Mazda wins design award from who?

The Automotive Brand Contest is sponsored by the German Design Council. The contest gave out 19 awards this year, and Hiroshima-based Mazda took home three. The awards are judged by automotive journalists and experts in the field of design and communications. Due in large part to the Mazda Kodo design theme, Mazda took home the “Team of the Year” award that is issued to the team that demonstrated the most innovative and consistent brand design.

One member of the design counsel captured the idea of the Mazda Kodo language perfectly, saying "Unlike other companies' design strategy [KODO design] is not supposed to define a form language, and so Maeda always encourages his designers to propose something that would exceed his expectations. That is why each of current generation Mazda cars can have its own character while consistently expressing lively motion."

In the Best of the Best in the Exterior Volume Brand segment Mazda’s all-new CX-3 took the win. Ikuo Maeda, Executive Officer and Design Chief of Mazda's Design Division commented on Mazda’s awards, saying, "We are very excited about the awards presented to the CX-3, the Bike by KODO Concept and especially our Global Design Team. The entire team will continue to work to create dynamic and energetic designs that will excite our customers."

Mazda’s third win was its Bike by KODO Concept track racer. The bike took the top prize in the Parts & Accessories category.