Berjaya Auto Philippines chief executive officer Steven Tan (center) beams proudly as he shows off the Car of the Year trophy awarded to Mazda6 by the Car Awards Group Inc. With him are other company executives led by sales and marketing director Japheth Castillo and Dave Macasadia, director for customer service, aftersales and general counsel.
The Mazda6 is a fitting flagship for a company as technologically oriented as Mazda, not to mention a car that befits an organization determined to make driving both fun and environmentally responsible. Mazda6 is packed from roof to wheels with innovative technology, from shimmering multilayered paint to an engine that recaptures energy while the car is braking for better fuel efficiency.
Recently, the Mazda6 executive sedan was acknowledged as the Car of the Year-Philippines (Coty-P) 2013-14 by the Car Awards Group Inc. (Cagi). Cagi is a nonprofit organization comprised of motoring journalists from more than 30 print, broadcasting and online media outlets.
The award caps a successful year for new Mazda distributor Berjaya Auto Philippines, headed by talented auto executive Steven Tan. The brand was relaunched under Berjaya with an updated Mazda3 sedan and hatchback, and the CX-5 crossover utility vehicle. Then followed the launch of the Mazda6 at the Manila International Auto Show. The company earned the best booth award at the show.
This is actually the second time that a Mazda6 has won the Coty-P. In 2006, the 2.3-liter Mazda6 sedan also won the prestigious award. The favorable value and excellent driving dynamics no doubt helped to seal the victory. This year, history repeats itself as the Mazda6 finds itself once again at the forefront of the local passenger car market.
After the newest Mazda6 was awarded the Coty-P, Steven Tan shares with us his thoughts on the Mazda6:
What are the best features of the Mazda6 that helped clinch victory for the Coty-P title?
We are all ecstatic that the Mazda6 won Car of the Year-Philippines! The Philippine market is one of the most competitive and dynamic markets in Asia due to the large number of product offerings available to consumers. For the Mazda6 to win Coty-P, it had to prove that it is the best of the best. It has to meet all the expectations of the consumers—safety, comfort, performance, fuel efficiency, quality, design, cost of ownership, value and so on. The Cagi panel of judges is a group of very demanding and experienced auto experts. They will only endorse a car to the public if they feel that it represents the ideal car without compromises, from among every single car available for sale in the market. This year, that car is the Mazda6. That endorsement means a lot to us, and to the thousands of engineers, designers, factory line workers and parts suppliers back at Mazda in Japan. The Mazda6 is completely built in and imported from Hiroshima, Japan.
If Mazda6 lost, would you be disappointed considering that it was a strong contender for the award?
If the Mazda6 did not win Coty-P, that’s life—the best does not always win. But it did, and we fully appreciate the honor.
How would this award impact the current sales of Mazda6?
We shall see if the award has any impact on the sales. At the very least, the Coty-P award revalidates to the Mazda6’s customers that they made the absolutely correct decision to buy and drive the Mazda6.
It’s been a tremendous year for Berjaya Auto Philippines. Aside from the many awards of the Mazda6, what else are you expecting?
This year, we expect to keep the growth momentum we have been gaining from last year. We are still hiring more people to support the growth. More dealerships are in the pipeline. We expect to bring in more new and exciting products in the immediate few years to support the growth momentum. This is an extremely dynamic “take no prisoners” economy—we have to work hard and be fully committed to the dealers and customers in order to be successful.
What do you think are the best features that clinched the victory for the all-new Mazda6?
There is so much goodness in the Mazda6 that it’s hard to highlight its best features—but the ones that really change the game are the SkyActiv technologies that make the car so fuel-efficient and yet so fun to drive. Normally, a driver has to choose between fuel economy or fun to drive. With Mazda6, no such dilemma exists—have your cake and eat it, too! The other technologies would be the i-ELOOP and I-STOP that move the idea of fuel efficiency into the future—one harnesses waste energy and the other conserves energy at idle. The US Environmental Protection Agency just released its report proving that Mazda is the MOST fuel-efficient automaker in the United States—more fuel efficient than automakers with hybrid and electric vehicles in their lineup. Right there is the proof of the far-reaching impact of Mazda’s SkyActiv technology. And finally, all that advanced technology and amazing engineering that is wrapped in a stunning body that turns heads wherever it goes. All work together to make a car worthy of winning Coty!
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