IRVINE, Calif. : – MP3 players, DVDs and PDAs – not many things have remained “cool” over the past 15 years. The compact Mazda3 is an exception, however, appearing on Kelley Blue Book’s 10 Coolest Cars list every year since the car debuted in 2003. To make the recognition even cooler, Mazda3 has taken the No. 1 spot for the fifth year in a row.
“Available in both sedan and hatchback form, the Mazda3 offers practicality that appeals to compact car buyers, with sportiness that makes even daily chores more fun,” said Michael Harley, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book.
Two longstanding criteria – that the vehicle is both fun-to-drive and fun-to-own – are critical among the deciding factors of what Kelley Blue Book editors freely admit is a very subjective “cool factor,” which is also the overarching No. 1 criterion for a vehicle to place on this list.
Each vehicle is available for purchase starting at under $20,000, using Kelley Blue Book’s Fair Purchase Price as the yardstick.
The 2018 Mazda3 carries a starting MSRP of US$18,095 and receives newly standard features in all trim levels that continue to reinforce the philosophy of putting people first.
More safety features include the newly standard Smart City Brake Support automatic emergency braking that can help provide occupants with enhanced peace of mind. Available as a sedan or a hatchback, this compact car is able to handle all sorts of lifestyles, from active to family and everything in between.
While passengers can appreciate the premium interior features, the driver will enjoy the driving dynamics set by the philosophy of Jinba Ittai—a harmony between the car and the driver. Mazda3’s safety and driving dynamics are complemented by its KODO—Soul of Motion design, standing out for its purity of design in addition to its purpose and substance.
Year in and year out, Mazda3 has been collecting accolades from across the world for its design, safety and value, all helping make it the best-selling Mazda in the world.
The 2018 Mazda3 receives newly standard features that continue to reinforce the philosophy of putting people first. More safety features at more accessible price points will provide occupants with enhanced peace of mind.
Mazda was founded in 1920 as Toyo Kogyo Cork Ltd., manufacturing cork and later heavy machinery. Mazda’s challenger spirit is a representation of its home city of Hiroshima, Japan, whose people rebuilt their beloved city after 1945.
That spirit inspired Mazda to prevail against all odds, ultimately leading its spirit of innovation, from the three-wheeled Mazda Go pickup truck that helped rebuild the city to the mass-production of the rotary engine starting in 1967 to SKYACTIV Technology and beyond.
But Mazda cars and crossovers are more than pretty faces and excellent driving dynamics. Mazda’s i-ACTIVSENSE safety suite complements the driving experience with tools like Smart City Brake Support autonomous low-speed emergency braking, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and other features. Because of these and Mazda’s ultra-rigid SKYACTIV-BODY ring structure, every 2017 Mazda tested earned an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s “Top Safety Pick+” recommendation when equipped with specific headlights and equipment.