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Mazda2 Puts Japan’s 2014 Car of the Year Award on Mantle

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While the Mazda6 has been accumulating its share of awards from sources like Popular Mechanics, the Mazda Demio, more commonly known as the Mazda2, has been busy on the other side of the globe.

Mazda’s recently-launched supermini already has the attention of experts around the world, as evidenced by the recent acquisition of Japan’s 2014 Car of the Year award.

The Mazda2 is the fifth vehicle from the brand to win Japan’s Car of the Year award.

 

The Hot Little Mazda2 Runs Circles around Its Competition

The Mazda2 is the brand’s fourth entry in its new generation featuring full-range SKYACTIV Technology. The subcompact vehicle was Mazda’s attempt to grow the reputation of B-segment cars, by offering such features as “an ideal driving position and pedal layout, a Human Machine Interface that prioritizes safety, sophisticated and high-quality interior and exterior styling, and a newly-developed SKYACTIV-D 1.5-liter clean diesel engine.”

“We are both honored and grateful that the Mazda Demio has received such a prestigious award, commented Mazda’s Representative Director, President and CEO, Masamichi Kogai. “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.”

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What Receiving Japan’s 2014 Car of the Year Award Means for Mazda

This highly-coveted automotive award signals that Mazda is on the right track with the segment-dominating vehicles it’s been recently producing (apart from the mixed response over the new Miata).

In a race that’s typically dominated by Honda and Toyota, Mazda is finally starting to catch up. Just two years ago, the Mazda CX-5 brought home the same title for the 2012-2013 season, and now the Mazda2 (Demio) takes home Japan’s 2014 Car of the Year award.

Receiving Japan’s 2014 Car of the Year award promises a bright future for the supermini. It joins the likes of the Volkswagen Golf (’13-’14), the Nissan LEAF (’11-’12), the Toyota Prius (’09-’10), and the Honda Fit (’07-’08).

In order to be eligible for consideration, the passenger vehicle must reach a minimum projected annual sale of 500 units and be launched in Japan between November 1, 2014 and September 30, 2014. That means we’re almost to beginning the next eligibility season, so get ready to start taking bets on next year’s contenders.

An earlier generation of the Mazda2 won the World Car of the Year award back in 2008, so the question is whether the newest version will be a contender for the same title come this spring, considering the car’s European launch in early 2015.