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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  CX-7 Zooms - 2007 Mazda CX-7
  By Yo! - May 3 - 2:40 pm

  Minimal turbo lag, great handling. Styling and performance sold me. My wife uses this car for her daily drive to work, and this car has all the safety features needed. Only problem was with the service engine light coming on due to the gas cap which Mazda replaced.

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  Couldt Be Happier! - 2009 Mazda Mazda6
  By GQ - May 3 - 4:16 am

  Got the 4-cylinder because I dont drive much highway (47 mile roundtrip to work). Right now Im averaging 26 mpg!! Very happy with my purchase. got the Performance White color. Boy is it sharp!!! The only thing I have to get used to is going up hills. I need to pump the gas pedal a little bit.

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  Love it! - 2005 Mazda RX-8
  By Jamie - May 3 - 3:06 am

  I have owned this vehicle for the past few months and i love it! i have had two Madzas before this and this is the first rotary i have owned. I have read reviews of problems with this car and i can say that i have nothing happen to it, i drove to Florida and back from New Jersey. Oil consumption is NORMAL in a rotary because it used it in the combustion chamber, so it is burned off with the fuel! IT IS NORMAL TO ADD A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1500 MILES! GET USED TO IT!

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  a mini van for fun and more - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By mike01 - May 2 - 10:20 pm

  great handling both in city and highway. spaceous and confertable,but not extremely huge that it would be hard to manouver, over all is a great mini-van.

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  Best of its class by a longshot - 2009 Mazda Mazda6
  By Jim - May 2 - 1:30 am

  Im over 6 tall and my other vehicle is a Dodge truck that I love for its legroom. The Mazda 6 has really impressed me over the past two months with its excellent handling, features, and great styling. When I was car shopping I test drove the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Chevy Malibu for comparison and it beats them all in style and has better features for the price than the Accord and Malibu-hopefully the reliability pans out well too, but its too early to know for certain. So, if youre in the market for a sedan dont pass up the best car for under $25k-maybe the best under $30k- the 6.

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  Couldnt be happier with my Protege5! - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By Rich - May 1 - 6:40 pm

  I wanted a sporty hatchback, and was choosing between a couple of Subarus and Toyota Matrix at the time. Protege5 styling was very sleek looking in 2002, and nice looking chrome alloy wheels and low-profile Dunlop sport tires sealed the deal. The only problem I had with this vehicle was with the headlights. There was some kind of electrical/wiring issue there necessitating frequent replacements. Other than that, its a dream to drive, performs very well in braking, acceleration and overall ride comfort for a relatively small car. The engine isnt that powerful, but I have a 5spd so you get the nice Zoom Zoom experience anyway. Love this car!

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  Love my Mazda 6 w/4cyl - 2006 Mazda Mazda6
  By James - May 1 - 5:56 pm

  This car has greatly exceeded my expectations! After 50k miles, not one "issue" and getting 31mpg on freeway! Love the handling, fuel mileage, and excellent room with rear seat folded. A friend has the 2006 Camry and she has less room in trunk and cannot fit her road bike in back unless both sides are folded, resulting in her able to only take 2 people...with my Mazda, I can get one road bike inside with only one side folded down and still able to carry three people (2 front/1 back seat). Happy Mazda driver here!

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  Fun to drive, great price! - 2004 Mazda Mazda3
  By Patrick - May 1 - 3:16 am

  This car handles like a dream. Exterior looks great. I tell people the price and they just about fall over. A little cramped on the inside, but I am also 64", what could I expect. Carpet is cheap as is ceiling fabric. They had to cut costs somewhere. I would buy again if given the choice. Braking is great. Powerful engine, fun and easy shifting manual transmission.

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  I love my car! - 2005 Mazda Mazda6
  By Christine Sullivan - May 1 - 2:16 am

  I chose Mazda again because I had owned a 1980 Mazda 626. I had the car for 6 years and never had a problem. This car ( the 6 ), though, is another thing altogether. I bought the car in Dec 2002 and I STILL feel like I GET to drive it! Its fun, extremely nimble, sporty and has never let me down. The interior is leather with a Bose system that sounds fabulous. I have a moon roof and a spoiler and I still get compliments on this car! It will be a long time before I trade this baby in!

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  Drives as good as my BMW 3! - 2010 Mazda Mazda3
  By Franklin - April 29 - 4:56 pm

  Hugs the roads and feels very tight on the steering. Fantastic.