The new generation Mazda3 has today been named 2020 World Car Design of the Year in the world's most prestigious automotive awards, the World Car Awards (WCA).
It's the second time a Mazda has claimed the award, following the Mazda MX-5 winning that category and the main Car of the Year award in 2016. Mazda3 was also a top three finalist for 2020 World Car of the Year, alongside stablemate Mazda CX-30.
Mazda Director – Marketing, Alastair Doak, said the recognition affirms the strength of Mazda's future design direction and is testament to the company's unwavering pursuit of driving pleasure.
"In our milestone centenary year, we're incredibly proud to have the new generation Mazda3 triumph over such a competitive field to be named 2020 World Car Design of the Year," said Mr. Doak
"Mazda has long focused on delivering vehicles our customers love to drive and love to own and Mazda3 does just that while also laying the foundations for the exciting new products just around the corner.
"Mazda3 combines next-generation Kodo design with ground-breaking Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture and advanced Skyactiv-Technology to deliver the connected driving experience that Mazdas are famous for."
Arriving to Australia in 2019, the Mazda3 was the first of Mazda's new generation vehicles, debuting an unprecedented list of standard features and advanced safety equipment like Vision Technology, all packaged in stunning design.
The small car was redesigned from the ground up according to a human-centred development philosophy, which dramatically enhanced the car's fundamental driving attributes such that accelerating, turning and braking feel completely natural.
Mazda3 also introduced the revolutionary Skyactiv-X engine, which plays an important role in Mazda's pursuit of Sustainable Zoom-Zoom and a key element of its multi-solution approach to emissions reduction.
Boasting greater efficiency, the ground-breaking Skyactiv-X engine is the world's first commercially produced spark-controlled compression ignition gasoline engine and will be available in Australia in 2020.
Mazda3 is on sale Australia wide and available through Mazda's guaranteed future value program, Mazda Assured.