1990 Mazda 323 DX review from North America
"Reliable little fortress"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The exhaust system rusts quickly and 2 sections needed replacing within the past 2 years.
The radiator cracked at 195,000KM.
Both ball-joints needed replacing.
Clutch was completely worn at 250,000KM.
Drive mechanism is now starting to wear.
Driver's side door is falling off due to rust.
The taillights are barely holding on to the rusted trunk hatch.
General comments?
This is quite possibly one of the longest lasting, hardest working, most dependable automobiles I have ever encountered.
The mechanical integrity will probably never be matched. Not a single thing has gone seriously wrong in the past 260,000KM.
The seats are uncomfortable for anything longer than a 2 hours drive.
The dome light works when it wants to.
The doors leak water through the seals and often wet the seats and/or occupants.
The noise level rivals that of a rock concert at highway speeds.
Although it was probably never meant to, I have easily reached speeds of 170KM/H (100MPH) and the engine is still as strong now as it was 2 years ago.
I have driven 126,000KM back and forth between Montreal and Toronto in the past 2 years and I have never had to worry about breaking down.
Fuel economy rivals that of a hybrid electric I'm sure, with 650KM on a half tank.
Comfort and ride come second to quality and durability and for that I am eternally greateful to Mazda for having built such an incredible car.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6L 4 Cylinder Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 146000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 260000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 21st October, 2002 |