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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  Best little car I ever owned - 2012 Mazda Mazda3
  By abqrich - December 30 - 4:35 pm

  I love the way this car handles. Great engine coupled with great transmission. I have owned more expensive cars, but I have never enjoyed a car as much as this one

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  2009 i touring, gray mica finish - 2009 Mazda Mazda6
  By richard - December 30 - 1:00 pm

  Have just bought the 09 i touring. Nothing but good things to say about the whole mazda buying experience. No pressure to buy no no hard sells.Let me have my way on the test drive. The 4cyl has great pickup, quiet acceleration, responsive steering, easy stopping. Ride quality smooth and tight, build quality tops. Test drove accord, camry, fusion. While all were good I felt the 6 was the most fun to drive. Also looks better than the competion.

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  Nice Ride - 2009 Mazda Mazda6
  By Yamil Munoz - December 29 - 11:16 pm

  I really like this car, is very fun, to drive, the paddle shift are excellent, in my country a car in that range with xenon its really great

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  Fail! - 2010 Mazda CX-7
  By Lori - December 29 - 10:42 pm

  I bought my 2010 Mazda CX-7 new. I was generally satisfied, though pretty annoyed with the fact that I was constantly being pulled over and told that one of my headlights was out - like every couple of months. This turned out to be a "known issue" for Mazdas according to one of the garage mechanics I talked to because I wasnt about to go to the dealer to have them replaced at several hundreds of dollars (they take off the front bumper or something) - the guy at the garage would sometimes have to spend 20-30 minutes fiddling around to manipulate the gasket to replace the bulb, but they never charged for more than the cost of the bulb. Anyway, I religiously change the oil with synthetic per recommendations and yes, it has 108,000 miles on it now, but just 2 months ago I replaced the wheel bearings in the rear drivers left side and put new front brakes in it to the tune of $800+ at the dealer. So, it would have been nice to have a heads up that is a significant chance that the turbocharger might fail and that if it does that it could lead to catastrophic engine failure. But no, instead that happens on one of the coldest nights of the year during rush hour. And they cant tell me if the turbocharger failure resulted in a blown engine which means the car is basically a hunk of junk or not. The dealer recommends that rather than spending the money on replacing the turbocharger since he doesnt know if that will fix it, I look to trading it in. Well, NOT on another Mazda! Grrrrr.

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  Best compact car available - 2006 Mazda Mazda3
  By cdsmith_2002 - December 29 - 7:50 pm

  The Mazda3 is the best built compact available. The interior quality is amazing for this price range. I can get 34MPG on the highway and the motor is not broken-in yet! The exhaust sounds and looks great. I have no styling complaints with this car. Minor issues include that the economy display does not alway coincide with the calculated MPG and the glove box door rattles.

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  well worth the money - 2005 Mazda Mazda6
  By jim - December 29 - 3:50 am

  The new 6 is a gentle reminder of Probe gone by. The 4 cylinder has ample performance. Great curb appeal.

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  A Great Solution to Gas Guzzling SUVs - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By New Mazda Fan - December 28 - 12:36 pm

  Soon to be a family of 6 and all 3 of my kids fit comfortably (ages 13,6,3). Each kid loves having their own seat. Sold my 05 Tundra dbl cab to get this and dont regret it. At least with this car I dont feel like crying at the pump when its fill up time. Im very impressed with Mazda. Very well priced for what you get, for what is standard on this car, is usually a option on most others. Its a great solution for families that need the seating capacity of a SUV or minivan. The sticker price is less, and your gas bill will be a whole lot less. Best of all it drives like a sports car, not a minivan, so the husbands will have fun driving it. I do.

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  good investment - 2000 Mazda 626
  By rajali2000 - December 28 - 10:00 am

  Good car.Should buy Cruise,Auto seat ctrl,Swirl AC outlet,sunroof (tilt,slide) ,Bose System,Leather seats, mileage

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  Go For It - 2009 Mazda Mazda6
  By Marc - December 27 - 12:03 am

  Mazda got it right! My criteria were Xenon headlights, regular gas, and more than 20 MPG city. But you get a whole lot more! Great styling, comfort, lots of bells & whistles. Lots of safety features. Keyless entry and push-button start is great! There are several programmable features like auto door lock, how many doors unlock with remote, lighting delay, etc., and you can hit the "clock" button to view trip info without having to use "info button". Mazda hit a home run! The car is competition for Lexus ES350, not just Honda, Toyota & Nissan.

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  Mazdas worst car. - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By thejackal86 - December 26 - 8:46 pm

  The transmission went out early on, which started a chain reaction of other problems months to follow. This car was nothing more than a money pit and certainly not one worth investing in. Ive replaced just about everything in the car besides the engine, which I hear is something Mazda actually does fairly well. I ended up finally trading the car in at around 153k miles. It seems like a lot, but not considering maintenance costs. In addition to the reliability issues, the interior was cheap and started to literally fall apart. Poor mpg as well. The only positive thing I can say about the car is that it was kind of fun to drive and had nice acceleration. It felt like a go-kart.