Mazda’s latest supermini sensation, the Demio or also known as the Mazda 2, has won the 2014-2015 Car of the Year Japan by the Japan Car of the Year Committee. The Mazda 2 becomes the fifth Mazda model to claim top honors in the Japan COTY, and also gave Japan the title back after Volkswagen Golf became the first non-Japanese car to win last year’s edition.
The new supermini, armed with Mazda’s Skyactiv technology and the KODO-Soul of Motion design language won the hearts of Japanese judges for this year’s award. The judges were impressed with the Mazda 2‘s ideal driving position and pedal layout, the Human Machine Interface that prioritizes safety, interior and exterior styling, and a newly-developed SKYACTIV-D 1.5-liter clean diesel engine.
To eligible for this award, all passenger vehicles must have at least 500 units sold in Japan between November 1 2013 and September 30, 2014.
Mazda’s Representative Director, President and CEO, Masamichi Kogai commented, “We are both honored and grateful that the Mazda Demio has received such a prestigious award. This result is thanks to the enthusiastic support of all people who love cars. Inspired by this award, we will continue our quest to build cars that add a certain sparkle to the lives of their owners, and aim to become a one-and-only brand chosen by customers again and again.”
Meanwhile, the Mazda 2 is set to arrive in Malaysia very soon, and will be priced at below RM90K for both sedan and hatchback variants.
[Source: Japan Times]
