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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  Oiled Out! - 2009 Mazda RX-8
  By Disgusted In FL - December 28 - 10:00 am

  My experience owning this vehicle has its ups and downs. On the down side, the car burns too much oil. After an oil change, the oil light comes on 1000 miles into the oil change. I was told this was normal by the dealership on two occasions when I took it in for service. They told me to "add oil" to it and it would be fine until the next oil change. I have had more oil changes on this car in the one year that Ive owned it. This car is too overpriced for what you get.

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  MPV Van - 2005 Mazda MPV
  By ksmemoore - December 24 - 6:23 pm

  The drivers seat is uncomfortable to me. I am a tall woman and the armrest is way too low for comfort. Seat will not lower down enough. The gas mileage is awful. Lots worse than we thought. At $3.50 a gallon we would prob. not have bought this van if we had known how bad it was going to be. It does seem to be reliable however and had some good features as far as lots of good seating to haul my kids and their friends around.

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  Should have bought a camry - 2006 Mazda Mazda6
  By Neva - December 23 - 4:06 am

  I was torn between buying a mazda 6 or a camry and went with the mazda. I enjoyed driving the car but at 7,320 mi. the car broke down (bad clutch). Yesterday at 33,000 mi. the car broke down again (bad clutch). I am a good driver and never had this problem with my previous cars. I am waiting for the wrecker to pick up the car and will be trading it asap.

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  Nice handling, little else - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By djd123 - December 22 - 3:27 am

  I was looking for something with a little more cargo capacity than my old rsx last year, and was really taken by how well the cx-5 handled during the test drive. I did not think the low-powered engine would be much of a problem. I was wrong. Going up hills with a single passenger and two dogs in the back, the car made a lot of noise with very little movement. It also felt cheaply put together. After about a month of ownership, the drivers seat squeaked like an old mattress. The stock radio and speakers are utter trash. Lots of little rattles and vibrations that I didnt notice during the test drive.

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  Beautiful On The Outside... - 2003 Mazda Mazda6
  By ne14wood - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Problematic On The Inside! 1) Last week, my THIRD check engine light came on. After a recent visit to my dealer, they stated, "We have no fix for the check engine light. The light will always come back on. If you are lucky, our Mazda engineers will have a remedy by August 2004 (today is 4/6/04). The check engine light is caused by a misfire in the fourth cylinder". What an awful response from the dealer. 2) The A/T often shifts erratically. Sometimes the automatic transmission feels like I just did a "neutral drop". This is an alarming sensation. The dealer has no fix for this either!

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  Problems Starting Vehicle - 2002 Mazda Tribute
  By Stranded & Mad - December 19 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle wont start. It takes about 4 tries before the car finally starts. This has happened countless times. The service person cant find the problem. Previously had the stalling problem twice. Had the door molding start coming down. Headlight has condensation in it. Hear squeking noise on the passenger door panel. Accelerator gets stuck & suddenly accelerates. To much brake dust.

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  Not Happy - 2008 Mazda Mazda3
  By Not Happy - December 17 - 5:43 am

  Tire noise is very loud! This is a 2008 that is eight months old with 24,000 miles on it. This is my work car and is driven quite a few miles a day. I was very happy with mine, until the miles started adding up. Besides the tire noise, there is a loud noise coming from the right front fender area. The Mazda mechanic at the shop said he couldnt here it because of the tire noise. They contacted the Mazda rep, and he came to the dealer in Ottawa IL., but they didnt even show him my car, and I was told Mazda would pay one third of the cost to replace the tires, if they were replaced at the dealer. Dealer wants to put a different brand of tire on it so it will solve the problem.

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  Poor gas mileage - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By mmmm1982 - November 29 - 2:55 pm

  Ive had this car for almost 2 years and havent had any major issues so far. All the maintenance is done regularly, but the car still gets only 24-25 MPG in the mixed cycle. I guess all of Mazda3 have this issue with the power steering pump, which I had to replace under recall. Interior looks kinda cheap.

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  Hunk of Junk - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By JScott - November 24 - 10:00 am

  Our van is on its third computer, and second transmission, and only has 60,000 miles! We look forward to getting rid of it! Dont forget, its still a Ford!

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  In response to "May Have A Lemon" - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By jewhite1972 - November 20 - 8:50 pm

  I also purchased the Grand Touring model. At first during the summer it drove perfectly, up until a month ago. It started with jerking on acceleration, then the tires would screech loudly, and also it would stall when I stepped from the brake pedal onto the gas pedal. Ive only had this truck for 6 months now and had to take it in to the service department where I brought it from...to no ones surprise but my own, it was the transmission. Thought that was a little uncommon, being that the truck is only a 2008. Seems that the Mazda Tribute transmissions problems is not at all that uncommon...so buyer beware and by all means do your research. Wish I had!