The soon to launch in SA, The Mazda3 wins top prize at 2019 Red Dot awards

The Mazda3 has captured the "Red Dot: Best of the Best" prize at the 2019 Red Dot product design awards. Southern Africa launch timing is set for the third quarter of 2019.

The competition's highest accolade is awarded to products whose designs are considered genuinely ground-breaking and visionary. The new-generation compact joins the growing list of award-winning Mazda models designed according to the KODO: Soul of Motion philosophy.

The international jury selected fewer than 100 products for the "Best of the Best" prize from the more than 5,500 entries received from 55 countries. Criteria for selection include innovation, functionality, ergonomics and longevity. Mazda and the other winners will receive their awards on 8 July at the 2019 Red Dot award ceremony in Essen's Aalto Theatre, Germany. The new Mazda3 will then join the "Design on Stage" exhibition of award-winning products at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen and feature in the Red Dot yearbook, website and design app.

"Winning the 'Red Dot: Best of the Best' is a very special honour because only a very small percentage of entries are granted this distinction," says Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot. "It is well-deserved recognition for a wonderful design achievement and proof that the award-winning companies are among the best in design."

This is the seventh Red Dot prize to date for Mazda's Kodo models following the MX-5 RF in 2017, the MX-5 soft top, CX-3 and Mazda2 (all 2015), the previous generation Mazda3 (2014) and the Mazda6 (2013).

Initiated in 1955, Red Dot is one of the world's largest design competitions. The product design winners, selected this year in 48 categories including cars & motorcycles, have earned the right to bear the Red Dot symbol, an international seal of excellence.