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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  Disappointed with mileage and performance - 2004 Mazda Tribute
  By maskita - April 2 - 2:06 pm

  Purchased used with 106K on the clock, now has 113K. We were attracted to the exterior styling and interior features of the 2004 Mazda Tribute. It gives a very stable and comfortable ride. I hate the poor air conditioning controls. When you select the A/C, you cannot select which vents (high or low) the air comes out of, unlike the Toyotas and Hondas that I am accustomed to. The V6 engine pulls fairly well at low speeds, but seems to have a difficult time maintaining 70 mph on some highway inclines. I expected better than 22 mpg from a modern Japanese vehicle of this size. Would not buy another one.

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  Very Happy With This Vehicle - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By kev604 - April 2 - 11:03 am

  The Mazda5 is the modern family vehicle for todays small families. Very stylish on the outside yet you get the feeling this vehicle was designed from the inside out with the driver in mind. I own a platinum silver Touring (GT in Canada) automatic. Ive had the vehicle for a month. Would of never considered purchasing a Mazda till I saw the 5. Researched the vehicle & was very impressed, test drove it & fell in love with it. The only thing that held us back from buying was the longterm reliability of Mazda. Although improving dramatically the past few years it doesnt have the track record of Toyota; then again nobody does. In the end the quality and value of the package was too good to pass up.

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  excellent car - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By joel - April 2 - 8:06 am

  I love this car. Got it used but have had no problems with it. It has dual overhead cams which means a more powerful than average engine. Car handles very well and has enough power even with a full load of passengers and a full trunk. Get about 23 mpg in the city and about 29 mpg highway which isnt bad for a 2 liter engine.

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  Run Far Far Away... - 2004 Mazda RX-8
  By gregtheowner - April 2 - 7:00 am

  I bought my 2004 Mazda RX8 in 2004 - brand new with 4 miles on it. I treated this car like royalty: and it didnt matter. Engine was replaced at 20k for warranty - THEN the engine failed again just 2k outside of warranty - I paid $7,000 for repairs; The spark plugs cost $100 a piece, Tires are $200. MUST have premium gas (At premium prices) and MPG is horrible. $5 in gas wont get you out of your neighborhood. Now -2012 - I finally got rid of it. PROBLEMS from day one til the last day. Car shuts off at red lights, when its too cold, and when its too hot. MUST warm-up engine for 15 min. before driving anywhere - I can go on for days but my space here is limited. DO NOT BUY a 2004 Mazda RX8

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  Whats not to Love - 2009 Mazda Mazda6
  By Fast Eddy - April 1 - 3:40 pm

  Very Stylish best of all the sedans. Very quick acceleration, smooth transmission shifting. Handles curves like a real sports sedan should, yet has a very pleasant ride on the highway and over bumps, the 18” wheels are a plus. The car is roomy with options that you would normally find in cars twice the price. Overall: The best car I drove in its class by alot.

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  $$ well spent - 2005 Mazda Mazda6
  By Ryan Delman - April 1 - 9:46 am

  This car is a blast to drive and well engineered, inside and out. My complaints are relatively few and are generally cosmetic or insignificant to the avg driver. First, the cars turning radius is pretty wide which can be a pain if you need to do a quick K- turn because there winds up being nothing quick about it. Also, the red dash lights seem a bit toy-ish, almost something very "early80s/Atari-esque" about them. However, on the positive side, much ado has been made of nothing where this cars lack of low end torque is concerned because although the 192 lb/ft dont kick in until mid-may up the RPM scale, the torque band does flatten out right where the cars max hp of 220 kicks in.

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  The CUV to beat - 2014 Mazda CX-5
  By hammer105 - March 31 - 7:24 pm

  I purchased a CX5 after spending 3 months looking and waiting for the new RAV4. I actually purchased a RAV4 but waited 2 month for a FWD in the northeast before giving up. I always liked the look of the CX5 exterior better but was really drawn to the passenger view of the interior on the RAV4. The 2013 RAV4 XLE would have cost me about $2.5K less than the 2014 CX5 Touring with Sunroof and a few extras that are standard in the RAV4 (excise tax larger). I would have got the Grand Touring but did not want leather or the low profile tires. The CRV was to boring and was not that impressed with the rest of the competition although some can be found with better prices. To many angles in the escape and I found them to be expensive with options. From a driving perspective the CX5 was always better and the gas mileage is impressive on the 120-mile ride home from the dealer it averaged 34.7 at 65-70 mph on the computer and is still above 30. The car looks like it’s a BMW except it looks more aggressive. The seats are comfortable and the ride very smooth and quite. Like Toyota they are using long life fluids and most last over 100K. As a side note I traded a Mini cooper 40+ to the gal and would leave any of these cuv’s for dust on a windy road with 2 people inside. I also have two Toyota,s shame on Toyota for not giving customers what they want when they make it, regional bull$h$#. All the manufactures need to take their apple heads off and just make the inboard computer a fully customizable computer the owner/buyer of the vehicle can fully customized to their taste i.e. picture of your kids or dog comes up instead of their logo, vehicle status screens with temp gauge, audio screen so on and on, although both the Toyota and the CX5 are getting close. As for resell value that’s a bit like the stock market will a RAV4 build in Canada hold its value more than a CX5 built in Japan, what if gas goes to $6 a gallon and who cares if you keep it for a while because if you don’t you might as well lease. I feel this is the car to beat in this segment and I am sure Mazda will keep adding to it. Mazda try to make a profit this year as your cars are no cheaper than the compertition.

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  Great 6s - 2005 Mazda Mazda6
  By sreid - March 31 - 1:10 am

  When I want to go some place fast, comfortably and cheap, I take the 6. I have several other cars but the Mazda is my favorite. I leave her home in nasty weather, thus the low annual mileage. So far I have just had routine maintenance.

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  A drivers SUV - 2008 Mazda CX-9
  By SwissDog - March 30 - 6:46 pm

  I have been driving a Mazda 3 5-door for the past 4 years. That vehicle drove great and had amazing feel in the wheel-just as good as my wifes 2002 325i. Getting behind the wheel of the CX9 was seamless... no difference in feel. There is definitely more mass but thats what you get for a big vehicle.

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  Happy camper - 2001 Mazda Millenia
  By rippen - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Purchased my Millenia new even though my best friend could have sold me a loaded HondaEX V6 for the same price. "were still best friends" This car is the best Kept secret, Everything about this car is excellent. My favorite thing is the look of this car is the Look. The new 6 isnt even close. IMHO. Later!