Mazda Motor Corp.'s Demio compact car won Japan's 2008 RJC Car of the Year award, topping six other nominees, including Honda Motor Co.'s Fit compact and Toyota Motor Corp.'s Mark X Zio minivan.
The redesigned Demio, equipped with a 1.3- or 1.5-liter engine, went on sale in July. Hiroshima-based Mazda plans to start selling the model under the name Mazda2 in Europe and China later this fiscal year.
The Tokyo-based Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference of Japan was started in 1990 and is led by auto journalist Michio Takei. The group, which has about 74 members, did not cite a reason for choosing the Demio in its faxed release on the award.
The Japanese auto market has one of the world's shortest product cycles, with new models providing sales boosts for less than a year, according to analysts. Carmakers compete for the RJC awards to use in advertising.
RJC picked the 207 small car, made by PSA Peugeot Citroen SA, as its import auto of the year, according to the release.