2020 Mazda3 Wins World Car Design of the Year

The new 2020 Mazda3 compact car won the coveted World Car Design of the Year title from the World Car Awards (WCA).

The award, meant to highlight vehicles with innovation and style that push boundaries, was awarded to Mazda for the second time for this year’s Mazda3.  The brand also won World Car Design of the Year for the Mazda MX-5 in 2016.

The cars eligible for the 2020 award encompassed contenders competing in the five categories: World Car of the Year, World Luxury Car, World Urban Car, World Performance Car, and World Car Design of the Year.

Eventually, when The Road to the 2020 World Car Awards concluded on April 8, 2020, a panel of judges narrowed the list of nominees down to three finalists: the Mazda3, the Peugeot 208, and the Porsche Taycan.

These vehicles were selected and voted on by an international jury panel made up of 86 prominent automotive journalists from 24 different countries. They were appointed by the World Car Steering Committee based on expertise, experience, credibility, and influence.

The awards, which were officially launched in 2004 to “reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize, reward and inspire excellence, leadership and innovation in a rapidly changing automotive industry, are intended to complement, not compete with, existing national and regional Car of the Year programs,” according to the World Car Awards website.

It comes as no real surprise that the Mazda3 won the top honor. Following the design philosophy Car as Art, the Mazda3 has adopted a matured version of the Kodo design.

Drawing inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, a “less is more” approach was used when designing the compact sedan. Superfluous elements were stripped away, leaving a design that creates subtle waves of light and shadows over the body of the car.

“Mazda is honored to be recognized with this prestigious award,” said Masahiro Moro, chairman and CEO of Mazda North American Operations. “While we’re pleased to receive this good news, we remain focused on the health and safety of our employees, dealers, customers, and communities.”

Keeping the current restrictions in mind due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mazda team looks forward to celebrating this tremendous victory once restrictions have been lifted.

Learn About the 2020 Mazda3

If you haven’t looked into the Mazda3 compact sedan yet, now is the time.

The vehicle was meticulously crafted by Mazda Takumi artisans so you can discover the world in affordable luxury.

It has even been designed to help insulate the driver and passenger from distracting noises by shielding unnecessary noise in the cabin and helping the pilot focus on the road.

Standard in the new Mazda3 is the 8.8-inch Mazda Connect infotainment system, which is set back from the dashboard and easily controlled by a central knob and series of buttons on the center console.

Amenities also include push-button start, electronic parking brake, eight-speaker sound system, and 60/40 split rear seat.

The 2020 Mazda3 also comes equipped with the i-Activsense suite of driver-assistance technology that includes attention alert, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more.

Find the Award-Winning Mazda for You

These are only a few of the amenities that helped the 2020 Mazda3 win World Car Design of the Year.

The dedicated staff at West Herr Mazda of Canandaigua will be thrilled to answer any of your questions, including financing options and the different options available in the new Mazda lineup.

Contact our staff today to discuss the options available to you and we will help get you behind the wheel of a new Mazda.