Mazda celebrates Auto Express Driver power success.

• Mazda CX-5 claims 5th place in the top 100 cars Auto Express Driver Power Survey
• The Mazda brand jumps to 4th place in the manufacturer leader board from 12th last year
• Five Mazda models in the top 100 cars – Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda CX-5, MX-5 and Mazda6

Mazda has shot up the popularity charts with its smart Mazda CX-5 SUV crossover making it into 5th place in the top 100 cars in the UK according to the latest customer satisfaction survey.

The Mazda CX-5, crowned ‘Best Crossover’ in last year’s Auto Express New Car Awards, achieved 89.63% in the Auto Express Driver Power Survey, the largest and most comprehensive poll of car owners in the UK, scoring in the top 50 percent in all categories. The Mazda CX-5 achieved its highest rankings for in-car technology, ease of driving and ride quality categories.

In addition, the Mazda brand has jumped from 12th last year to 4th place. The climb is testament to Mazda’s sixth generation cars, with the Mazda CX-5 achieving pole position in the SUV class. Scores were especially impressive for ‘practicality’ and ‘ease of driving’ categories. The Mazda MX‑5, the world best-selling two seater sportscar, contributed to Mazda’s success with a noticeably high score for ‘handling’, while the Mazda3 scored highly in the ‘practicality’ category.

Auto Express polled some 46,000 car owners covering more than 30 manufacturers, over 200 models and some 17,000 cars three years old or under. This year Mazda had five models in the top 100, up from two in 2012, with the Mazda CX-5 peaking at number five.

Its other top performers were the Mazda MX-5, Mazda6, Mazda3 and Mazda2. Brett Hague, Mazda UK’s Franchise and Network Development Manager said: “The two models we launched last financial year, the Mazda CX-5 and all-new Mazda6 both performed very strongly and this shows how our SKYACTIV technology platform is resonating with customers.

“It turns Mazda into an environmentally friendly choice for all our customers who now get the best of both worlds – fun to drive with low emissions and without compromising performance. It means you can get from A to B with a smile on your face while still being very efficient.

“While our sixth generation cars are clearly gaining recognition, they have also helped put our dealers back on the map. We have been doing a lot of work with the network in terms of engaging better with customers and listening to their feedback.”

Mazda UK managing director Jeremy Thomson added: “We are absolutely delighted with this result. The Driver Power Survey is completely independent and this shows just how far the Mazda brand has come. It’s great news for the network and I believe there has never been a better time to have the Mazda franchise. There are more great products to come and the network can look forward to a really bright future.”

Auto Express editor in chief Steve Fowler said: “This is an extremely comprehensive survey and we get a larger and larger response each year. Driver Power is very significant both for the car manufacturers and customers and Mazda has made great strides forward over the past 12 months.”