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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  06 Mazda 5/Great Concept - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By Kelly - September 19 - 7:53 am

  Purchased Touring 5 new in06. 4sp ATM. Have 86,000 mix of city and hwy miles. Dealer serviced since new. Overall a great car to drive, very responsive. Great on gas at avg 26 mpg. Tire wear has been a problem, even with reg interval rotations, balance and alignments. Will be needing a third set of tires soon, and they are expensive. Not much traction in snow. Easy to get in and out of. Seats are not very comfortable for long drives. Sub par interior fit and trim. Great sound system...drowns out noise from "cupped" tire rumble. Overall a great little van, but more suited for tooling around town than for taking road trips. Would buy again if the tire wear issue were addressed.

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  Senior Citizen - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By Pep - September 17 - 5:30 pm

  We chose this vehicle for ease of entry and exit of front and middle row seats and this has proven to be an important feature for senior persons, especially for those with moderate mobility limitations. As senior owners, we have learned to miss having a front passenger arm rest for left arm. Other than for the missing arm rest, we have been very pleased with this vehicle for over 12,000 miles. Mileage ranges between 24 to 29 mpg.

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  CX-9 a Mixed Bag - 2011 Mazda CX-9
  By jetascs - September 15 - 4:28 am

  We have had our CX-9 GT AWD now for six months and the best description I can give is a “mixed bag”. There is a lot of extras for the $ but.. After 6 months I’m wishing we would have spent a little more and made another choice. Issues include; poor mileage – I have a ’06 V-8 Yukon XL 4X4 that gets better mileage both in town and HWY. Poor Navigation. There is a lot of noise inside – wind noise, road noise, gas sloshing around in the fuel tank and after six months many new squeaks and rattles surfacing. The Bose sound is nice but too much noise to really enjoy it. Interior quality looks great but not quite refined yet. Interior leather looks great and appears to be holding up well.

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  Disappointed in Ohio - 2003 Mazda Mazda6
  By bigmama4 - September 13 - 5:26 pm

  When I first bought my brand new Mazda 6 in 2003 I kept getting a burning smell in the car. The Mazda mechanic told me the smell would go away after 3 -5 thousand miles. He said it was something to do with the exhaust pipes. I can not remember how many times my brakes had to be changed and also just a month before my warranty expired I had to get rust fixed around my back wheel well. Of course they gave me a hard time but they fixed it twice because the first time looked terrible , I could have done better. Needless to say the rust came back with a fury it looks terrible,at least it is only in that one spot (strangely). Also the light cover on my front passenger door never stays on .

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  What a car! - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By SOB - September 11 - 5:40 am

  I have to say that I really enjoy owning and driving this vehicle. Mind you most of my driving miles are roughly 60-70% highway miles and I have experienced excellent mpg. I have to add that my maintenance costs have been relatively low as well, the only major repair was scheduled maintenance for the timing belt interval, two brake jobs and 2 sets of tires. I do talk highly about this car and would recommend it to someone looking for a similar type vehicle. Other notable points that maybe trivial but are annoying is the "hey your seatbelt is not buckled" alarm when you are in an idle state. It does have a stiff ride and have noticed that road noise creeps in louder as the rubber gets thinner.

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  Very Good w/ a few concerns - 2014 Mazda CX-5
  By linwood_852 - September 9 - 11:04 am

  I just hit 5K miles and overall Im very pleased with this vehicle. It handles very well, gets good gas milage (25 mpg in mixed city driving on regular octane) and has a very versatile interior. It compares favorably to my wifes Subaru Outback (better handling, more versatile interior due to 40-20-40 2nd seat) and to my former Audi Q5 (which is more luxurious and heavier built but at the expense of mpg & $15K more in price). My only concerns are excessive road/engine noise, replacement part availability, and bluetooth/audio performance.

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  Love this car! - 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Miata Lover - September 7 - 7:23 pm

  This was my first Miata. It was a mid-life crisis car and it proved all I wanted it to be! Excellent performance and a fun car to drive. Mine with the auto only gets about 21/26 mpg. It isnt as frugal as I thought. The top is the original factory top and is still in good condition. I am impressed with the reliability. It is a solid car in every respect.

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  Roll Over Accident - 2006 Mazda Tribute
  By Nicole - September 5 - 4:53 am

  I owned a 2006 Tribute. I loved it. But the day before Thanksgiving me and my 3 year old daughter were involved in a roll over accident. Witnesses say it rolled 6-7 times. It happened so fast that I couldnt be sure how many times it rolled. I had my seat belt on, my daughter was sitting behind me in her car seat. WE BOTH WALKED AWAY WITH MINOR INJURIES (some bumps) but WE WALKED AWAY. The frame held up perfectly, the door where my daughter was sitting was almost perfect except a few scratches on the top. I was so impressed with the way this suv protected us that Im going to buy another one. Its all about safety when it comes to my family and this proved safe. This time I will get the v6.

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  Will Mazda Live Up to Warranty???? - 2010 Mazda Tribute
  By John - September 4 - 8:30 pm

  Great vehicle and am pleased overall. There is one major interior disappointment. There is large gap across the entire headliner where it meets meets the front windshield area. this is is due to a large cable that goes from the rear view mirror to the rear view camera. An extremely poor installation with no thought given to a 3rd rate workmanship. At this point, Mazda says that they are ALL that way therefore not a warranty issue. Dealer is avoiding my phone calls and emails.

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  Good every day vehicle - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By bacondreamer - September 4 - 10:00 am

  This car is a great everyday commuter car but is not ideal if youre planning on taking a long distance trip. I took a 3 hr trip once and my back started to hurt about 2 hrs into the trip. There are some improvements that can be done to the engine and overall stability of the vehicle. Good interior design but can use some work on between door panel and front dashboard.