Mazda 323 Reviews

Many things in life can't be done twice. Being born, reading War and Peace and jumping off a decent cliff are all prime examples, but going back in time is something you can't even do once.

Mazda first sold cars in Australia in the 1960s and was a minor player for quite a few years as Australians were very suspicious about cars coming from Japan in those days. How things have changed.The Mazda 323 first arrived as an interesting little rear-wheel-drive hatch in February 1977. These are very scary as used cars nowadays, probably because most have rusted away, they were shockers when the tin-worm took hold. Despite that bad start Mazda persisted and the 323 came into its own with a new generation model launched in August 1994, which is where we pick them up in this used-car checkout. The Mazda 323 had become became a front-wheel-drive in 1980 as small rear-drivers were being phased out by all makers. Interestingly, Ford Laser is a Mazda 323 with minor changes, they were assembled in Sydney and not finished to quite the same high standard. To this day, the Mazdas hold a higher regard.Mazda's name really started to lift, when the 323 was replaced by a new model called the Mazda3 in 2004 - indicating that Mazda saw it as being in the 3 Series BMW class - well almost. The humble little 323 benefited from this push to a stronger image and plenty are on the used-car market to this day. Obviously they are getting on in years, but get yourself a good one and you can be sitting pretty in a well built, long lasting machine.The 323 is simple to drive and handles reasonably well for its class and age. It has good ride comfort on most roads, but doesn't like rough and ready back roads - and some suburban roads in Australia can fall into this category. Try the little Mazda on these on your pre-purchase test drive.The Mazda 323 was offered as a four-door sedan, four-door hardtop, five-door hatchback and a station wagon. The sedan from 1994 until 1996 continued to use the old body, first released in 1989. Interesting attempts were made to push Mazda 323 into the luxury segment. Between 1994 and 1998 it even came with the option of a V6 engine. That Mazda 323 V6s were overpriced but are worth hunting down on the used market as the engine is delightfully smooth - though in the manner of European cars it does need lots of revs to get the best from it. Four-cylinder engines in the Mazda 323 have capacities of 1.6 and 1.8 litres, the 1.6 being by far the most common. Gearbox options are five-speed manual and either three or four-speed automatic transmission. The three-speed auto was only used on the lower cost models and only until 1996, when it was replaced by a four-speed. Around town the three-speed works well enough, on the open road the engine is pretty busy.Mazda's 323 is reasonably easy to work on. As is often the way with Japanese cars it's sometimes best to remove the complete engine/ transmission assembly when doing anything more than the more basic of repair work. Good amateur mechanics can do smaller jobs, but as always we recommend anything concerning safety should only be done by professionals.Because of the latter day sales success, the Mazda dealer network is widespread and there are dealers in most country towns of any size. Spare parts are generally readily available, though some less-common bits for the oldest models are starting to become scarce.Insurance premiums are moderate and we don't know of any of the major insurers that differentiate between the four and six-cylinder engines.Ford's Laser, sold from 1981 till 2002, was heavily based on the Mazda 323, though not the six-cylinder engine, offering a further source for spare parts. Laser was built in Sydney and quality wasn't as high as in cars made in Japanese, so beware second-hand bits.Check the engine's cam-drive belt has been replaced according to the servicing schedule. Failure to do so can cause expensive engine damage.Be cautious of engines that blow smoke from the exhaust, especially under hard acceleration. Let it idle for about a minute before carrying out this test. Manual gearboxes should be light and simple in their operation. Any reluctance to go into a lower gear should be treated as a likely problem.Be wary of an automatic transmission that is either reluctant to change, too eager to change, or which is harsh when it does change gears.Sun-damaged paint, at its worst on the horizontal surfaces, is common in Mazda 323s that have spent most of their life parked outside.The interior trim generally stands up well. Again, sun damage, this time on the top of the dash, can be a problem.Rust is unusual in the Mazda 323s of this era. To be on the safe side check the lower areas of the car's body, around the front and rear windscreens and the fuel filler cap.Drive the car with the steering on full lock in one direction then the other and listen for clicking sounds from the front-axle universal joints.

Mazda3 has been at the top of the sales races in Australia many times in the last few years. Today we take a look at how honourable ancestor, the Mazda 323, fares in the used-car market. The 323 was offered with a full range of bodies: four-door sedan, four-door hardtops, five-door hatch and station wagon. While the

No matter how schmick the car looks, though, at this sort of money there are probably one or two expensive time bombs lurking within it.

Mazda has often done things differently. Rather than serve up similar cars to everyone else they have often trodden a different path and come up with something a little more interesting than the run-of-the-mill offerings from their rivals. Their use of the rotary engine is a prime example, the MX5 sports car is another, but it if that’s not enough to convince you, take a look at the new RX8. It was no different back in 1994 when Mazda unveiled its new 323 and redefined what a small car could be.Before that 323 small cars were generally unsophisticated, rather plain cars you bought if you couldn’t afford to run a real car. They were essentially a cheap and cheerful means of transport with little charisma, but the 323 challenged those notions with a package that was stylish and sporty, while at the same time still offering the practicality demanded of a small car as an everyday driver.The styling of the 323 was what grabbed your attention right off the bat. It was low and sleek with fast lines and slim pillars that gave it a pillarless look reminiscent of a sporty coupe rather than a regular three-box sedan that might normally be seen doing duty outside schools or in supermarket parking lots. This was a small car you would just as likely see in the business end of town as in the suburban sprawl.MODEL WATCHThere were three body styles offered, from the entry level four-door Protege sedan, through a practical five door Astina hatch to the stylish V6 Astina four-door hardtop that topped the range.All three models were based on a new platform that had a longer wheelbase, wider track both front and rear, and shorter overhangs at each end.Despite appearances to the contrary the swoopy lines of the 323 didn’t result in a cramped interior. With its cab-forward design and short overhangs the interior space was actually improved over the previous model, with most benefit going to the Protege’s rear seat passengers. Rear seat passengers in the five-door hatch weren’t so fortunate and they had to endure slightly more cramped accommodation. Accommodation for rear seat passengers in the sporty Astina hardtop was quite good.On the road the 323’s enlarged footprint and stiffened body structure resulted in impressive road holding.Under the swoopy skin lay conventional MacPherson Strut front suspension and twin trapezoidal links were employed at the rear. The essential difference between the three models was in the damping rates of the shock absorbers. In addition the sporty Astina hardtop boasted firmer rate springs and sticky low profile tyres on alloy rims that further enhanced its ride and handling.For power the Protege relied on a 1.6-litre twin cam four cylinder engine that had four valves per cylinder and multipoint fuel-injection, and thanks to some improvements in engine management was putting out 80 kW of power at 6000 revs and 143 Nm at 3500 revs.There was also a 1.8-litre version on offer as an option in the Protege and standard in the Astina hatch, and that delivered a little more power and torque with peak power boosted to 92 kW and top torque upped to 160 Nm.The base gearbox on both the Protege and Astina hatch was a sweet shifting five-speed manual, but for an extra spend you could replace the manual cog-swapper with a four-speed auto.All three models in the 323 range were attractive in their own right, but the stunning Astina hardtop that came to symbolise the whole range overwhelmed the Protege sedan and Astina hatch.It’s not surprising really because it was a stunner, and it still looks stunning today. It was low and lean, with a swept back profile that screamed sporty. The slim centre pillar gave the profile an elegant simplicity that evoked images of the sharp pillarless sedans built in America back in the 1950s and ’60s. In short it was a four-door sports sedan, not unlike the RX8 is today.The ride was firm and the handling sporty to match the spirited performance from the 2.0-litre V6 under the sloping bonnet. The V6 was only available in the Astina hardtop, and it was tuned for top-end performance.Its peak power of 104 kW came in at 6000 revs, while its torque peak of 183 Nm was at 5000 revs. While that seems high, and suggests that it’s a high end screamer with little zip available low down in the rev range, the five-speed manual gearbox was well matched to the engine’s characteristics and that meant it was pleasant to drive. If pressed the power would flow freely from low down in the rev range right through to the upper limits which neared 7000 revs.Standard features were central-locking, power mirrors, power steering, radio-cassette. Air-con was an option. Airbags and ABS were standard on the hardtop, but didn’t become available on the other models until 1996.IN THE SHOPEarly 323s will now be approaching 200,000 km so prospective buyers should be aware that the chances of striking problems are increased. Generally Mazdas are quite robust and reliable, and give little trouble, but buyers should be looking for signs that components like clutches, engine drive and timing belts, and exhaust systems may need replacing.Check for signs of hard or uncaring use. Look for bumps and scrapes on the body and bumpers, and wheel trims and alloy wheels for damage that indicates it’s been driven into kerbs. Heavy gouging on alloy wheels could mean damage to the suspension and drive lines that should be checked out.Lift the engine oil filler cap and take a look inside for any build up of sludge that could be a sign of engine wear and a lack of proper maintenance.And always look for a service record, which can provide an indication that the mileage shown on the odometer is correct, as well as an indication of regular servicing.LOOK FOR:• sporty styling that has retained its appeal• solid body structure• robust and reliable mechanicals• good road holding• zippy performance

Mazda boosted the power of the 323 sedan and hatch with a 1.8-litre engine, and added 15-inch alloy wheels.The wheel and tyre upgrade  which includes a full set of five-spoke alloys and 195/55R15 tyres replaces the previous 14-inch steel wheels.All this is standard on 323 Shades models, which go on sale this week.The Shades models have standard equipment including airconditioning, dual airbags, four-wheel-disc brakes, CD player and an alloy-look centre console. Prices start at $19,990 for the 92kW, 1.8-litre 323.The 323 Shades series comprises the Protege sedan and Astina hatch.Metallic paint is a no-cost option and Silver Contrail metallic paint has been added to the Astina hatch's pallet of 10 exterior colours.A power pack, which includes electric windows and mirrors, is optional for $700, while the four-speed automatic transmission adds $1840.

We've heard some big promises from Mazda over the past year. Promises of a new rotary-powered RX-8, a go-getter MX-5 replacement and a return to the good looks and driving enjoyment of the early 1990s in everything from the baby 121 upwards. The first of those promises has just been delivered in the shape of the 323

A brief test drive at the Japan Automobile Research Institute test track near Tokyo confirmed the car has the engineering and dynamics to make it one of Australia's most popular driver's cars. Mazda calls it the Lantis.Styling is bold, incorporating the best elements of Mazda's dream run of great-looking cars including the MX-5, MX-6, 626 and Eunos 30X (MX-3 in some markets).When you hop into the hatch or sedan, you immediately notice the extra space. It comes from a 105mm increase in the wheelbase and shorter overhangs, particularly at the rear for the hatch.But the big revelation comes when you switch on the ignition and put your foot on the accelerator. The test cars were all powered by Mazda's potent 2.0 litre 24-valve V6 with a healthy 125kW power at 7000rpm and 180Nm of torque at 5500rpm.When the cars come to Australia, Mazda will also offer the current 1.8-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine with power lifted 8kW to 100kW at 7000rpm and torque up 5Nm to 160Nm at 4500rpm. Mazda is also likely to retain its price-leading 1.6-litre engine.But the V6, essentially the unit from the Eunos 500, is the engine that people will talk about. It provides scintillating performance when matched to the lighter body of the 323. Acceleration is impressive from this willing engine. Top speed in Japan is electronically limited to 180kmh, a speed quickly reached by the manual hatch and achievable with the automatic.Japanese cars usually have a softer suspension than the cars sent to Australia, but the Lantis/323 gives no hint of its more supple settings. The suspension arms have been extended to avoid big changes to the geometry, and the front dampers include built-in rebounding springs for stability and drive comfort.For the V6, 16-inch alloy wheels with low-profile 50-series tyres provide the strong grip required by this level of performance. On-road agility is appreciably better than the current 323 models, and cornering is precise with improved feel to the steering.Mazda has upgraded the car's body rigidity which, combined with the light weight and short overhangs, produces sure handling with minimal noise and vibration. Disc brakes all-around are standard while anti-lock brakes, driver's and front passenger's airbags, and a glass sunroof are optional.Although the V6 version will not be cheap when it arrives in Australia, it will provide an alternative for those whose budget does not quite stretch to the V6powered 626.