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:

• 

  Pull the Transmission - 2000 Mazda 626
  By Glynn - June 23 - 3:53 am

  Good vehicle in most areas except very poor experence with automatic transmission. Major transmission repairs at 70,000 and again at 97,000. Automatic transmisson is Ford designed and does not provide the same quality as Mazda.

• 

  Fun to Drive - 2006 Mazda Mazda6
  By Catherine - June 22 - 7:40 pm

  Car is fun to drive, plenty of power, brakes are right there, handling fun to corner with, and sluggish start but kicks right in. I like the manual transmission option. Front seats and trunk is spacious. Easy to get in and out of the car. Gas mileage is exactly as quoted, as long as you dont drive it with heavy foot. Doesnt have OEM mudflaps for it. Steering wheel has plenty of adjustment, up, down, in, and out.

• 

  Things to consider before purchasing - 2010 Mazda CX-9
  By ddb1 - June 22 - 7:24 pm

  After owning for 16 months, the Cons, especially #1, outweigh the Pros. Cons - Passenger side air bag turns off when anyone <105ish lbs sits there. Taken it to the dealer & they say theres nothing they can do about it. This leaves my light passengers completely unprotected. Should be a recall. - Front defrost is terribly designed - doesnt span the length of the windshield & sits too far away from the base of the window. Wipers freeze over and have to be manually snapped in a snow storm. - Sub par radio reception - Hatchback too low. 61" husband hits head A LOT - Highway MPG = 19 at best - Terrible leather quality Pro - Excellent 4 wheel drive - Price - Super roomy

• 

  Great performance and style - 2010 Mazda CX-9
  By pmb - June 22 - 5:33 pm

  First of all, this is a great vehicle for the price paid. It offers a lot when compared to premium vehicles. Bluetooth, moonroof, Sirius, blind spot monitoring, 20 inch wheels, heated leather seats, innovative styling, beautiful gauges, back up camera, auto. rear hatch, auto dimming mirrors, tire pressure monitoring, 0% financing and more. Best of all it is fun to drive and has good cargo capacity and can be made better by adding more driver storage bins or compartments. Gas mileage can be better but I average 21.5 city/hwy. combined. Driven 7000+ miles w/o any issues. I recommend this over Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, GMC Acadia, Chevy Traverse, Kia and Hyundai. Indeed a Great buy!

• 

  Really want to love it, but... - 2010 Mazda Mazda3
  By kermitbtys - June 22 - 2:22 pm

  2nd review on this vehicle. At first I couldnt say enough good things about it, but the good feeling is gone. Clutch completely destructed at 38K and warranty is only for 12K. I got over 100K on my pervious honda clutch and it was not a $1350 dealer quote to fix it. This is not an uncommon occurance with numerous postings on the web with an average malfunction mileage of 28K...on a year old car no less. Now, my driver side door and hatchback will not unlock with remote, key, or manually. Needless to say, I am not going to continue to climb into the car from the passanger side and lower the rear seats to gain access to the trunk. I just cannot recommend this vehicle anymore.

• 

  Mazda MPV worked out great - 2001 Mazda MPV
  By j brabham - June 22 - 10:00 am

  Ive been very happy with my MPV purchase. It has served me and my family well on long road trips. Yhe fold down 3rd seat and power rear window really come in handy and I have not had one major or minor repair in the last 3 years. I would recommend this vehicle.

• 

  Satisfied customer - 2004 Mazda Tribute
  By Dilligas - June 22 - 10:00 am

  Mileage could be better for vehicle size God bargin for money Refuse to accept Continential Tires.... absolute bad experience with tires

• 

  Blue RX8 - 2004 Mazda RX-8
  By RCT - June 22 - 10:00 am

  Fun, easy to drive, relatively inexpensive compared to other high performance cars. Very intuitive steering. Its also a good daily driver, it doesnt have the kidney punching stiffeness in the suspension that you would find in other cars in its class.

• 

  LITfan loves Mazda 3 - 2004 Mazda Mazda3
  By litfan - June 22 - 10:00 am

  This is a very fun to drive, versatile, and safe car. Im keeping this car for a long time!

• 

  Piece OF CRAP - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By ilya1313 - June 20 - 2:45 am

  Sorry to say i made the biggest mistake of my life buying this pice of crap. It had 13 miles when i bought it, now its at 42k and this is what i had to fix.... tires were fully bald and chap after a year... power steering pump blew up on me not once but twice... brakes were shacking the steering wheel so i had to fix the roters then they pully blew up and i had to replace the whole brake system.... hydraulic motor mount blew up and spilled oil eveywhere... and now to the good part... brakes need full replacement again and brake flush... rear strut is going out .... so ya Mazda should be ashamed to make this car ... biggest regret of my life ... i should have bought impreza...