Design experts and journalists have spoken: the Mazda3 is the best designed car in the world. This comes as the compact car was judged the 2020 World Car Design of the Year.

The 2020 Mazda3 is the first vehicle to showcase the Evolved Kodo design, a more mature rendition targeting greater styling prestige through the elegance and rigor of a minimalist, less-is-more aesthetic inspired by the purest traditions of Japanese art and the beauty of space between objects.

This year marks the second time for Mazda to win the award. The first time was in 2016 with the MX-5 which also won the World Car of the Year.

“Before accepting this prize, Mazda Motor Corporation would like to express our sympathy for all of those affected by the novel coronavirus,” said Akira Marumoto, Representative Director, President and CEO, Mazda Motor Corporation. “We are truly honored to be able to receive the World Car Design of the Year award in this special year marking the 100th anniversary of Mazda’s foundation. We will continue providing our customers with unique products, designs, technologies and experiences.”

“Ultimately, it is our clients who are the true winners with every Mazda they drive. Because of this award, they can stand high and fully appreciate the choice they made, the same choice that will serve them admirably for the years to come,” said Steven Tan, President and CEO of Mazda Philippines.

According to the World Car of the Year, the recipient of the World Car Design of the Year goes to a vehicle that shows innovation and pushes established boundaries.

This year, the cars eligible for the 2020 World Car Design of the Year award encompassed all the contenders competing in the other award categories: World Performance Car, World Luxury Car, World Urban Car, and World Car of the Year.

A design panel consisting of seven highly respected world design experts was asked to first review each candidate, and then establish a short-list of recommendations for the jurors. The design experts are in alphabetical order:

• Anne Asensio (France – Vice-President, Design, Dassault Systemes), 
• Gernot Bracht (Germany – Pforzheim Design School), 
• Ian Callum (United Kingdom – Director of Design, CALLUM), 
• Patrick le Quément (France – Designer and President of the Strategy Committee, The Sustainable Design School), 
• Tom Matano (USA – School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco), 
• Gordon Murray (U.K. - Gordon Murray Design), and 
• Shiro Nakamura (Japan - CEO, Shiro Nakamura Design Associates Inc.).

After much deliberation, the finalists were the Mazda3, Peugeot 208, and the Porsche Taycan. The winner was then voted by an international jury panel comprising 86 automotive journalists from 24 countries around the world.