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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  Performance and Design beats MPG - 2005 Mazda RX-8
  By piston to rotary - August 14 - 10:10 pm

  Love the looks and performance of this automobile. Interior accommodations are very nice and high quality. I have been looking at these autos for the last three years and finally took the plunge and found a low mileage 05. Prices appear to be falling and the car doesnt appear to have the residual that I thought it would, Seems folks might have been scared off by the less than ideal mpg and high octane requirements. All in all this is an excellent vehicle that performs beautifully, looks outstanding, handles like a slot car and has good Japanese quality.

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  FUN CAR!! - 2005 Mazda Mazda3
  By Mike C. - August 14 - 1:36 am

  I bought an "i" model for an outside sales job 3 months ago and have over 10k on it already. This car has had no problems at all. Interior, stereo, handling and exterior are all better than I had in my 01 Civic. It really carves up the road if you push it. At many speeds it will not downshift without use of the manumatic and that gets a little frustrating, it has very little torque. Produces a lot of brake dust but only on the rear wheels. I am very disappointed in the gas mileage. 90% of my driving is highway and I get between 28-29 miles per gallon. My Civic alway got over 36. If you want the feel of a Bimmer on the cheap, this is the car for you!

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  tires wear out at 17,000 miles - 2011 Mazda MazdaSpeed3
  By bryanp98 - August 13 - 4:47 pm

  I bought my vehicle in january 2011 at Cerritos Mazda new. 2011 Mazdaspeed 3 Black mica, Exellent performance but you will need to buy new tires at 15,000 miles each tire will cost you $250. or more and also youll need an aligment because my tires they were wear out from the inside. warranty will not cover poor aligment or tires wear out to early.

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  Great choice - 2008 Mazda Mazda6
  By Rich - August 11 - 9:23 pm

  Feeling the gas price crunch, I had to look at getting rid of my FX35 and get something with mileage. Looked at Accord, Camry, Altima, Fusion, Malibu, and finally came across Mazda. This is a fun car to drive, the steering is a little overboosted, but great mileage (avg 24mpg mixed), good brakes, comfortable, but a little sluggish. Feels lighter and smaller than it is. Glad I bought it, and saving lots of money each month!

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  Everything I expected and more! - 2007 Mazda Mazda3
  By Jon - August 10 - 12:16 pm

  I knew going into this vehicle that it would not get as good of gas mileage as other vehicles in its class. That said, this car continues to impress me. Ive owned for over a year now and drive a lot of miles commuting 80+ miles per day and travel with it alot. Now, after 40K miles the car is still running like new! I ensure the car is maintained religiously and that has paid off with zero mechanical problems to date. Oh yeah, by the way. To help counter the MPG issue, try this... slow down.

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  Mazda Convert - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By Riverwoman - August 10 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Mazda and I have been pleasantly surprised with my driving experience.I wanted a car that was both a workhorse and a stylish eye-catcher. The Protege5 wears both hats really well. People tend to give me that envious look at stoplights. The P5 has the appearance of a more expensive crossover yet it is economical and eco- conscious. It has some excellent features including a well-designed cabin that offers excellent driving vision; a well-designed keyless entry and alarm system--much better than most. I am totally won over by this car and the P5 has been a great driving experience for the past 4-months.

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  Best Crossover For the Money - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By flarp - August 10 - 7:19 am

  Got the Touring w/ Bose Audio + Moonroof and Technology packages. Compared w/ CR-V, RAV4, Forester, and Murano. Engine is smaller, but it is plenty responsive. All the others I tried had more raw power, but the difference wasnt significant for most commuter driving. Handling and road feel, the CX-5 blew all the others out of the water. Its a crossover, but it handles more like a sporty sedan. Fuel economy was also a huge improvement over the others. All this at a price about $2-3k less than comparably equipped models from the other manufacturers.

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  Great vehicle under 75,000 miles - 2001 Mazda Tribute
  By vabeachjason - August 10 - 7:00 am

  I bought my tribute at 76,000 miles. It has been a great vehicle to me in the last 2 years until the last 4 months its been 1 thing after another. In April I started the engine and it literally exploded. The intake exploded destroying everything around it and sending oil and plastic parts everywhere! The dealer could not explain it and said "these things happen." I was given no explanation and had to pay 1300 dollars to replace the intake, the cable and damaged hoses. Then in May the transmission went ($3000) and today I have an unexplained oil leak under the rear differential. I love my Tribute, but I would never buy one again because of the costly repairs.

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  Good Car - 2008 Mazda Mazda3
  By Mazda Happy - August 10 - 5:33 am

  I bought this car for the highway miles that I drive. Very happy with this little car. The only dislike is at the higher speeds the engine is buzzy. A six speed would have been nice. But it is a $13k car. I am happy though.

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  Transfer case go BOOM!!! - 2011 Mazda CX-9
  By sleepyspeed3 - August 8 - 5:53 pm

  My wife took her our cx9 on a road trip with our 2 girls. On the way home she heard a clunk trying to back up. Then at low speeds she heard a grinding noise, pulled over and had it towed to a dealership. They said it had mice nesting near the bell housing. Today I was suppose to go get it back and the mechanic called and said he tried to back it up and CLUNK. Cracked transfer case. It will be another 2 - 3 weeks before its fixed. It looks like many other owners have had this problem. Ours only had 17k miles on it. Mazda should recall their cx9.