Bangkok--29 Mar--Mazda Sales
The Mazda CX-3 crossover has won the coveted Thailand Car of the Year 2016 award, hosted by the Thai Automotive Journalists Association (TAJA). The CX-3 beat 9 other finalists, earning the most amount of points from the jury, comprising of over 40 professional automotive journalists.
Only new models assembled in Thailand and officially launched during October 1, 2015, to September 30, 2016 are eligible for winning the award, which is held for the second consecutive year by TAJA, a non-profit organization made up of automotive journalists from every field -- magazine, newspaper, radio, television and internet.
Scores were based on all aspects of the vehicle, including design, performance, safety, convenience, eco-friendliness and retail pricing. During the final round, with actual test driving being held at the Thailand Circuit in Nakhon Chaisri, each jury were given 25 points to distribute among the 10 finalists, with a mandatory 10 points to be given to the best entry.
The 10 finalists were the Mazda CX-3, MG5, MG GS, BMW X1, BMW 7 Series, Honda BR-V, Honda Civic, Thailand TR Transformer 2, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Mercedes-Benz GLC.
Mazda Sales Thailand Co., Ltd. (MST) President Mr. Chanchai Trakarnudomsuk said," By winning the prestigious Thailand Car of the Year award, the CX-3 has proven that Mazda's SKYACTIV Technology is well-accepted by highly-qualified automotive media, with performance that can be experienced in real-life driving by customers around the world. The CX-3 provides customers with not only outstanding performance but also excellent fuel economy, as well as a highly attractive appearance based on the "KODO: Soul of Motion" design theme. The MZD Connect and i-ACTIVESENSE packages complete the CX-3 as a vehicle for the new generation."
Mr. Yutthapong Pasee, President of TAJA, said, "The Thailand Car of the Year award has been held for the second consecutive year and we have 10 finalists this year. The Mazda CX-3 has proven itself as a vehicle with outstanding quality that excels in terms of performance, environment, safety, versatility and most of all high value-for-money."
The CX-3 was first introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2014 and is the fifth model featuring SKYACTIV technology. In Thailand it was officially introduced in November 2015 and is available with a SKYACTIV 2.0 gasoline and SKYACTIV 1.5 diesel engine choices.
In fact the CX-3 has won numerous awards from around the world such as:
ü 2015 Red Dot Design Award – Outstanding Design Quality
ü 2015 German Design Council – "Best of the Best" in Exterior Volume Brand Category
ü Top 10 finalist in the World Car of the Year 2016
ü Top 3 finalist in the World Car Design of the Year 2016
ü 2016 IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Thailand Car of the Year 2016 award this reconfirms the high acceptance for the CX-3, which will feature improved design and equipment when the minor change model is launched at the Bangkok International Motor Show at the end of March.