Mazda 121 1994 Review

In my book, it already was the best car in its class, and the improvements take it a further step beyond the competition.  Mazda has not fiddled with the good looks of the 121, a car that is immediately recognisable on the road and demands attention.

A distinct benefit of the upright design is the roominess of the cabin, accommodating the tallest driver with an ease that is unprecedented in small cars.
Boot space is also good, even though a proper spare wheel has now replaced the nonsensical space-saver tyre used previously.  The boot lid lifts well clear of the load space, and the rear seats fold forward to enable larger items to be carried.

Price remains the bugbear of all Japanese carmakers, and the manual 1.5-litre car costs $16,695 while the auto is an extra $1305.  Mazda's price-leading model at $14,990 retains the 1.3-litre engine, does without power steering and has cheaper interior trim and wheel covers, and black (instead of body-color) bumpers.

Power

The big news for the 121 is the power boost that comes with a 1.5-litre engine, which can be driven through either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.  The extra 200cc puts the 121 into a class of its own with more power than its micro-car competitors and below the more expensive 1.6-litre small-car class.

Like the 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine, the single-cam 1.5 has electronic fuel injection and four valves per cylinder.  Power has been increased 15 per cent over the 1.3-litre unit and torque has been improved by a useful 13 per cent.

Extra grunt is particularly welcome for buyers who want air-conditioning, particularly in automatic models, although the test car came with the manual gearbox.  The 1.3-litre 121 was noted for ease of driving and ability to potter along without having to change gears continually.

For those looking at the 1.5 engine, the news is only better with an impressive spread of torque and the electronic injection providing crisp response.

On the road

Gear-shifting is easy and the ratios are nicely spaced, although the engine's roar at highway speeds seems to call for slightly taller gearing in fifth.  Perhaps that is why fuel economy for the manual averaged 9.0 litres/100km in the week's test.

While it may look tall, the 121 performs well in all conditions whether easy cruising or pushing hard through corners.  The gearing seems well matched to the engine's torque and the crisp response is noticeable from the driver's seat.

The competition

The 121 stands out with its ability to fit into more than one category, taking on a wide variety of rivals.  It is cheaper and better than the Honda Civic Breeze 3-door hatch, which enters the stakes at $18,990 with a 1.5-litre carburettor engine.

Korean carmaker Hyundai has not been hit with the price rises forced on the Japanese by currency movements.  That makes the 1.5-litre Excel a strong rival with the LS sedan at $16,990 - but it has nowhere near the style of the Mazda.

Mitsubishi's Lancer is also available with a 1.5-litre engine at $19,086 for the sedan and $19,402 for the 5-door hatch.  For something completely different, there is the Russian-built Lada Sable sedan at $12,990 - a willing performer but without the 121's style.

An extra 200cc for the Mazda leaves a range of 1.3 litre cars lagging behind.  These include the Daihatsu Charade in 3-door hatch from $15,910 and 5-door hatch from $16,345; the Ford Festiva 5-door hatch at $15,174; and the Suzuki Swift sedan from $16,890.

Holden's Barina 5-door hatch at $15,760 is, like the Festiva, being run out ahead of a new model. So you can probably do better than the official prices.