In pursuit of Mazda’s design philosophy, Car as Art, the Mazda3 adopts a matured Kodo design, which has received recognition around the world. Taking inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, Mazda adopted a “less is more” approach when designing the Mazda3 and stripped away superfluous elements from the car’s form. The result is a unique design that creates subtle undulations of light and shadows gliding over the car’s smooth body, crafting a natural and powerful expression of vitality. Furthermore, despite sharing the same model name, the hatchback and sedan models have distinct personalities—the design of the hatchback is emotive, the sedan elegant.

World Car of the Year was established in 2004 by an international group of automotive journalists. This year’s judging panel consisted of 86 journalists from over 25 different countries. The 2020 results were announced by the World Car Awards in Toronto on April 8 local time.

Mazda3 is also world-renowned for its safety standards. IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) reported that among all automakers, Mazda won the most 2020 Top Safety Pick+ awards, with six vehicles (including the Mazda3) receiving the organization’s highest safety ratings. The results were possible because the Mazda models performed well not only in the crashworthiness evaluation categories, but also in the preventive safety performance categories..

Back in 2019, when the all-new and dramatically redesigned Mazda3 was introduced, the Mazda3 was named “Supreme Winner” of the 2019 Women’s World Car of the Year awards. In addition to taking the top award, the model also won Women’s World Family Car of the Year. Established in 2010, Women’s World Car of the Year is voted on by a panel of female judges from over 30 different countries who are asked to vote according to criteria women use when buying a car.

The Mazda3 is also making the automotive press stand up and take notice, winning the hearts and desires of even the most jaded automotive journalists:

“The new Mazda3 sedan is a beautiful small car. From every angle, it exudes class, poise, and elegance. Best of all, each trim except the base version includes the appealing 18-inch aluminium wheels that lend the Mazda3 visual balance and presence” – J.D. Power

“The hatchback has a stunning shape, with European lines suggesting Jaguar. The cabin is warm, upscale, and finely detailed. For the first time, the Mazda3 is available with all-wheel drive, which makes it a challenger to Subaru and Volkswagen” – autoblog.com

“Inside and out, the Mazda 3 is attractive, and plenty of elements give it a more upmarket appeal. On the road, it’s not just competent; it’s actually entertaining and sporty to drive. Even if you’re not into performance, this translates to a feeling that the car will respond to emergency manoeuvres with confidence and ease.

In the competitive budget-conscious compact sedan and hatchback class, the 2018 Mazda 3 is a rarity for exceeding expectations and delivering far more than its price would suggest. We bore this out in a yearlong test of this car’s current generation as well as subsequent evaluation of newer variants. You’d be remiss not to have it on your shortlist.” – Edmunds.com

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Please Note: The details of this article were accurate at the time it was written. Manufacturers may change the details of any vehicle’s specifications, at any time, without notice.