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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  ultimate sports car - 2005 Mazda RX-8
  By bob - November 11 - 12:40 am

  i love the car. it very fun to drive. the fuel efficiency is bad for a 1.3 but it is a sports car and the horses and being able to turn 9 grand make up for it.constantly checking the oil gets kind of annoying after a while

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  Horrible Drivetrain - 2010 Mazda Mazda5
  By nj_drive - November 9 - 11:14 am

  We have owned the vehicle for 18 months now and have accumulated 25,000 miles. We have already had to replace the stock tires due to the originals wearing out. We took the vehicle to the dealer for all maintainence and we had a passenger side axle have to be replaced due to defect at 16,000 miles. At 25,000 miles the transmission decided to blow up. When in the dealership getting the trans replaced, they also found the drivers side axle was defective and also had to be replaced. The car gets around 32 mpg as we drove it from Iowa to NJ 10 times over the past 18 months. It is great with the entertainment package, as the kids love it. It is a little underpowered when going over steep hills.

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  Nice Little Truck - 2002 Mazda Truck
  By Anthony - November 6 - 7:30 pm

  Bought it brand new and I have never had a problem. I get about 19 mpg in mixed driving. I have about 65K on original tires. One set of brakes and oil changes every 5K. Not the fastest vehicle, but it will drop a boat in the lake easily with the raised suspension.

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  Happy owner - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By vroom vroom vroom - November 5 - 10:16 pm

  I have had my Protege for almost two years now and it was been a joy to drive to work. It handles well for an economy car and has a surprising amount of room for my wife, two kids and my black lab. The 5-speed is smooth and precise. Steering has nice feel.

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  Pleased for the price - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By cumadogg - November 5 - 7:33 pm

  Pleased with the car - it has served its purpose as a family transporter for a family with 4 little ones, but it is quickly becoming too small. But for the price, I cannot complain - other than a few minor quality issues, it has been a reliable method of transportation.

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  My Protege two years later - 2001 Mazda Protege
  By totustuus00 - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought the Protege after driving most of the competition (Corolla, Civic, Sentra). The Mazda felt tighter, handled better and had better brakes. It has been reliable to a fault. I now have almost 40k on the car and it is still running good. I had to put new pads front and back recently and replaced the tires. The 16" Dunlops are next to impossible to find, so I upgraded one size to 205/55/16 Fuldas. The car rides a bit better on these tires. The only faults are that with the wide 16" wheels, it can be a terror to drive in the snow and the gas mileage could be better (25 to 28 typical with automatic)

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  Needs a goo automatic transmission,becau - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By The windmill - November 4 - 2:00 am

  The A.T leaves a lot to be desired. Does not shift correctly I have to take it back they may have to do something to it because it is not functioning as it should.

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  100 Ochkov! - 2003 Mazda Mazda6
  By slivka - November 3 - 3:06 pm

  If you care anything at all about the "fun part of driving", the 6 delivers. The steering feel, the springy suspension, the growl of the V6 (when pushed), all produce nothing but smiles. It is also so ever beautiful on the outside and tasteful on the inside. The car is a bit loud and feels somewhat less refined than Camry or Accord, but on the fun side of the equation it is way ahead. Also with Mazdas discounts our 6 was a bargain compared with similarly equipped Camry or Accord.

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  Perfect Package..Everything you want/need!! - 2012 Mazda Mazda3
  By surfnjm3 - November 1 - 4:27 pm

  I purchased my Mazda about 4 weeks ago and put just under 2k miles on it. The car has been awesome! I am a car enthusiast and since I currently cannot swing the money for a BMW I landed on the Mazda. It is a drivers car and has all the feautures you want. Great sound (even the stock system without the bose is clear and loud), bluetooth is awesome with my phone and music and the interior layout of the dash and such are clean, sensible, and easy to use. I never thought I woudl get an automatic car but commuting with a manual is just brutal, but the dual-clutch on the mazda is the most responsive ive seen in a car under 21k. Take off the traction control and the car just begs you to drive it!

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  Just purchased! - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By mazdaman21 - November 1 - 12:51 pm

  Just purchased this vehicle used from a Chevy dealer. They broke the key, so all I have for now is a key that flips out and no remote access for lock/unlock, but have a new key on order ($250). The car sounds like a tin can when starting up, not sure if that is normal or not. I also have to complain about the WEAK a/c. I live in Louisiana where it has been over 100 degrees the past two weeks. Turn the air on high and it barely does justice. I love driving to work in this micro-van, I do about 70-75. Until I hit a bump, it sounds like it is going to fall apart. I have read about suspension issues, so I am going to have the dealer check it out. Overall, the looks got me on this!! Love it!!