Aside from the top COTY award, the Mazda 6 2.3-liter also took the Executive Sedan category for the P1 million to P2.5-million tag price. The five premium cars in the same category were the Hyundai Sonata 3.3 V6, BMW 120i Sport, Mercedes Benz B 170 and the Honda Accord 3.0 (COTY 2004 winner).

Powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder DOHC engine, the Mazda 6 sedan surprised many members of the Car Awards Group, Inc. (CAGI) who joined the six weekends of test fest at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club. The tests were conducted last January to February and focused on the cars’ handling, cornering and braking abilities.

The Forest Hills test track subjected all the 54 vehicles to challenging uphill and downhill torque tests, giving them a more accurate assessment of the vehicles’ road performance.

The Mazda 6 2.3-liter garnered a total percentage of 280.96 over the first runner up Chrysler 300C for the 2005 Car of the Year-Philippines title which had 277.31 percentage points.

The top COTY and the Best Executive Sedan awards for the Mazda 6 were among the four citations gathered by the Ford Group Philippines (FGP) for Mazda and Ford vehicles. FGP finance director Don Gelinas received awards for the Mazda Tribute 3.0 V which was voted as the Best Entry Level SUV (P1.4 million and above) and Ford Ranger XLT as the Best Pick Up. It was the second year that the Ford Ranger bagged the COTY pick up category title.

Auditing firm Sycip, Gorres & Velayo (SGV) Co. chairman and managing partner David Balangue and racing legend Pocholo Ramirez accompanied CAGI executive director Armin Amio of Gadgets Magazine in handing the 2005 COTY trophy to Gelinas during the awards program hosted by commercial model Cheska Litton, Jinno Rufino and Joe Guerrero, hosts of Hotwire TV show in Studio 23.

The test and evaluation results on qualitative and quantitative aspects were tabulated and audited by the SGV.

"Mazda 6 has all the qualities to win the top Car of the Year Award based on the factors of quality and design," CAGI president Manny de los Reyes, editor-in-chief of Speed Magazine, said.

CAGI members were surprised at the over-all performance rating gathered by the Mazda 6 despite the fact that it is not the leader in the executive sedan category in terms of sales. De los Reyes explained that "Mazda 6 is very appealing to the young because of its very sporty handling and design but its price tag of P1,399,000 is suitable for the mature people in higher social class."

Mazda 6 got a high percentage rating of 95 percent on the price factor; 96.28 percent for the zero to 60 kilometers per hour acceleration test; and 94.62 percent for braking performance. On qualitative evaluation, the motoring journalists gave it a very high 96.77 percent.

On the other hand, CATS Motors, Inc. – the distributor of Daimler products in the country – took pride in winning three COTY awards for the Chrysler 300C as the Best Luxury Sedan (P2.5 million to P4 million); MercedesBenz ML-350 as the Best Ultra-Luxury SUV (P4 million and above); and the Mercedes-Benz S-350 bagging the special award for Best in Safety Features.

Dona Syquian Arcilla, CATS Motors assistant vice president for marketing, received the awards for the winning Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler vehicles. Felix Ang, CATS Motors chairman, rushed to the Rockwell Tent upon learning that their entries won three awards.

Other category winners included Hyundai Getz 1.1 GL as the Best Sub Compact Sedan (P750,000 and below); Mitsubishi Lancer MX Ltd. as Best Compact Sedan (P750,000 to P1 million); BMW 530i Sport as Best Ultra Luxury Sedan (P4 million and above); Toyota Innova D-4D G as Best Entry Level MPV (P1.4 million and below); Mitsubishi Grandis as Best Luxury MPV (P1.4 million and above); and Volvo XC 70 as Best Luxury SUV (P1.4 million to P4 million).

The three other vehicles that received special COTY awards were Toyota Innova 2.5 G for Best Value for Money; Audi A6 for Best in Overall Design; and BMW X3 for Best in Technical Innovation.

The winning Mazda 6 2.3-liter will be accorded free display privileges at the center plaza inside the Rockwell Mall in the coming weeks. The Mazda 6 along with 10 other vehicle category winners are also at the center stage of the Manila International Auto Show organized by Worldbex which is now on going until April 9 at the World Trade Center on Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.

The 2005 Car of the Year-Philippines Awards is supported by the Manila International Auto Show, Rockwell Land Corporation, Philippine Allied Corporation (distributor of Bridgestone Tires); Petron Corporation; SGV Co.; BPI Family Savings Bank; Federal Express; Standard Insurance; Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP); San Miguel Corporation; and Fusion R Motorsports.