Overview & Reviews

There are affordable cars, and then there are cars that offer thrilling performance. Rarely do the two ever converge, but Japanese automaker Mazda has made it a tradition of coming up with vehicles that combine both of these eminently desirable traits.

The Toyo Cork Kogyo Company, founded in 1920 in Hiroshima, Japan, used the name "Mazda" for its first three-wheeled truck, built in 1931. Company founder Jujiro Matsuda chose the word "Mazda" because it was the name of the Zoroastrian god of good and light. Work on a small sedan began in the late 1930s, but development was halted so the company could pitch in with Japan's war effort. In the wake of World War II and the rebuilding that followed, the company refocused its efforts on car development and manufacturing.

By 1960, the first Mazda automobile -- the R360 coupe -- was developed, and the company's foray into the production of passenger vehicles began in full force. Other landmark developments were soon to follow. In 1961, the company entered into a technical partnership with NSU and Wankel to develop and produce rotary engines, a union that led to Mazda's distinguishing itself as the only manufacturer to offer three engine configurations: conventional gasoline piston, diesel and rotary. The '60s also saw the introduction of the company's first pickup, the B-Series 1500, as well as its first rotary-engine vehicle, the 110S Cosmo Sport.

Mazda began selling cars in the U.S. in 1970. In the early part of the decade, the automaker rolled out the RX-2. Powered by the noted 12A rotary, the RX-2 introduced America to Mazda's effort to build cars that were affordable and fun to drive. The decade also saw the introduction of the RX-3, RX-4 and now iconic rotary-powered RX-7 sports car. In 1979, Ford Motor Company purchased a 25 percent stake in Mazda after the Japanese company encountered a number of financial difficulties.

The 1980s was a decade of rebirth for Mazda. The company officially took on the Mazda name (though all its vehicles since its launch in the '20s have carried that brand). It also witnessed an upswing in sales sparked by successful new products like the 323 (which was first called the GLC in the American market) and 626. The 1990 model year saw the launch of a car that would prove a huge hit for Mazda: the MX-5 Miata. Lauded for its ultra-responsive handling and affordability, the drop top has been a consistent favorite, and now holds the distinction of being the world's best-selling roadster.

Mazda began the 1990s with a bang by winning Le Mans with the 787B; it was the first time a Japanese automaker had won the prestigious race, and marked the only win for a rotary engine. Vehicles like the RX-7 and MX-5 Miata scored kudos from automotive journalists, and landed on many top 10 lists. However, save for the Miata, the company's vehicles experienced declining sales in the U.S., and the company's fortunes suffered as a result.

The new millennium has seen Mazda regain its stride, as the automaker has invested in new development. Models like the Mazda 2 and CX-9 have broadened the lineup and won over a whole new generation of fans, while the enthusiast-oriented RX-8 and Mazdaspeed performance models have exemplified the company's spirited philosophy. Most recently, Mazda has focused on designing its cars to be as fuel-efficient as possible while also still being fun to drive and affordable to own.

User Reviews:

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  Fun to drive but with issues - 2004 Mazda Mazda6
  By Davey - January 9 - 10:20 pm

  I bought this car new in 2004 and love the way it drives. Very quick and fun to drive. However, there have been reliability issues including a clutch that just doesnt seem to catch shifting first to second, the starter had to be replaced and finally, the cable that connected my shifter to the engine snapped and I could no longer shift my car into gear. Very puzzling and the dealership had no idea why that would have happened. I really do love my car but wish it was more reliable. Also, it is terrible in the snow with all-season tires.

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  2008 Mazda Tribute i Touring - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By Robert - January 9 - 4:06 pm

  Nice SUV. Lots of room and very comfortable. AC blows very cold. Good exterior design. Rear seats should recline and fold down easier without removing head rests. Grab handles should not have been left out. Exterior temp would have been nice. Stereo sounds very good. Gauge cluster doesnt look Mazda at all, very Ford. Sportier steerig wheel with audio controls. Lots of standard safety features for the money. Rear brakes should have been disc not drum. Having noises from rear breaks that has been looked at by the dealer twice. Carpet in front foot wells pulling away from the door frame plastic. Very nice Mazda that feels like a Ford. Excellent value for what you get.

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  Didnt buy a new care to use the warrenty - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By ssgoverbey - January 3 - 2:02 am

  Have owned my Mazda CX5 since May 2012. I keep having problems almost since I bought. The very first thing was the GPS said it was out of date. I tried to update the memory card like it said with TomTom online. Was a big pain. Then was trying to get my trial of satellite radio which didnt work well. Could use some more power. At around 9,000 miles all the warning lights came on, cruse control wouldnt work. Bad battery. Then this last week at around 16,000 miles all warning lights came on again and would not shift. Waiting on some transmission part now. I do not have faith in taking the car on any long road trip now.

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  MY CX-5 - NEARLY PERFECT - 2014 Mazda CX-5
  By sonowop - January 1 - 4:20 pm

  Have driven my Grand Touring 2014 for 5,000 miles now. The good: handles wonderful, brakes are great, visibility excellent, comfort very good. No complaints on build quality, style, or driveability. Its not perfect but was the best choice for me relative to its competition. Major surprise is the driveability of car. I did not really expect it. 2.5 is a little beast (thats good). Major disappointment is the radio, gps, and gas mileage.

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  1999 Mazada ES - 1999 Mazda 626
  By Doug Turner - January 1 - 10:00 am

  Liked the car. The 4 cyl lacked power. Main complaint is road noise at any speed.

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  Owned it for 5 years now - 2005 Mazda Mazda6
  By B Davis - December 29 - 7:10 pm

  I bought this car new almost 5 years ago. Just turned 70000 miles. 4 cylinder 4 speed automatic. Have had no major problems. Transmission shifts a tad hard from 1st to 2nd when cold, but dealer found nothing wrong. Just learned to baby it for the first 1/4 mile. I find I use the manual shift mostly, especially on back roads when I want to keep it in 3rd gear, and not let it go to 4th gear. Overall very pleased.

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  CX7 Turbo compression - 2007 Mazda CX-7
  By tjr12 - December 29 - 7:50 am

  On my 2007 cx7, Mazda warranty replaced vvt & timing chain that was grinding during start-up. While replacing, the mech found the intake cam way out of phase & called Mazda Canada tech line for approval to correct. Mazda tech line asked for compression after vvt & timing chain replaced. Dealer Mech found #1 at 70/170; #2-40/100; #3-60/140; #4-30/80. Mazda Canada tech said this is ok and to send me home, happy that they replaced the timing chain. My Mazda Dealer told me they would recommend doing the required repairs but because Im requesting warranty to cover it because its a result of the timing chain. I called Mazda Canada & they told me to go back to my Service Manager to fix? Help!

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  Glad the passengers have grab handles! - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By harley613 - December 27 - 3:26 pm

  Having a blast with my MP5 since I bought it early in the summer. Incredible handling has been the best part of the experience so far. My only grumbles are poor fuel economy at highway speeds, not enough vroom, and a lot of suspension shudder when hitting bumps while cornering hard.

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  Expected a little more from the Zoom Zoom people - 2010 Mazda Mazda6
  By galesburgcoins - December 26 - 11:45 pm

  First new car I have ever owned...had 3 years now. I picked this car because everything else looked alike. A+ on that, I think its sexy hot and unique. My biggest complaints are that it doesnt have a lot of power (same engine as Mazda3 I believe - probably rocks in that model) and the gas mileage is horrible for a 4 cylinder. It gets like 20 mpg AND has a lack of power...hmmm. I always find lots of minor annoyances in a cars interior design and the 6 is no different. One think I really hate is that if you open the rear windows and not the front windows at 30 mph+ (for my dog) it totally pops your ears with negative air pressure...never seen anything like it! It actually hurts!

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  More 4 your Money - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By ib1netmon - December 26 - 10:00 am

  After exhaustive shopping on features and performance, we bought the Protege5, and it is a great little car - compare to the Matrix base - same HP, but the 130 on the Protege is a lot snappier despite the numbers, 4 wheel disks, and 16 inch wheels. I got this car for more than $4000 less than the Toyota dealer offered me on the Matrix! (including $2200 rebate from Mazda, but who cares WHY it is cheaper). Lets not even go into the ridiculous prices on the Subarus. You cant touch this much car for that kind of money anywhere else!