Mazda3 Wins Canadian Car of the Year for 2004

Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 23, 2004 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's
Mazda3 sports compact, a vehicle known as Axela in Japan, has been named
Canadian Car of the Year for 2004 by the Automobile Journalists
Association of Canada (AJAC). The announcement was made during the
opening ceremonies for the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto
on February 11, 2004.

Founded in 1984, the Canadian Car of the Year award is the country's
most prestigious and coveted automobile prize. The annual award,
conducted through secret ballot following extensive vehicle testing, is
organized by over 50 AJAC members representing major publications across
Canada. This year marks the first time that Mazda placed first in the
Canadian Car of the Year competition.

Prior to the Canadian Car of the Year for 2004 announcement, Mazda won
four of the ten 2004 Canadian Car of the Year category awards which were
announced on December 2, 2003. Those awards included: 
--Mazda3: 
Best New Economy Car 

--Mazda3 Sport: 
Best New Sports Coupe (under Can $35,000) 

--Mazda6: 
Best New Family Vehicle 

--Mazda RX-8: 
Best New Sports/Performance Vehicle 

Mazda's success in the category awards marked the first time in Canadian
Car of the Year history that one manufacturer received multiple awards
having placed first in each and every category in which it entered.

The award-winning Mazda3 went on sale in Canada in late 2003 and sales
have been very strong since launch. Mazda3 was Canada's best-selling
passenger car in January 2004 with sales of 2,510 units, marking the
first time ever that a Mazda topped the sales chart. Additionally, Mazda
Canada posted all-time monthly sales records in both December 2003 and
January 2004.

Since its global launch in September 2003, Mazda3 has captured a total
of 22 international automotive awards, including runner-up in the 2004
European Car of the Year. Benefiting from all the best elements of
Mazda's focused product development system, Mazda3 has received high
praise from around the world by consumers and media alike.

Mazda's line of new-generation, Zoom-Zoom products - Mazda6, Mazda2,
RX-8 and Mazda3 - have captured more than 135 international automotive
awards in the past 21 months. The new products from Mazda have also
helped drive sales gains throughout the world for the Hiroshima-based
company. In 2003, Mazda's global automotive sales in key automotive
markets rose by over 14 percent when compared to 2002.


About Mazda Motor Corporation

Mazda Motor Corporation was established in 1920 and is one
of Japan's leading automobile manufacturers. With its headquarters in
Hiroshima, Mazda has two plants in Japan and manufacturing and assembly
operations in sixteen other countries. Mazda cars and trucks are sold in
more than one hundred and thirty countries. Ford Motor and Mazda agreed
to collaborate in 1979, Ford Motor Company started investing in Mazda
and increased its shareholding to 33.39% as of March 31, 1999. For
further information, please visit the Mazda Motor Corporation home page
at: www.mazda.com/flash.html <http://www.mazda.com/flash.html>