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The super-stylish and super-mini Mazda2 has been selected as the 2008 World Car of the Year by a jury of 47 international automotive journalists.
The Mazda2 edged out competitors including the Ford Mondeo and Mercedes-Benz C-Class to take the overall award.
“The fact that a small hatchback with a starting price of less than $20,000 has won WCOTY in 2008 shows just how good Mazda has become at building stylish, safe, sophisticated and enjoyable cars,” said WCOTY’s Australian judge, Bill McKinnon.
The Mazda2 also featured on the short-list of the design award category, joining the Audi R8 and Volvo C30.
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Ha, the same finalists as Wheels COTY.
Well done Mazda.
GO FORD AND MAZDA, GREAT JOB, BEST CAR IN THE WORLD YIPEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEAT THAT TOYLETA, “OH WHAT A MAZDA” !!!! :-)
Well done mazda,
I am a little surprized though. This is one supa little car but lacks a little in refinement, particuly with the interior where the plastics are bit cheap.
Still, they look great and i believe that have been out selling just about everything in their class in figures to date this year…zoom zoom
I think I saw one of these over the weekend and can’t really say I rush out anfdd buy one.
far out,
i thought last years was only awarded a few months back, and now its on again.
gee time flies.
did this have a diesel donk in it?
great little car, not my cup of tea, but great little car
also its good to see some one offer a small car in something other than red, black or “kelvinator white”
teapot,
i havent seen sales figures mate but are mazda really taking it to others at the moment?
well good on them, they deserve it.
its really hard to fault any of their range from this little run about car through to their BT50 commercial range
maybe manufactures such as mazda could dream of such a day where sales figures were reflective of the product offering
Mazda has got it all over Holden and it’s passion for Daewoo cars … that’s for sure !!
Kelvinator white … i know you are not referring to Holdenwoo’s because Kelvinator is a good brand with a good name.
Andrew M,
Are you kidding? ” maybe manufactures such as mazda could dream of such a day where sales figures were reflective of the product offering”
How many more Mazda 2, 3, and 6s do you want to see onthe road. Mazda have been one of the big success stories of the 21st century.Zoom… Zoom
Teapot,
yes i know mate,
but their offering has been quite strong for many years.
in my opinion they deserve to be a lot closer to the top step than they are.
i know there are a lot of them around, but the annual sales figures for the company dont put them on top do they?
Dingo,
you are a tool.
p.s. and “Holdenwoo” is sooooo March 2007. get over it
Iam with TEAPOT………..zoom zoom and spunky cars. Sure beats driving a blander car and wearing a cardigan! If I had to plump for a medium car……the 6 is hot! The others are ok, based on looks 6 shtyes it in!
Andrew … big tool or little tool.
I like to be a big spanner!!
Maximus … are you talking about one of those bland, cardigan cars at Holden
Maximus – you may recall me harping on about my recent trip to Longreach with the ‘ole man.
Well … we travelled a round trip of 1700km’s in his Mazda6 and admittedly i was pleasantly surprised by the road going manners of the car – impressed. I have driven dad’s car many times but never on a lengthy road trip were you get the opportunity to connect with the car much more then otherwise.
However, as a family man with 2 children – the Mazda6 is simply just to small especially when both children are still in ’seats’ while cabin noise does spoil the car.
Two other faults that i personally come across for myself was that the window seal was to high and i couldn’t rest my arm comfortably but much more annoying then that was the fact that my knee keeped on switching the radio/cd player ‘off’
The reason for this is simple – i am a relatively tall lad with lanky legs and because of the position of the audio deck, my knee continuesly bumped the on/off switch countless amounts of time which was bloody annoying after awhile. On each of my Camry’s, the deck is positioned high hence i certainly don’t the same problem.
Compared to my 2003 Camry Sportivo – the Mazda6 is a better road handler while the quality between the two cars is a pitence if any at all. However, the cabin in my Camry is notably more spacious hence swallows up the kiddy seats more comfortably while the road noise in the cabin is much more isolated.
So, yes … the Mazda6 was a great road going car and ’sure footed’ over all road terrain yet as a FAMILY CAR – it is just to small which is why i believe the Camry still sells well privately to families.
i think the mondeo and c class should have won. mazda 2 is just too girlish. the glovebox and centre arm rest/ or the lack of it ruins everything.
to spend 20k or 32k for the mondeo. i think the mondeo should win. maybe even the new accord
Dingo wrote..
“Compared to my 2003 Camry Sportivo – the Mazda6 is a better road handler while the quality between the two cars is a pitence if any at all”
Just a comment on 03 Camry build quality… I had a 03 V6 Sportivo from brand new and this car was one of the worst I ever had…the build quality was so nasty that every time I had a look at it I felt sick…after 4000Kms trade it in for a Kluger…the Camry’s quality was so nasty that I decided to send a disappointment email to Toyota head office…Toyota’s reply was that they will focus more on the quality with the new model (current one)…so no more Camry’s for me….as I’m scared for life.
OK DINGO…..gee must of been hot @ Longreach buddie! As for cardigan, I talk of boring cars, you know Toyota has a few of them in the range (name me one that is as svelte and cute as Mazda 6 and I do like look of Yaris….Holden has a few there like rebadged Daewoo stuff)!
Gotta fly; so ciao all!
NM
ihatemycardotcomdotau.
Why did you purchase another toyota {kluger} if you hated the camry sportivo so much?
ihatemycardotcomdotau.
TOYMOTA KLUGERS CRASH EASY, ROLL OVER ROLL OVER AND THEY ARE DOG UGLY BUY A REAL CAR DUDE.
EYMA wrote..
Why did you purchase another toyota {kluger} if you hated the camry sportivo so much?
Easy..Kluger is made in Japan
The new Mazda 6 might win this award next year. Pity that the Aussie version does not have GPS as other countries do (shortchanged in this regard).
The Merc C-Class is severely overpriced in Oz and should not win COTY.
Another reason not to buy a Corolla(tm). Yaris(tm), YR(tm), Safe-T-Cell(tm)appliance.
Carbuyer unfortunately they all do it to us. Overseas spec models of anything have more standard inclusions and considering we pay more than just about anywhere else too.
Mazda as the worlds number 1 selling cars I could live with.
Their cars are so much better than Toyota and Toyota is number 1. One of life’s great mysteries.
Mazda can’t compete with toyota on a volume basis because they don’t have as large a model range. How many models do they sell elsewhere that they dont sell here? Not many, most of their products (if not all) are global models. Also they just dont have the production capacity to make too many more. Most of their factories are already at full capacity. Good for them, not many others can make this claim.
How are Mazda’s so much better then Toyota’s. Styling is subjective while handling differances is negliable in most circumstances as with quality, reliability, refinement, packaging and all the other goodies that bond to make a well proportioned vehicle.
Were is Mazda’s supply against the Prado, Cruiser (70 & 200)or the Aurion while i believe the longevity of the BT50/Ranger will prove to fall short to the Hilux. Were is the luxury arm of Mazda like Toyota has developed with Lexus or even a youth market associated with Scion.
Mazda and Toyota are both very good companies on thier own merits so instead of comparing one against the other, maybe some of people should be more concerned about the negative effects that these companies are having against Holden and Ford.
Truth be told, i can walk into a Toyota or Mazda dealership and not experiance a bad car respective to it’s intended purpose yet the same comment can not be repeated if you visit Holden and in some cirumstances even Ford.
I can understand Toyota being No.1 and why Mazda is a growing force but i can not understand why GM has lasted for as long as they have. Another life’s great mystery.
As great as cars Mazda make, Toyota has a proven formula that they can engineer and supply a greater quantity and variety of vehicles to the global market while argueably undertake more projects then any other individual manufactuer and still retain the the capacity to either match or better the quality of those from who manufacter much less in numbers. Mazda engineer great cars at thier current capacity but unlike Toyota, they have not proven that they can maintain the same standards at greater numbers or even as No.1
^^^
read the headlines dude.
toyota cant sustain the quality with their growing numbers either.
Andrew … WRONG – they can, they are and they will.
Read the headlines dude – Toyota still remains towards the top as they have, as they are, as they do and as they will .
WHY … because they can !!
OH WHAT A FEELING … TOYOTA
More tainted Toyota dribble. It’s obvious Mazda hasn’t got a huge range of vehicles but if u can find what u require you would be better served in terms of style and finesse to choose over say for arguements sake the equivalent bland toyota offering.
Nobody actually desires a Toyota. That is anyone with blood in their veins. If u are strictly pragmatic about a choice and believe all the Toyota hype then u may be swayed towards them.