2014 Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-5 and CX-9 All Earn "Top Rated" Distinctions

IRVINE, CA--April 16, 2014: The results are in and four vehicles from Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) earned segment distinctions in the Edmunds.com Top Rated Vehicle Awards. The sedans that earned an Edmunds.com Top Rated Award included the 2014 Mazda3 compact car and 2014 Mazda6 mid-size sedan; the SUVs that earned an Edmunds.com Top Rated Award included the 2014 CX-5 compact SUV and 2014 CX-9 mid-size SUV; and Mazda3, appearing twice, was named an Edmunds.com Top Rated Vehicle in the hatchback segment.

All Mazda vehicles chosen showcase features characteristic of the brand's KODO "Soul of Motion" design language, competitive fuel economy, impressive features and technology and, of course, a Zoom-Zoom personality. The Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5 are all-new models and feature the full suite of SKYACTIV®(1) technologies, which translates into increased fuel economy and increased power without sacrificing vehicle performance. The CX-9 was refreshed for the 2014 model year.

"At Mazda, we strive to make every vehicle we build – from design and R&D to final production and delivery – an award-winning experience for customers," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "We are honored to be highly regarded by the team at Edmunds.com and to receive accolades across multiple vehicle segments."

The Edmunds Testing Team evaluates about 200 cars each year. Each vehicle is driven on a standardized road-test loop and visits a test track for additional instrument testing in controlled conditions. The findings are used to develop ratings to grade how a vehicle stacks up against direct rivals in its size and price class. Vehicles that earn an "A" rating receive an Edmunds.com Top Rated Award.

Additionally, the Mazda3 was named a 2014 Most Popular on Edmunds.com Compact Car and the CX-9 earned a 2014 Most Popular on Edmunds.com Large Crossover SUV award. In its inaugural year, the 2014 Most Popular on Edmunds.com Awards were determined by finding the three models in each of 23 vehicle segments with the highest total monthly car-shopper consideration in calendar year 2013. "Consideration" means the number of unique visitors during a calendar month to the research and inventory pages on Edmunds.com's desktop site for each model. A full list of the Most Popular on Edmunds.com Awards can be found at Best Cars .