Overview & Reviews
Upscale Japanese luxury sedans began to proliferate across the landscape in the early 1990s, with newly hatched premium brands like Toyota's Lexus and Nissan's Infiniti born to do battle against more established European and American rivals. In such a thriving marketplace, Mazda planned to get in on the aspirational act with a proposed premium division called Amati. This idea proved a little too rich for the company's pocketbook, however, and was subsequently scrapped. But all was not lost, for the junior of two planned Amati sedans came to life as the midsize entry-luxury Mazda Millenia, which was introduced in 1995 as the company's flagship replacement for the outgoing 929.
The Millenia was plagued throughout its 8-year run by a lack of upscale presence and a mild case of schizophrenia. While its styling and higher content level qualified it for the entry-luxury market, the Millenia's execution and cachet just didn't measure up -- especially considering the $30,000-plus price tag on the top-drawer Millenia S model.
Midsize sedan shoppers looking for a dash of luxury and something different might find a later-model Mazda Millenia an intriguing choice, especially the supercharged S. Other worthwhile luxury-branded used vehicles from this era include the Acura TL and Lexus ES.
Most Recent Mazda Millenia The Mazda Millenia was produced from 1995-2002. As it was originally intended to be a luxury-branded car rather than a typical Mazda, it featured upscale leather, wood and chrome appointments inside, along with higher-quality paint and better overall fit and finish. Two trim levels were available: base (with or without leather) and S. Base models came standard with a rather pedestrian 170-horsepower 2.5-liter V6, while those who followed Mazda's suggestion to "get in, be moved" could choose the more powerful Millenia S with its larger tires, standard traction control and 210-hp 2.3-liter "Miller Cycle" supercharged V6 engine. A four-speed automatic was the only available transmission. The Miller Cycle V6 was a unique power plant that featured a belt-driven supercharger to boost power and torque. It was refined and smooth, but not particularly powerful by luxury-car standards. Handling was also a mixed bag, with well-controlled body roll through smooth curves, but inadequate damping over rough surfaces. Seating up front was comfortable and well-contoured, but rear passengers suffered from a lack of thigh support and foot space. Numerous changes were made during the Mazda Millenia's eight years on the market. Equipment was upgraded for 1997 and a revised center console design arrived. Two-tone color schemes and a styling refresh showed up for 1999. The following year, the Millenia celebrated the millennium by cutting prices and offering a special-edition model. Available in two eye-catching colors, the Millennium Millenia featured 17-inch wheels, an in-dash six-CD changer and suede upholstery. The most significant changes occurred for 2001 when Mazda strengthened the Millenia's body structure to improve torsional rigidity while adding new stabilizer bars (for better handling) and bigger brakes. That year also saw exterior styling tweaked and upgrades to the interior. Side airbags were also made standard. Because of these improvements, the 2001 and '02 Mazda Millenias (the final model years) are clearly the best choices for used-car shoppers.
This is itÂ… the Millenia S is the car
Ive always wanted, and now I get to
drive it every day. Easy to drive, yet
fun. Affordable, yet luxurious. Low
key, yet strikingly beautiful. Simply the
best car around in its league. My
roomie purchased a new Maxima
just a day before I bought the
Millenia. The Nissan has some nice
touches (especially in the interior,)
but so far, hes had to have a
speaker replaced and his parking
brake handle readjusted. So far, Ive
only had to put some gas into the
Millenia. He he.
Really though, this is an awesome
car. Word is that this is their last year,
so, if you want to finally drive a perfect
car, Id buy one while theyre still
available.
I have had this car for over 3 years now. No major issues. Here are some of the things that concern me about the car 1. The weather stripping is already cracking. Dealer quote for just one door 179$ + labor 2. Transmission is not very smooth. You feel a jerk when going from the 1st gear to the second. Dealer says this is common in these cars. This makes me think, I might have some transmission problems in the near feature. 3. The leather inside is not very supple. Its on the harder side 4. I have about 70,000 miles on the car and I already hear some rattle from the body.
I bought the car new in 2002 & still have it with 75000.00 miles. It is a wonderful car with beautiful a design. I have had no problems at all with this car . Although newer cars have a lot more gadgets , I am satisfied with what i have . It has a good power & the gas mile is OK for the amount of driving i do.Because of this car I will definitely consider a Mazda if I decide to buy another vehicle although a hatch would make more sense.
I love this car! I refused to be part
of the Camry/Accord lemming stampede:
Millenia provided me the perfect
alternative/upgrade to them. You will
not find a car that matches its fine-
featured appointments, standard
equipment, reputation for reliability,
or performance at a better price.
Check out Consumer Reports Used Car
Buyer Guides and it is listed as a
recommended buy. It just rocks!
This vehicle is my 5th Mazda purchase; Ive had this one for two years and its truly "the best-of-best" in performance and looks. Wisconsin weather challenges all vehicles and this one does not disappoint. Beware, its pricey when it comes due for service work, but its well worth the investment for a performance vehicle; fuel economy could be better, it runs true at 25-mpg on the highway.
My wife and I purchased our Mazda
Millenia Millenium Edition in February
2001. We absolutely love the 17" chrome
rims, low profile tires, smooth
accelleration, and the 6 disc in-dase
CD changer. Cornering in the Millenia
is another plus. My wife loves the 4
season package that we added with the
heated seats/mirrors. Overall I love
this car! It has great performance,
good gas mileage, very stylish, and fun
to drive. People are always commenting
on how "Nice" the car looks.
This is a vehicle with a elagant and
unique look. I quite often recieve
favorable comments and questions
regarding the car. I bought a fully
loaded black/silver s model with
spoiler,cd changer and everything else
for 26,800. Seems like a steal
compared to the Lexus, Acura and
Infiniti the Millenia is always
compared against. It has performed
very well and except for resale value
(no problem since I love the car), I am
completely satisfied.
This is the second Millenia I have
owned and have had excellent success
with both. I like the ride, the feel of
the car and the style. With the
discounts the mfgr and dealers are
shooting you can get a real value on a
quality car. The power is definitely
there with the Miller engine on this
car. With the 17" tires and other
qualities, a mixture of luxury and
sports car is evident.
very good car. Very good
acceleration. The interior scheme is
kind of different but thats the whole
point. Plus I like the fact that not
to many people have the car.
don;t buy buy a mazda millenia , i got this car brand new and after 2 years i had the engine light on so every times is a new problem w this horrible car ,trams, censors, power doors , leaks, and all kind of problems i sold my mazda to junk for 300 cause i dint wanna pay more money , buy a honda or toyota , User Reviews:
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