While many Mazda cars have enjoyed worldwide acclaim, other models have not had the same luck. To help you avoid the latter, we review the best and worst.
Mazda is an automotive company with humble beginnings. The Mazda Motor Corporation started as the Hiroshima, Japan-based Toyo Cork Kogyo cork-making company back in 1920.
The Toyo company had the fortune of geographic luck, with the factory withstanding the 1945 Hiroshima bombing, mostly shielded from the nuclear blast by a nearby mountain.
It was shortly before the bombing that the company created a motorcycle-like vehicle called the Mazda-Go. After switching production to vehicles, however, the Mazda name still wasn’t used until 1984.
Since its time in cork-making, Mazda has created everything from sports cars to luxury SUVs. Most of the vehicles throughout its history are power-planted by a few V6s, mostly inline-four variants, and more notably, Wankel rotary engines.
Now that we’ve shared a brief look into Mazda’s history, let’s check out some of the gems in the historic Mazda car fleet, as well as a few that Mazda missed the mark on.
Mazda MX-5/Miata
If someone mentions Mazda, the first car that will likely pop into your head is the Mazda MX-5/Miata. The light, small-engine two-seater convertible can do it all. It’s a fun daily driver, a car enthusiast’s dream, or if you want to take it to the extreme, it can be a potential track weapon.
Originally released in 1989 with the first-generation NA chassis, there are now four generations of this prized ride, with the most recent sporting the fourth-gen. ND chassis.
Throughout the generations, the MX-5/Miata has come powered by inline-four engines in a variety of different displacements. The first-generation NA received a 1.6-liter engine.
The second-gen NB had a 1.8-liter engine, and the third-generation NC had up to a 2.0-liter engine. The newest edition also features a 2.0-liter power plant.
Sub-200 horsepower doesn’t work for other cars, but the recipe works with the MX-5/Miata because of how light the vehicle is. The car actually holds a Guinness World Record for “Best-Selling Two-Seat Sports Car.” So, clearly, the Miata is much loved, considering that people tend to vote with their wallets.
Mazda3
The first- and second-generation Mazda3s were built on a borrowed Ford chassis back when Mazda and Ford had a partnership spanning across four decades (1974 to 2015).
And honestly, it was not until the end of Ford’s partial ownership of Mazda that the Mazda3 became a gem on its own.
Throughout all of its generations, Mazda3s have come powered by some variant of an inline-four engine power plant putting out sub-200 horsepower.
The third-generation Mazda3 was released as both a sedan and hatchback on a new chassis that was not borrowed from Ford. The new direction gave Mazda some space to stretch its wings.
The latest fourth-generation Mazda3 has also been the first of the model range to feature all-wheel drive, adding to the features that make the Mazda3 one of the best compact sedans on the market today.
Mazda RX-7
The Mazda RX-7 was only made for three generations, but it has lived an invigorated new life in the used-car market.
The RX-7 is often a sought-after vehicle for car enthusiasts due to the tunability of the Wankel rotary engines they are powered by. The reliability of the engine type is always in question, but the potential big-digit horsepower and the unique sounds are always a car enthusiast draw.
Engine reliability of the rotary is the only negative about the car. The first-generation SA chassis was a two-seater hatchback coupe, the second-generation FC chassis was a two-seater coupe with a 2+2 option in some markets, and the third-generation chassis was the opposite: a 2+2 seater coupe with a two-seater option.
Mazda6
While the Mazda3 started its life on a borrowed Ford platform, the bigger midsize sedan Mazda6 was a Mazda from the start.
The vehicle’s first generation started in 2002, but the Mazda6 is currently on its third generation, which started in 2012. Depending on which country you are buying the Mazda6 from, the first and second generations can be had with up to seven different engine configurations as well as the same in transmission options: four-speed, five-speed, or six-speed manual transmissions.
The newest generation lowers the drivetrain options a bit, but increases the luxury and drivability options, making it one of the best midsize sedans on the market today.
Sadly, the midsize Mazda6 will be discontinued after the 2021 model year.
Worst: Mazda 626
After raving about the compact sedan Mazda3, you would think a predecessor might carry some weight and respect. With the Mazda 626, you would be wrong. The 626 had been around globally for a few decades, but it began its uneventful life in the United States back in 1998 and only stayed alive for four years before Mazda pulled the plug.
Following in the footsteps of many European brands, depending on its location, the 626 was available as a sedan, hatchback, and even a wagon. It failed to gain its own identity on what it wanted to be.
Stateside, there was a standard inline-four model, as well as a V6 model producing a whopping 170 horsepower, but the V6 was available with a manual transmission.
It was bland and boring — and you probably just opened a new tab to search for it because you never heard of it until now.
Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-7 was a well-loved vehicle. Its successor, the Mazda RX-8, had big shoes to fill — but it missed the mark.
The RX-7s were powered by Wankel rotary engines, and Mazda was sure to put the unreliable but much-needed power plant into the RX-8. That is where the good things end.
The RX-7, particularly the last generation, had the striking spaceship looks you want in a sports car. The RX-8 tried to be special in its own way, but instead of retaining any of the RX-7’s heritage, it is probably most known for its gimmicky freestyle suicide doors.
The RX-8 is unique, but in this case, unique isn’t much good, as nothing the RX-8 pioneered was really wanted in a car, or has popped up in the industry since.
The RX-8 lived a pretty long life with its rotary power plant, as it was made from 2003 to 2012, but since then, it effectively put a cork in any Mazda sports car production with the exception of the prized Miata, which is still going strong today.
Photos: Mazda
