Mazda reported in Thursday that its all-new 2010 MAZDA3 has been awarded the prestigious Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

To qualify for Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute’s front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with Electronic Stability Control.

Criteria to win are tough because the award is intended to drive continued safety improvements such as top crash test ratings and the rapid addition of electronic stability control, which is standard on most trim levels of the MAZDA3.

“Recognizing vehicles at the head of the class for safety helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results,” says Insurance Institute President Adrian Lund.

Combined with the top 5-star ratings in the US government’s NHTSA frontal and side driver crash tests, MAZDA3 is one of the safest choices in a small car.

The all-new MAZDA3 comes standard with frontal and side airbags and roof mounted side air curtains, in addition to active head restraints that move closer to the driver’s head in the event of a rear impact.

Coupled with available Dynamic Stability Control, tire pressure monitors, strong Triple-H body construction and anti-lock brakes, the MAZDA3 offers a comprehensive safety package.

“Mazda is known for cars that are fun to drive because they have superb steering, brakes and overall handling,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations. “This active safety helps avoid the accident in the first place and makes the MAZDA3 a perfect example of safety meets zoom-zoom!”

In the IIHS 40 mph frontal offset test, 40 percent of the total width of each vehicle strikes a barrier on the driver side. The barrier’s deformable face is made of aluminum honeycomb, which makes the forces in the test similar to those involved in a frontal offset crash between two vehicles of the same weight, each going just less than 40 mph.

For the side test, a 31 mph (50 km/h) perpendicular impact into the driver side of a passenger vehicle. The moving deformable barrier that strikes the test vehicle weighs 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg) and has a front end shaped to simulate the typical front end of a pickup or SUV.

The rear impact sled test of the seat simulates a rear-end crash with a velocity change of 10 mph, approximately equivalent to a stationary vehicle being struck at 20 mph by a vehicle of the same weight.

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the United States in 2010, Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers.

Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

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