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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  From M3 to Minivan - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By typhoon - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Sold the M3 for a Forester for a minivan. Test drove the Honda, and it was 2nd best - the handling wasnt as good. The extra size of the Honda wasnt appealing to a family of 3. Regarding the 3yr/30K warranty, "Honda doesnt need a good warranty to sell it" was the dealer response. Laughable. Heres our take so far on the MPV. Handling is excellent. AC is excellent. The stereo is also very good. There is NO rotten egg smell (they must have fixed that. You can feel the bumps (reminds me of the M3), but more so in the back (where I never am!). Liked the 3rd row conversion options. The engine power is OK (we tow a sailboat).

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  Needs more horses! - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By cactusrose - February 17 - 10:00 am

  This car is a hoot to drive, or it wold be, if it had a bigger engine. Everything about this car says "zippy" - the looks, the tires and especially the chassis. But when the pedal is down, wheres the zoom zoom we hear about? It just feels like an underpowered rental in the engine department. Kick the ponies up north of 175 and this car will perform like it looks and handles.

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  door lock actuators fail a lot NO Recall - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By mpvfixer - February 16 - 2:13 pm

  Good overall van, BUT be ready to spend $150 plus for the door lock actuators when they fail about every two years. This is the price for the PART ONLY for each door. This van we have has both front door actuators that have failed within weeks of each other in 2003. Should be a recall item as MANY others have this same problem, but Mazda does NOTHING. Be warned! Oh if you have the dealer do the work, you are looking at $350 P&L and up per door!

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  Great Little Car with Character - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By gege - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Overall great value

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  Very close to loving it - 2004 Mazda Mazda3
  By tiredofmanual - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Mazda did a great job making this car feel quite German on the highway. Its a quality that is very hard to define, but those that have driven good German cars know what Im talking about. This car is composed, quiet, and confident at high speeds. I unfortunately cannot say that I wholeheartedly love it. I have rattles in my doors that the dealership "cant" hear. My brakes sound terrible in the morning, and I think the rear pads stick. At low RPMs the engine sounds like a 20 year old Toyota that hasnt been maintained well. Its not until you push it that it actually sounds nice.

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  Fun on a shoestring budget - 2000 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By rangermutt - February 14 - 1:46 pm

  My wife has wanted a convertible for years so I wait until we moved from California to Iowa to get her one. Go figure. Actually, I drive it as a daily driver and except for a couple of big snowstorms it has served me well. My wife does get to drive it occasionally and we cannot wait for warm weather. My 16 year old daughter wants to learn how to drive a manual tranny so there will be some bonding (and praying) going on. Most fun car I have ever owned bar none! I have already gotten sideways on some corners.

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  Yahooooooooooooo - 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By RoadsterRandy - February 13 - 12:56 pm

  This car is a riot to drive. Quick, agile, fun! Shifts in the manual 6 speed are short and neat.

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  Finally A Spriting Affordable Wagon - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By JJ - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Absolute blast to drive and I get comments often on how good looking it is. The downside its not as well built as our 2001 Honda Civic. The protege5 has more annoyances at 2,000 miles than our Civic at 13,000 (these include windows that go up an down at different rates, some squeaks and rattles, and the drivers side window makes some weird sound.) The engine is adequate with lots of lower end torque, but kinda fights revving in the higher rpms. I just think its first year quirks thatll hopefully be addressed.

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  Finally A Spriting Affordable Wagon - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By jj - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Absolute blast to drive and I get comments often on how good looking it is. The downside its not as well built as our 2001 Honda Civic. The protege5 has more annoyances at 2,000 miles than our Civic at 13,000 (these include windows that go up an down at different rates, some squeaks and rattles, and the drivers side window makes some weird sound.) The engine is adequate with lots of lower end torque, but kinda fights revving in the higher rpms. I just think its first year quirks thatll hopefully be addressed.

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  Head tuner - 2005 Mazda RX-8
  By RX-8 - February 12 - 10:56 pm

  The handling on this car is excellent. The power is great at high rpm. The look of this car is like no other sport cars out there. No a lot of RX-8 owners out there, so you will turn heads as you drive around town.