Car Reviews: Mazda

Mazda has made its name as one of the best sports cars as well as road cars. Futuristic design, superb performance and fantastic charm ensure that this car make continues to grow as one of the most popular, trustworthy and reliable in the world. Faring equally as good on the track as one the road, there is no shortage of models available for both the car fanatic and the sensible driver. Here’s a look at a couple of good-looking, sporty Mazdas, as well as a couple of sleek-looking, sensible driving Mazdas.

Mazda RX-8

A high performance sports car, the Mazda RX-8 can offer hours of fun on a race track.  That is if the petrol doesn’t run out.  Even with the RX-8s poor fuel consumption, it proved to be a very popular car amongst car fanatics until Mazda stopped production of it in 2010.  In its 7 year life, the RX-8 offered a unique rotary engine which meant its 1.3 litre engine could offer a massive 189bhp.
For used Mazda RX-8s, problems began to arise because of this unique styled engine.  As this was such an uncommon engine, repairs became difficult and the car was eventually discontinued as it could no longer compete with the CO2 emissions of other car makers.  That said, it was a great car in its time, and even now used Mazda RX-8s can provide you with just as much fun. 

Mazda 3

With the option of a 2.0 litre petrol engine, generating 118bhp, or a smooth 148bhp diesel engine, the Mazda 3 has proven to be a very popular car.  Naturally, the more powerful diesel engine has a better performance than its petrol counterpart, but that’s not saying that the petrol can’t hold its weight.  The petrol engine’s power growls and kicks and the performance gets progressively better at higher revs.  The diesel engine will provide you with nothing but top quality performance, all the way from low revs right up to top speed.  Both engines don’t disturb the peace in the cabin at all, but put your foot down and you’ll certainly hear them snarl.

Mazda 6

Like a small fish in a big pond, the Mazda 6 is competing in the saloon class with the likes of BMW.  And boy does it hold its own.  Sure, business executives are always going to go for the expensive, flashy car cakes, but it’s good to know that Mazda have a good quality, practical and, most importantly, affordable saloon out there.  With 2.0 litre petrol and 2.2 litre diesel engines available, there’s no shortage of power or performance in the Mazda.  Great handling and a reasonably comfortable ride in the cabin make the Mazda 6 a proper competitor in the saloon class.

Mazda MX-5

A fun little sports, this is.  Actually, that’s understating it a bit; it’s the best selling two-seater sports car.  Ever.  A nippy little car, neither its 1.8 or 2.0 petrol engine provide staggering power, but these coupled with the light frame of the car means that it can surely get around.  The handling proves to be the most fun aspect of this car; it’s easy to kick the back out when going around a corner on the track.  On the road, the handling is responsive and instantaneous, and it’s easy to see why it is the best selling sports car.

Author Bio:
Written by Joe Duffy, an avid car enthusiast and reviewer who enjoys long drives with only his car and the road.