The Mazda3 - Two Million Models Later

Down through the years, many car models are born with the hopes that consumers will widely embrace them. After all, when an automaker pours hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars to launch a new model, they would like to see a return on their money.

Among the popular cars which have reached super stardom are the Volkswagen Beetle, the diminutive family car which traces its origin all the way back to Hitler's Germany, the Toyota Corolla the best selling car of all time with more than thirty million units produced since being introduced in 1966, and the Honda Civic, a perennial best seller in Canada for ten years running.

Mazda may also have a legendary hit on its hands in the form of its compact Mazda3 (sold as Axela in Japan), a car that has already seen sales top two million units after just five years of production. What's more, even in a tight economic climate, the model is selling more cars this year than last, a trait that has continued ever since the Mazda3 was launched in 2003.

Part of Mazda's success with its most popular model - more than one in three cars sold by Mazda is the Mazda3 - is that the automaker is relentless in marketing the car. Now sold in 101 countries, the Mazda3's appeal is found in its sporty good looks, abundant safety features, excellent fuel economy, and low price. Indeed, few small cars manage to look so attractive while costing so little: with a base price of around $15,300, the car offers a much more complete look than what most cars in its class.

A new Mazda3 made its worldwide debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2008, a four door sedan. In December 2008, a five door hatchback will make its debut at the Bologna Auto Show, a model based on the Mazda Kiyora concept. Along with the MazdaSpeed3 model, the new 2010 cars will likely keep the Mazda3 as one of the top selling compact cars in the world - great news for a generation of car buyers who appreciate the Zoom-Zoom look of Mazda.

Matthew C. Keegan is a freelance writer who resides in Cary, North Carolina. Matt is a contributing writer for Andy's Auto Sport an aftermarket supplier of quality parts including custom carbon fiber hoods and intakes.