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:

• 

  automatic - poor low end accelleration - 2004 Mazda RX-8
  By rralicki - September 22 - 2:00 am

  I whish you would put the HP vs the cu. in.. The Mazda automatic is 40 hp lower that the standard transmition and you can fell the difference. Popular Science states that they had to de-tune the engine to save the torque converter. It is fun to drive and I like the shifter on the steering wheel, but you must be at 2500 rpm or better to zoom, zoom,zoom.

• 

  Rust problem - 2004 Mazda MPV
  By Sid - September 19 - 6:50 pm

  Very disappointed. We bought the van in 2005. The van was left over from 2004 model year. We discovered the car has rust in the hatch back area and in the passenger under the door. The car still under warranty. The dealer just informed me that they will be fixing the rust, but I will never buy another Mazda. My Toyota Camry is 10 years old and it does not have any rust. Planning to sell it after dealer fixes it.

• 

  Fun to drive, not fun to maintain - 2008 Mazda CX-7
  By ShiftLft - September 19 - 2:00 am

  The 2008 CX7 is a fun car to drive, but over the years has been less than fun to maintain. Less than 3 months after purchasing it brand new, the exhaust tips began rusting. That was the first bad sign. Since then in just over 2 years, Ive had a door replaced after rusting, trailer hitch has rusted, tires lasted a whole 18,000 miles, I need new brakes and rotors already, and the EGR valve has gone bad and needs replacement ($900 repair). After all of this, last week I decided to trade in the vehicle rather than deal with 3 more years of problems on the loan. Im picking up my 2011 GMC Terrain tomorrow.

• 

  Nice car but............... - 2004 Mazda RX-8
  By rx8notgood - August 20 - 10:40 pm

  Lovely to look at. Lovely to drive in cool weather (automatic). Had to put sandbags in the trunk to make to drive in a straight line in 1 inch of snow. Lots of rattles (eventually gave up bringing it back to get them fixed....). In very hot weather (80 F +), performance becomes very poor in traffic - often have to switch off AC and fan to get it to take off from lights. Heat for feet in cold weather very poor. I used to love this car, now looking foward to the end of the lease.

• 

  upset - 2014 Mazda Mazda3
  By nosake - August 16 - 9:26 am

  When I first saw this Mazda 3 in red on the dealership lot, I knew Id own it. My first Mazda. I had been looking for an affordable, efficient car for about two years.

• 

  Not Bad. - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By dudechuck - August 12 - 1:49 pm

  We bought the Mazda5 based on a my wifes friend. She had one and loved it. She had the 07, and by reading reviews we settled on the 08. It was nice for a family of four, once our child was able to seat forward facing. There is not enough room for a rear facing car seat in the second row. You can do it but the person in the front seat has to scoot way up for and it is not comfortable. It was reliable all except the power steering would go out. It was repleced on a recall for free and we did not have any further problems. It was terrible in the snow and got stuck several times in a few inches of snow. The engine is also way to small for the vehicle, with limited highway power.

• 

  Dont know what to do. - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By Runt29 - August 11 - 4:53 am

  I got this car new with 0 miles on it and when I bought it after a test drive it had 53. Great car at 1st but then tons of issues. Now at 120,000 miles I am having the car miss when driving and it idles rough at times. One day it has issues then the next day it runs fine. I already had it in the shop 5 times and at two different places and they keep putting parts in and the next week same issue. I suggest to watch before you buy. Car is fast and a sweet ride but not worth the buck since it will cost you tons of money and the tires are hard to find and $$. Plus the trade in value is very low.

• 

  Recall Poster Card - 2004 Mazda Mazda6
  By John P. ODonnell - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Not since the Ford Pinto has a car been recalled so many times. I have owned the car less than a year and it has already been recalled 4X. In addition the clutch failed after 8 months. The car has been in the shop for approximately 2weeks total. The dealership has been good in fixing the problems and has provided a loaner car but the quality definitely needs improvement. One other thing why are there no rear speakers, this is almost unheard of to have only two front speakers.

• 

  Most dangerous car I have every owned - 2011 Mazda Mazda6
  By todd345 - July 26 - 5:54 pm

  I purchased this car 8 months, 18.000 miles, and $28,000 ago. I thought I did my research, I test drove Acura, Nissan, Ford, and Mazda models. I read the reviews for each. The good things I found are correct; it is very stylish, comfortable, and good performance. The items they dont tell you are; The BLIGHTSPOT, that you have behind you, the headrest and A pillars make it so you cant see anything, VERY dangerous, you might as well paint the back windows black. And if you pull out of a drive and his "ANY" bumps the traction control kicks in and kills the acceleration and leaves you in the oncoming lane waiting for traffic to hit you. If you have a family this in NOT the car for you.

• 

  Great car except for headlights - 2010 Mazda CX-7
  By aj - July 10 - 10:27 am

  I could heady see at night driving this car. Poor visibility and very dangerous at night to drive