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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  Sues car - 2005 Mazda Mazda6
  By Jim Sarver - September 11 - 4:20 am

  Engine is a little soft off the line. Need refinement. Needs lots of gas to get going from a stop for good speeds. Highway passing requires a greater distance than my other cars. Smaller than I would like. Otherwise, it is a pleasant little car.

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  Great value - if you wear "S" or "M" and are agile - 2016 Mazda CX-3
  By Bug - September 5 - 2:01 am

  I really liked the design, technology, and direction Mazda is going these days. CX-3 appears exciting, safe, and incredible value. Im older and not as agile as I used to be, and I like my console space for coffee tank, phone, doodads to be handy on my long daily commutes. I was hoping CX-3 would be good fit, but awkward console placement and crampy ingress/egress (lower back issues) led to a pass on this model. If I was 20-40 and had a long commute however, Id seriously consider this! BTW, the Mazda 3 hatchback fits me much better!

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  DO NOT buy this car - 2007 Mazda CX-7
  By jimsands - August 27 - 3:06 am

  I can only say that I will never buy another Mazda. As much fun as this car is to drive, the thing has had major mechanical problems from the first 20,000 miles, and I mean major problems. Turbo charger replaced twice, transfer case twice, air conditioner moter froze, throttle body died, serpantine belt broke on and on and on.... Thank god I bought the extended warranty.

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  Too Many Issues! - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By poop on mazda! - August 25 - 2:13 pm

  Brought her brand new. 85k on it, rust all over, new brakes twice, still make noise, O2 heat coil bad, fuel pump replaced, relays bad, replaced, tires replaced 3 times. Very bad gas mileage. Definitely going back to Honda when she is gone.

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  2005 Mazda S AWD 3.0 V6 - 2005 Mazda Tribute
  By redeye - August 9 - 9:30 pm

  Didnt like it at first, but it steadily grew on me. Noisy at highway speeds, some interior and dashboard controls are poorly designed and impossible to see at night. Heated seat button is in a truly odd place. Body creaks and groans, wallows over some highway undulations. All this and I still like it....cant put my finger on it...maybe its just that it is reliable, decent on gas (ECU went bad at 80,000 and I put a rebuilt one in that improved mileage to 24 - 25 hwy), tires wear forever and it does go in the snow better than any car i have driven.

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  Expected better gas mileage. - 2009 Mazda Mazda5
  By starbright - August 4 - 7:27 pm

  We have had our Mazda 5 for 2 yrs now. We arent happy with the car. The gas mileage is very poor-only 23 mpg highway and we live in the Canadian Prairies so dont have alot of hills. The cable for the manual shift went out on me right before I went on the highway-scarey!! It was covered and we were told it was "unusual". Then, my power steering pump went as I was driving into the Mazda car lot to find out about a strange noise I had. The service center was very kind and replaced it right away at no charge since there was a recall (get yours replaced!). I love the concept of the car. But we must have a dud and are looking at replacing it soon.

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  I thought it was the best... - 2004 Mazda Tribute
  By Roger122387 #2 - July 26 - 3:10 am

  This is my second review.. i left my last one a little over a year ago.. I thought this car was great.. I have had so many problems.. the stereo has had to be replaced several times.. my passenger air bag cover keeps popping off, the sealing around the doors is coming off, and the wheels keep getting out of alignment (I mostly drive stricly highway). My Waco TX Mazda Dealership tell me that there are no problems with the CD player (it would never play any of my CDs!!), and then they said the airbag cover popping off was my problem.. after enough arguing with them they finally hesitated to fix it. But other than all of that, it has been fun to drive. Great car for out of town trips!!

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  Very Disappointing! - 2007 Mazda CX-7
  By ugh - July 19 - 5:56 am

  Leased this vehicle in 2007, when first hit the market...Loved the appearance and style......but quickly became an unreliable vehicle....our first "vacation" behind the wheel was spent at a Mazda dealership along the way to the beach replacing the engine....YES! REPLACING THE ENGINE!....We had the car less than 6 months when this happened...Since then, it had the Turbo system replaced.....Still has grey smoke occasionally from exhaust, which I have learned to live with....tired of spending my free time with Mazda Service Dept. It most likely needs the Turbo replaced AGAIN to correct the problem (same thing as before)....will be ready to give this baby back to Mazda at the end of my lease!

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  Car lighter fuse blow out - 2005 Mazda Mazda3
  By Sara - July 15 - 7:00 am

  I bought my new Mazda 3s on Friday and by Sunday I had no turn lights, power locks, stereo console lights, tachometer lights, working keyless entry, rear defrost or A/C, and it said my parking brakes were on even though it was disengaged. The service man said "Dont go blaming the car now, this is a common problem if you plug in an ac adapter into a Pontiac, Subaru, GMC car...." All this because I used a car charger to charge my phone?!

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  tribute lx 4wd 6 cylinder - 2002 Mazda Tribute
  By curly - July 11 - 10:00 am

  We owned this vehicle for a little over one year. Initially we were impressed with the size, acceleration, and utility of this vehicle. However, certain annoyances became much more noticeable the longer we drove it. It is NOISY. I repeat NOISY. Rear lift developed a loud rattle which has proven elusive to correct. Cigarette lighter broke after one week. The steering is very heavy at low speeds. The seats are very firm and uncomfortable on long trips. Fuel economy is poor. Brake dust!!! Brake dust all the time on the front wheels. The longer your in this vehicle the more annoying it becomes. Beware future buyers, this is a FORD with mazda badging.