Mazda 2 is Japan’s Car of the Year 2014



Those eager to own the soon-to-be-launched Mazda 2 (also known as Mazda Demio) have another solid reason to look forward and be more convinced of their next car purchase, because it has just been named as Japan’s Car of the Year 2014. Mazda last lifted the title in 2012 with the CX-5.

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It’s a standout win simply because it triumphed over other notable nominees, which are: 2015 Toyota Harrier, Lexus NX, Nissan Teana, Infiniti Q50, Subaru Levorg and some other non-Japanese make, such as the Peugeot 208, Ford EcoSport, Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo.

All passenger vehicles that are announced or launched in  in Japan between 1 November 2013 and 30 September 2014 with an expected sales volume of over 500 units annually are eligible to take part in the Japan COTY. The Mazda 2 is the fifth Mazda model to win the prestigious title.

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Ideal driving position, high safety levels, well-built interior and exterior styling and a newly developed 1.5-litre diesel engine are some of the main reasons why the Mazda 2 was chosen to win the title this year. It is the brand’s fourth model to adopt the whole line of Skyactiv technology and the KODO-Soul of Motion design language.

Last year’s winner was the Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI, which shocked many people after making it the first ever non-Japanese model to be named Japan’s COTY in the event’s 34-year history. Read our review on the Golf Mk7 1.4 TSI here.

The Mazda 2 is now open for booking with a starting price of RM85k.

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IMAGE GALLERY