5. 2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv

What’s the best car of 2012? Who knows. Is a Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 better than a Ferrari 458 Italia? What about the Scion FR-S? Or a Prius Plug-in Hybrid? The past year has seen the launch of numerous excellent vehicles, including some we really didn’t expect to be any good. That said, we’ve put together our list of the top five surprisingly good cars of 2012, starting with the updated Mazda3.

We thoroughly enjoyed the new 3 (read our 2012 Mazda3 review here), something that’s not at all surprising at first. What is more of a shock is that it was Mazda’s new Skyactiv model, designed primarily for fuel economy, and that it managed to deliver in that department while sticking true to the brand’s Zoom-Zoom slogan.

Adding to our reasons for placing this car on our list of surprisingly good cars is the technology behind it. At both a preview event and the actual drive, Mazda gave us a deep-dive into the engineering solutions behind its new SkyActiv technologies, rethinking every aspect of the engine and transmission for this updated model. When Ford sold off its shares in Mazda recently many skeptics proclaimed that in this new era a smaller company like Mazda couldn’t possibly hope to be competitive without a large partner like, say, Toyota. But Mazda has proved them wrong, not only competing, but perhaps delivering the the only 40 mpg car that’s actually fun to drive.

With only about three weeks until 2012, the Australian car market could end 2011 with a new best-selling sedan for the first time in 15 years. Although the Holden Commodore has been Australia’s favorite and a sales leader since 1997, Australia’s Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries revealed that the Mazda3 has currently sold 301 more units than the Holden. What’s more, the Commodore faces a threat from another Japanese sedan, the Toyota Corolla, which has managed to gain “top-seller” honors for four months out of 2011.

The Holden Commodore has been steadily losing its market share for the past couple of years as consumers have begun selecting smaller cars or crossovers instead, marking the end of the sales dominance of Australian automakers. However, while discounts might just be the thing to give the Commodore a last minute boost in sales, Holden has no plans to enter into a price war with Mazda in order to take back their top spot.

[Source: Sydney Morning Herald]

Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2012 Mazda3 Review

Reports are coming in that Mazda is planning to overhaul four of its existing models by 2014. The four models up for redesigns are the Mazda3, Mazda6, MX-5 and CX-9. We’ve already seen the new patent drawings for the upcoming MX-5 refresh, which will hopefully come in 2013 along with a new Mazda3 and CX-9.

The big news, however, is an all-new Mazda6 that is expected to be introduced before the end of next year. There’s a strong possibility that the new Mazda6 will resemble the Takeri Concept. All of the upcoming new Mazdas will sport Skyactiv technologies and ride on lightweight platforms that are being developed in-house at Mazda.

Mazda also stated that they have plans to add stop-start, regenerative braking and hybrid technologies to their models by 2016.

GALLERY: Mazda Takeri Concept

[Source: AutoNews]

Mazda is hoping to boost sales in the United States by 74 percent, and a key component of their strategy will be delivering sporty vehicles that can turn out “real world” fuel economy numbers.

“It’s not acceptable to us have 40 mpg and sacrifice performance,” said Robert Davis, Mazda’s senior VP of U.S. operations. Rivals such as the Hyundai Elantra have had their spare tires removed and special low rolling resistance tires to help trim weight and increase fuel economy. But Mazda says that the low rolling resistance tires are noisy and reduce the vehicle’s handling characteristics.  The upcoming Mazda3 will hit 40 mpg thanks to a new engine dubbed “SKYACTIV”, while keeping the spare tire and regular rubber.

Mazda will also sell a diesel version of their upcoming CX-5 crossover, while other competitors do not offer a diesel option. Mazda hopes to boost sales to 400,000 units per year by the middle of the decade, up from 229,556 in 2010.

[Source: Automotive News]

Mazda has announced a recall for its Mazda3 model, which is also sold under the name Axela in Japan. The recall affects 494,500 units globally with roughly 157,700 in North America.

The recall surrounds an electronic problem that could prevent the windshield wipers from working. Affected vehicles include those between the 2008 and 2010 model years. Mazda is expected to notify customers and those with questions can contact their local dealer to see if their specific vehicle is listed under this recall.

Mazda announced today they have reached a production milestone of three million Mazda3 units as of April 26, 2011. The car is built in three factories (Japan, China, Thailand) and sold in roughly 90 countries and regions. In North America alone, over 1.1 million Mazda3s have been sold, becoming the fastest-selling model in Mazda’s current lineup of passenger vehicles.

Mazda has explained the success of this car through three factors: its distinctive design, its functionality, and its responsive handling. The wide range of models has also been a successful factor. Pricing has also been very competitive in the U.S starting at just over $16,000. The high performance Mazdaspeed3, has also been favorable to auto enthusiasts around the world.

It is quite an achievement for Mazda, considering it took nearly 22 years to hit 900,000 MX-5 Miatas. The Mazda3 three tripled that number in less than eight years.

Mazda’s senior managing executive officer, Hirotaka Kanazawa said, “Its sustained global success has seen it grow into Mazda’s mainstay model, and it now comprises a third of all Mazda vehicle sales.”

Hit the jump to see a list of the top 10 Best Selling Cars of All Time

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Mazda and Chinese joint venture partner Chang’an are reportedly developing a new sub-brand for the Chinese market, with their first offering based on the outdated but still excellent 1st generation Mazda3.

Mazda still sells the older Mazda3 in China, while importing the current Mazda3 hatchback. The current car will be joined by a Chinese made version of the contemporary Mazda3 sedan, ostensibly with the new SKYACTIV engine capable of 40 mpg, while the older model will get a re-styling and move to the sub-brand’s lineup sometime this year.

[Source: China Car Times]

Mazda confirmed that their previously unveiled Minagi concept will go into production as the Mazda CX-5, a small crossover intended to slot beneath their mid-size CX-7 and full-size CX-9.

The CX-5 will be the first Mazda vehicle to come with a full suite of SKYACTIV fuel-saving technologies, among them an all-new engine designed for maximum efficiency, new gearboxes, lightened engine ancillaries and other little tricks to eke out optimum fuel economy. Mazda has chosen a route similar to Hyundai, where weight reduction and refinement of the internal combustion engine is utilized to save fuel and cut emissions, rather than hybrid or electric technology. However, Mazda says that the SKYACTIV architecture will eventually allow it to employ start-stop systems, regenerative braking and other hybrid-esque technology.

A refreshed 2012 Mazda3 with a new SKYACTIV 4-cylinder engine will debut this fall, and is expected to get 40 mpg on the highway. With 33 % of Mazda’s global sales being made up of Mazda3 vehicles, the refreshed version is a crucial product for the company, but the current car’s multitude of strengths combined with increased efficiency should have nothing but positive effects. Mazda also announced a diesel engine in time for 2013, but gave no further details regarding product packaging.

The New York Auto Show will be a big one for Mazda, as the company prepares 3 big unveiling that will pave the way for the company’s future on the engineering front.

Mazda will show off the Minagi concept for the first time in North America and debut the refreshed 2012 Mazda3 in America (after its unveiling at the Toronto Auto Show in February) complete with Mazda’s all-new SkyActiv engine technology. The SkyActiv 2.0L 4-cylinder hasn’t had power figures announced yet, but reports say that prototypes are putting out around 163 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque, while still maintaining 40 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg around town. A 6-speed automatic will also do its part to hit those numbers. With 33% the Mazda3 making up 33% of Mazda’s global sales, the refreshed car is a huge deal for the company, even if it flies under the radar of most North American consumers.

GALLERY: 2012 Mazda3

GALLERY: Mazda Minagi Concept

View video of the 2012 Mazda3 from its debut after the jump:

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Mazda is planning to close down their assembly plants again, while stopping orders from dealers in the United States for their made-in-Japan vehicles.

The Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, MX-5, RX-8, CX-7, CX-9 are all affected. Only the Mazda6 and Tribute will remain in production at their American plants, although the situation could change in light of the parts suppliers affected by the earthquake. As of March 1st, the company had a 94-day supply of vehicles, but the automaker declined to comment on specifics.

In 2010, imported cars accounted for 83 percent of Mazda sales, a much higher number than other Japanese automakers, who build a significant proportion of their cars in North American plants. Mazda’s factories in Japan are located in Hiroshima and Hofu, at the opposite end of the country from where an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear incident are taking place.

[Source: Automotive News]