocation Kit

License Plate Relocation Kit