The fireworks are cold, the confetti cartridges are spent, and the 2008 World Car of the Year Awards have come to an end. Based on standards of merit, value, safety, environmental responsibility, significance, and emotional appeal, the three finalists were the
In the other categories, the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics took home the World Green Car of the Year Award. In what should have been a surprise to no one, the Audi R8 walked off with trophies from both categories in which it was entered: World Performance Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. Having taken the awards in both categories last year as well (with the RS4 and TT), Audi knowS how to get the judges on its side. Now if it can get one million buyers on its side this year, that will really be a trophy it can brag about.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I3ziko @ Mar 20th 2008 10:44AM
good work mazda! love the new 2!
Tinu @ Mar 20th 2008 10:58AM
The grill is so tiny but the opening in the bumper is huge. Looks strange.
I think this version they had been showing in Auto Shows looks much much better:
http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/2008mazda2.jpg
Xcountryflyer @ Mar 20th 2008 12:34PM
Congratulations to Mazda on a great job! Bring it over the US--please.
FThorn @ Mar 20th 2008 10:46AM
Good! Gimme!
LBuzzer @ Mar 20th 2008 10:54AM
Good!
Congratulations to Mazda on winning this with a micro car!
Now, grow a marketing brain and bring this car to North America, please!
PhilP10 @ Mar 20th 2008 11:09AM
Yeah, bring it stateside now.
Alex @ Mar 20th 2008 11:22AM
co-sign!
pmiddle5 @ Mar 20th 2008 11:02AM
yay car of the year and we dont get it here! It always is that way wtf
Raider007 @ Mar 20th 2008 11:41AM
soooooo.... when are we stateside people getting it?
wiseman @ Mar 20th 2008 11:50AM
How many times do mazdas need to be voted the best on earth before Americans start buying them?
Jay @ Mar 20th 2008 12:26PM
If you check the last several months of Mazda sales I think you'll find that they are.
PapaWhiskey @ Mar 20th 2008 1:13PM
I would be more inclined to buy a Mazda if they were as reliable as a Toyota, or a Honda.....but they aren't. Therefore, they aren't the best on Earth. I will give them credit for being more dependable than any of the domestics or European offerings.
Kaptain75329 @ Mar 20th 2008 4:28PM
You need to check you history Papa - you don't know what you're talking about. Mazda's bad rap comes from their rotary engines of the 80's and 90's. Their inline engine designs have been solid for as long as Mazda has been in the USA. I could say the same about the V6s, but those are sourced from Ford. Fine engines for the most part, albeit a little anemic.
Maybe if you could stretch your attention span beyond a 30-second TV commecial, you could pull your head out of your ass long enough to know that NOBODY makes a perfect car, and even "the best on Earth" would have it's problems. Whoever has that spot is a debate for another time, but I have the feeling Toyota and Honda are not it.
A quick comparison to illustrate my point. The following links are restricted to Autoblog, and refer to recalls for American market models spanning January 2006 to present.
Honda:
autoblog.com/2007/03/19/engine-problems-lead-honda-to-recall-165-000/
autoblog.com/2007/03/22/honda-fuel-pump-problems-lead-to-recall-of-390-000-in-japan/
autoblog.com/2007/02/10/honda-to-recall-civic-hybrids/
autoblog.com/2008/01/20/honda-recalling-34-300-fits/3
Toyota:
autoblog.com/2007/11/14/toyota-rethinks-prius-ad-issues-recall/
autoblog.com/2007/01/19/553-000-tundra-and-sequoia-models-recalled-for-suspension-fix/
autoblog.com/2006/05/30/toyota-announces-recall-of-1-million-vehicles/
autoblog.com/2006/09/18/toyota-exec-answers-recall-issues/
autoblog.com/2006/08/08/toyota-facing-anothertundra-recall/
autoblog.com/2006/07/13/toyota-u-s-recall-extravaganza/
Mazda:
autoblog.com/2006/08/24/mazda-to-recall-the-rx-8/
Looking further into Mazda's history reveals they've had their share of problems in the past, including defective airbags on MPVs and engine fires on a limited run of Protégé models, both of which occured in the mid to late 90's. The interesting thing here is that Mazda's recent history is significantly better than Honda and Toyota: you essentially have to go back 10 years to see Mazda struggling with issues that Honda and Toyota are working to fix *today*.
Again, the point is not to say Mazda is perfect, but given their history, and what they offer for the money now, Mazda is very much the superior deal to Honda and Toyota. But hey, it's your wallet. Vote with your dollars I say. If you don't need to be informed to vote in government elections, then who cares about cars.
Honda and Toyota make great products that are genuinely worth the money, but don't kid yourself - they need work. And please.. fail to come here all smug like you know what you're talking about when it's clear you could stand some improvement too.
wiseman @ Mar 20th 2008 3:58PM
Mazdas are selling more, but still nowhere near what honda and toyota sell. And papawhiskey, might want to set the bottle down and check out http://www.automotoportal.com/article/mazda-claims-top-place-in-reliability-survey
Mazda's reliability has been kicking ass over the last few years, if you look at the true mazda mazdas. The 6 and the other ford derivative junk isn't so hot, but the 3, 5, MX5, etc are WAY up there.
charlie @ Mar 20th 2008 3:03PM
Mazda Tops in USA AND UK Largest Reliability survey in the world
http://www.automotoportal.com/article/mazda-claims-top-place-in-reliability-survey
Mazda tops reliability survey in UK
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3131800.stm
Mazda Tops JD powers survey in Australia
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/EEFB6AE8C9CFC4BACA2573F40016EA21
Mazda tops Autobild survey in Germany 3RD YEAR IN A ROW http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?ID=91587
Mazda tops in AC Nielsen Industry sponsored survey
yahoo.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=39115&IsPgd=0
So Papawhiskey- its about time you go buy a Mazda, dont ya think;)
Drewboy @ Mar 20th 2008 5:11PM
Bring it to the US please? And not just to the shows!
brn @ Mar 20th 2008 8:52PM
Ford takes two of the three leading spots. Not bad.
charlie @ Mar 25th 2008 11:40AM
would someone PLEASE put a MAZDA tag on this story so it runs in the Mazda section also? thanks