Mazda 3 wins Best Small Hatchback at 2020 UK Car of the Year Awards
By Ellen Dean 16 August 2021
Yet more awards for the Mazda 3, as it is crowned Best Small Hatchback at the 2020 UK Car of the Year Awards.
In a world that seems dominated by SUVs, there’s one car that proves why there will always be room for the hatchback – the All-new Mazda 3. It’s already received plenty of awards for its eye-catching design, outstanding drive and excellent practicality. And this is yet another recognition of how it stands out from the crowd.
The UK Car of the Year Awards are independently organised, and judge cars that are truly the best suited for UK drivers. Each car is test-driven and judged by a panel of 27 leading British automotive journalists. They take each car out onto the UK roads to decide which car is the best, not just in general, but for UK driving and UK drivers specifically.
By winning in the Best Small Hatchback category, the Mazda 3 is also eligible for the overall 2020 UK Car of the Year Award, which will be announced later this month.
“the new Mazda3 has unquestionably become one of the class leaders in this sector”
So what exactly made the Mazda 3 stand out to the judges of the 2020 UK Car of the Year Awards? For one judge, Alisdair Suttie, it was not just the Mazda 3’s outstanding looks, but the exceptional overall package it offers to drivers. He commented:
“on looks alone, the Mazda3 is a class apart from its peers, yet the appeal is much more than skin deep. Superb to drive, comfortable and made to exacting standards, the Mazda3 also comes with clever engine technology that makes it both fun and frugal to drive. All of this made it an easy choice as UKCOTY’s Small Hatch of the Year”
Fellow judge Matt Robinson, added that Mazda’s revolutionary Skyactiv-X engine sealed the deal for the Mazda 3 emerging as the clear class leader:
“the new Mazda3 has unquestionably become one of the class leaders in this sector. An interior that is second-to-none and impeccable refinement are the hallmarks of the fourth-generation Mazda3, but then it seals the deal with the incredibly clever Skyactiv-X engine, which combines diesel-like economy with petrol-esque manners.”
Other judges at the 2020 UK Car of the Year Awards echoed these sentiments. They highlighted that the Mazda 3 matches its outstanding looks with both the driving experience and the standard equipment.
When asked about the Mazda 3’s latest win, Mazda UK’s Managing Director Jeremy Thomson said:
“the Mazda3 is already winning over customers with its quality, style and driver engagement, so recognition in the UK Car of the Year Awards is fantastic. In a marketplace that has seen the launch of lots of great cars across many sectors, it’s a real testament to the Mazda3 that it’s taken a category win in a segment as competitive as the family hatchback class.
I’m also delighted that the Mazda3 is a contender for the overall UK Car of the Year title, where I’m sure the innovative Skyactiv-X engine will help the Mazda3 stand out with the judges. Another example of Mazda’s convention-defying powertrain innovation, it offers our customers a truly unique blend of fuel economy, low emissions and performance from a petrol engine.”
To experience the Mazda 3 for yourself, please contact one of our Mazda showroom teams. They’re based in Weybridge, Bookham and Orpington.
