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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  shifting troubles - 2002 Mazda Truck
  By clark, md - September 4 - 2:00 am

  Styling on the b2300 are nice. I bought this truck because of its automatic transmission. What a mistake, it has a clunk when it shifts gears. In one 140 mile trip, it did this 165 times. The dealer tells me this is normal, madza refused to do anything. Also it is the ROUGHEST riding truck I have ever been in. Hitting a rough section of highway is an adventure. I have 250 lbs of weight in the back and run 25 lbs of air in the tires to try to help this. This will be my last madza (ford) purchase. Anybody who considers buying one is a poor misguided soul.

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  Drivers 3-row CUV more upscale than before - 2016 Mazda CX-9
  By jcpharm - September 3 - 8:37 pm

  Wrote this on kbb already so just adding my 2 cents here as well. Quick take: Pros(+) nice exterior/interior (albeit subjective) considerable low-end torque gives more than adequate acceleration with no discernable turbo lag great handling for the class (drives much smaller than its size) MUCH quieter than other Mazdas Heads Up Display (HUD) is pretty cool and safer since you dont have to look around as much at the dashboard or nav-display - even blindspot warnings appear in the HUD) safety package (for GT trim) includes blindspot monitoring, lane-departure warning/assist, adaptive headlights, auto-highbeam, automatic brake support, rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control) Fuel-efficient for the class (21/27 - 23 combined EPA) CONS(-) Cargo area is probably amongst worst in class (71 cubic ft vs. Honda Pilot 100 cubic ft) AC does not seem as strong as before no ventilated seats, no heated rear seats, no panoramic roof, no handsfree auto liftgate Not a lot of extra power after 2-3k rpm (but honestly i havent had to push the engine in those ranges) 6-way power drivers seat adjustment vs. 8-way (height) adjustment in competitors 3rd-row seats are probably only usable for small kids Towing rating is 3500# which is below competitors overall, the cons dont mean that much to me since i only have 2 kids, dont tow, and dont need a ton of cargo but for those who need those things, those might be deal-breakers. personally the steering/handling and interior quality and quiet but comfortable ride are what did me in. so overall i really like the car and think you get a lot of value for the money.

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  Worst Car I Have Ever Owned - 2006 Mazda Mazda6
  By xlr824 - September 3 - 10:13 am

  Lets start with the good parts. The car handles great and looks great. It is very comfortable. Now the bad. The car has been in the shop 12 times in 14 months. Everything from lumbar supports breaking (twice) to a fuel pump failure and several things in between. This is the 4th new Mazda I have owned in the past 6 years. I have been waiting a month for Mazda to make any decision on what they are going to do to satisfy their "good" customer on a car that has been a true "piece". The true quality of a company is shown not when everything is well but how they handle it when it is not well.

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  LuVmAzDa - 2008 Mazda Mazda3
  By Zippie - September 3 - 1:16 am

  I traded up from a 2002 Honda Civic LX. I was a little iffy about trading a Honda for a Mazda as I have never driven one, but Im so glad I did. I love this little car, it handles like an Infiniti and even the interior is comparable to the Infiniti. This little car is surprisingly fast and it has that agressive street racing look. I love this car. :)

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  Zoom, zoom, zoom! - 2004 Mazda Mazda6
  By milocat - September 2 - 4:10 pm

  This car is by far one of the better ones Ive owned & it is by far the most fun to drive. Ive been a Honda owner many times, but this car has changed my thinking. I love the heated leather seats, steering controls, & best of all, the sport shift stick. The hatch on the wagon is easy to open and close, hard to say about most vehicles (Im only 53" tall). This car is really a headturner & people are always asking me what it is and commenting on the sporty styling. It is easy to get my son in/out of the car & the hatch makes it so easy to load groceries, strollers, etc. If youre in the market for a smaller SUV and want something that gets good gas mileage, heres your best bet.

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  What car do these other people have? - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By vitden21 - September 1 - 10:01 am

  Have read other reviews of the CX5 and am wondering what Im missing. I purchased the Touring model with the Bose/moonroof package. The Bose system is pretty awful. All the sound seems to come out of the center speaker. The vocals sound tinny and no adjustment of the treble and bass seem to make much difference unless bass is turned all the way up and treble all the way down. And the interior is so cheaply made! The floor carpeting pulls away every time I try to remove the floor mats to vacuum.The driver side cloth covered armrest is already showing some sign of wear and Ive only had the vehicle for 30 days. Very disappointing. So is the bird chirping sound the engine started making.

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  On my 2nd Mazda3 - 2007 Mazda Mazda3
  By JJ - August 31 - 10:16 am

  My first car (05 3 s) was a lemon but I liked everything except its reliability so Im trying again (with extended warranty). I got a White Pearl GT 5door and so far so good. 5spd auto seems to get better mileage than my old 4spd so thats a plus. Handles very well, frictionless steering and the ride is nice and firm. There is some body roll because of the high weight but its nicely controlled. I love the heavy feel of the car and the dynamic driving experience. Also, the looks of the car still draw lots of compliments. The 07 model seems to have fixed the problems w/my 05- weak a/c, rear brake dust, harsh shifting auto transmission. Im relieved and can now enjoy the ride!!

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  A bargain - 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Aelfric - August 31 - 4:33 am

  The best car Ive ever owned, it has awesome handling, great acceleration and brakes, is super FUN to drive. I prefer the manual top - simpler, less expense, less to break, and actually very quick and easy to raise and lower. Beautiful all around. My only complaint is that its a little too snug inside - Im over 6 tall and I cant stretch out my legs. I have to move the seat slightly forward to recline the seatback at all. I have to force my butt all the way back to the seat back to avoid back pain. But unlike previous generations, I can now tilt adjust the steering wheel so my knees dont jam against it. Perfect for someone shorter who likes to drive. The best buy convertible by far.

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  A nice car that somehow is made cheaply - 2008 Mazda Mazda3
  By ejh - August 30 - 1:53 pm

  Ive had this car for 15 months and 18k miles. It is a fun car and until recently I would recommend it to anyone. Ive had a few things go wrong that should never be an issue, especially for a Japanese car. Some are minor, some are not: * The plastic battery box cover broke the first time I opened it. * The gas cap broke, with part of it stuck on the filler tube. * The clutch is not working right. Something inside the clutch assembly broke causing poor engagement/disengagement of the clutch, which is felt as a notchy, clicking sensation in the pedal. The actually clutch friction plate is fine (this is not an issue due to poor manual driving skills). * Stock tires only lasted 17.5K.

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  Still a great car! - 1999 Mazda Protege
  By LeiInSeattle - August 30 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car brand new after graduation from college back in May, 1999. ES model I added powered sunroof. When I drove out of the dealer room, its only 13 miles on its odometer, now its almost 47000 miles. So far I had 3 problems, first happened in Twin Cities, MN in 2000, check sign was always on falsely, esp. during rainy and damp days, finally fixed it after several trips; Next happened in 2002 CD player didnt work, probably due to some scrached CD effect, changed a new player and another to make it work again. Both of above were under warranty. So I didnt pay a buck at all.