2023 Mazda3 Sedan and Hatchback Only Small Cars to Achieve Highest Rating in New IIHS Side Impact Test

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Nov 10, 2022, 00:01 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced today that the 2023 Mazda3 Sedan and 2023 Mazda3 Hatchback achieved the highest performance and were the only vehicles out of 11 small cars to earn its top "Good" rating in a new, tougher side crash test. IIHS developed the updated side crash test to simulate higher severity crashes by using a heavier barrier traveling at a higher speed as the striking vehicle.

Last year, the 2017-22 Mazda CX-5 was the only vehicle out of 20 small SUVs to earn a "Good" rating in the same test. And earlier this year, the 2017-22 Mazda CX-9 also earned the top, "Good" rating, standing out as one of only two midsize SUVs to get a "Good" rating in every category of the test.

"We are proud to add Mazda3 to the list of Mazda's top performing vehicles in side impact safety," said Mazda Manager of Vehicle Safety Compliance, Planning, & Development Jennifer Morrison. "It's more challenging for a vehicle of its size. We took lessons learned from CX-5 and CX-9 to offer an equal level of occupant protection in our small car, the Mazda3."

From the 2023 model year, the Mazda3 is equipped with added rear side airbags, seat belt pretensioners, and seat belt load limiters, designed to help reduce occupant injury in the event of a crash.

Mazda is proud to add this top achievement to our list of accolades from IIHS, including all-tested Mazda vehicles earning the IIHS 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK+, the highest award in safety. These vehicles include the Mazda3 Sedan and Hatchback, CX-30, CX-5, and CX-9, and all-new CX-50.

The IIHS is an independent, non-governmental safety-testing organization, funded by the insurance industry. For more information, visit https://www.iihs.org/ratings/top-safety-picks.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts, and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, and Mexico through approximately 780 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.

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SOURCE Mazda North American Operations