So what is your opinion of the worst vehicle that Mazda has ever sold?

Since I can only attest to 80's and on Mazda's sold in the US, my pick is the Mazda 626 (Mark 5) 1998-2002. This car was closer to Buick than Zoom-Zoom. It was so bland-ugly, soft, dull and uncompetitive.

It is as if the following Mazda6 that came after wasn't even from the same car company. But it was a really bad period for Mazda in general.

And this one even has a pinstripe and a spoiler!

 

agree with you on the 626 . The rear wheel drive 626 before that was a great car and the mazda 6 after it was/is as well .

 

The RX-8.... oops uh I mean I'd agree on the 626

 

here in EU this one IMHO:

a rebranded Ford Fiesta (one of the ugliest version, BTW)

it was selled in the latests years of 90's.....the "dark years" for Mazda....

years after i've read that in those years there was a project to transform Mazda into a brand of re-branded Fords for some markets (ex. Asia)...brrrrr.......

 

^ Just Googled. Yes that generation Mazda 121 was an ugly little car. The four door reminds me of the ugly little Geo Metro 4DR we had here.

 

^ absolutely not ugly IMHO...that car it's cartoons-inspired.....i love it

there was also a version with folding roof in texile material.......very funny....prices of that model are increasing nowadays here...


the one you have posted and mine have nothing in common. the yellow one it's japan produced and with a 100% mazda engine and platform

the red one it's merely a Fiesta produced into Valencia Ford facility

 

The 6 I just got rid of.

 

I don't know, but the new 3 is pretty damn ugly

 

Anything with a rotary in it.

 

The 92-95 Mazda 929 would be up there for me. Their styling was impressive for the time, somewhat similar to the Cosmo of that era (Smooth lines, frameless windows). Oh yes, those windows; the regualators are much more prone to failure than they should be and cost twice as much as any other Mazda ($500). The back regulators would fail even when not being used . It came with no glovebox, no tilt steering, and half the trunk space of the previous 929 (Literally). The doorpanels are super fragile and you have to tug on them in pulling the handle to shut the door. When they break they retail for $1000 from Mazda. The AC compressor was $1800 when last I saw a price on it. The brakes seemed to be undersized and the shocks under-engineered for a car of it's weight leading to early warpage of the former and premature leak failure of the latter.

All style, little substance. High cost!

Paul.

 

Didn't realize the 929 had such expensive parts. I thought it looked good though. An original design along with the Infiniti J30 of the time.

 

The Cosmo with the 20b.

 

ban.

 

 

def the 626

 

I'm pretty sure nobody has a chance of beating this, no matter how bad you hated the 626, 929 or 3.

What a piece of ****. There's no gutter below this thing.

Win.

 

Maybe the Carol?
Probably the Millenia. If you are OK with the looks (yuck), just drive one for a while. It'll change you mind.
Then service one, just to be sure.

 

I give you the ,,,, 1983-1987 Mazda 626 Hatchback

 

Funny how it seems many of them are even uglier in American versions. Because even if it's ugly, if you make it big, some Americans will like it :P

 

I liked that 626 generation and thought the 5DR hatchback was great. The turbo GT models were killer for the time. Much more interesting, fast and sporty compared to the Camcord.

Too bad people still don't like 5DR hatchbacks to this day...the last generation 6 hatch was sweet.

 

seat belt fastened. the viking from norway started a flame.......

 

I have to agree 100%.

I don't know if I got a late lemon or what but of all of the cars I've ever owned [2 American cars too out of 6] my Mazda 6i crapped out on me before it made 50k miles.

Over on the Mazda6 club there were people taking about oil problems and I know my 6 use to drink oil more than my RX-8 but I think there was a deeper problem with those engines than Mazda would say.

Nice looking car.
Almost too good for a FWD the way it handled but to have a major engine meltdown before 50k is......
I don't have the words for it.

 

How about the fact that the Cosmo was only available in AT?

 

Mazda Navajo... a Ford Explorer with a Mazda badge on it

 

I had an 03 6i that was running strong as ever at 88k miles when I totalled her. I bought her at 40k too. I redlined her multiple times a day too. Who knows.