News

RICHMOND HILL, ON, Jan. 19, 2023 /CNW/ - For the third time in the last four years, Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) members have selected the Mazda3 as a category winner in the Canadian Car of the Year awards. AJAC announced their twelve category winners for the 2023 Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards today at the Montreal International Auto Show and named the Mazda3 as Best Small Car in Canada for 2023.

Winning this award makes the Mazda3 eligible to win the overall 2023 Canadian Car of the Year award, which will be revealed as part of the opening ceremonies for the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto on February 16, 2023.

"It is a true honour to receive this award once again, and I'd like to sincerely thank the AJAC members who tested vehicles throughout the year to come to this result," said David Klan, President & CEO, Mazda Canada. "The Mazda3 has made a lasting impression on the vehicle market today and is a testament to the beautiful craftsmanship, timeless design, and dynamic performance of Mazda vehicles."

The 2023 Mazda3 is designed with Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture that naturally responds to every input, rewarding your desire to go further, safer, and in style. AJAC journalists have loved the premium experience and first-class driving dynamics of the Mazda3 in past years, previously awarding the category and overall Canadian Car of the Year titles in 2020 and 2021, the first back-to-back Car of the Year wins for any car in AJAC's history. Other finalists in the Small Car category this year were the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Mazda also had finalists in the Small Utility Vehicle category (CX-30) and Sports Performance Car category (MX-5).

With a starting MSRP of $21,900, the Mazda3 offers the choice of sedan or hatchback models. The vehicle comes in various trims and styles to fit a wide variety of consumers. Engine options include Skyactiv-G 2.0L, 2.5L naturally aspirated engines, and Mazda's 2.5L Turbo, with a choice of a manual or automatic transmission (on select models). Mazda's i-Activ all-wheel drive system is also available with the Mazda3 sedan and hatchback, making it the only finalist in this year's Small Car category to offer AWD. The optional Skyactiv-G 2.5L Turbo engine has won over many automotive enthusiasts, giving drivers up to 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. The power in the hatchback and sedan turbo models is complemented by standard i-Activ all-wheel drive and available with advanced technologies.

The AJAC Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards program offers some of the most coveted automotive awards available on the Canadian automotive landscape and represents the collective voice of Canada's top automotive experts. Vehicles are judged on a large variety of objective and subjective qualities, meaning there is no single factor that determines a win. Instead, the vehicle must represent an overall package of quality, value, comfort, fuel economy, and many other factors that are critical to the Canadian consumer.

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) is an association of professional journalists, writers, photographers, and corporate members whose focus is the automobile and the Canadian automotive industry. Collectively, our primary objectives are to promote, encourage, support, and facilitate professionalism in Canadian automotive journalism and to ensure factual and ethical reporting about the automobile and automotive issues to Canadian consumers. This is achieved through the work of our members and AJAC's annual vehicle testing and evaluation events, the Canadian Car of the Year and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards (CCOTY and CUVOTY), Innovation Awards, and EcoRun.

Mazda Canada Inc. is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mazda Canada has a nationwide network of 163 retail stores. For additional information visit Mazda Canada's media website at www.media.mazda.ca.

Follow Mazda Canada's social media channels through Twitter and Instagram at @MazdaCanada and Facebook at Facebook.com/MazdaCanada.

SOURCE Mazda Canada Inc.