New Mazda3 Wins 2020 China Car Of The Year Award

The new generation Mazda3 has bagged yet another award: the 2020 China Car of the Year.

The Japanese compact was chosen chosen by a panel of 38 judges among 194 vehicles eligible for the award, which were eventually trimmed down to just 10 for the final.

The Mazda3 is only available as a Sedan in the People’s Republic and has been manufactured at Changan Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. for the local market since August this year.

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The 2020 Mazda3’s latest success comes a week after it was voted Thailand’s Car of the Year. It also won the 2019 Women’s World Car of the Year award, which was presented at the 2019 Dubai International Auto Show last weekend, and is a nominee for the 2020 European Car of the Year, alongside 34 other vehicles. The winner of the ECOTY will be announced on the eve of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, on March 2, 2020.

Mazda’s win in China was a departure from previous years, when judges favored larger and more premium cars. Last year, the Lexus ES was declared the China Car of the Year, after it beat the Toyota Camry and Audi A8 L. The 2018 award went to the Volvo S90, which was favored over the BMW 5-Series long-wheelbase and Range Rover Velar, whereas the year before, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class long-wheelbase won the golden medal, with the podium being completed by the Audi A4 L and Geely Bo Yue. The 2016 award went to the Geely GC9, which was followed by the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and Jaguar XE, and the 2015 crown went to the Honda Odyssey, as it impressed the jurors more than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class LWB and Infiniti Q50.