Faults:

Radiator leaked at 12500 miles, clutch main cylinder leaked at 132000 miles. Dashboard cracked and over all the interior is deteriorating due to sun damage. Paint coating came off on the doors. Rear lights leak water into the trunk during the rain (common problem for this model). Left seal is a little bit leaking transmission fluid. Hydraulic lash adjusters (HLA) showing wear and started making tapping noise, especially in cold weather and with cheap dirty gasoline. The car consumes oil, about one quart per thousand miles.

General Comments:

I liked the car since it is roomy and it never let me down and the AC still works! But the maintenance costs are a little bit high. The good feature of this car I that it has roomy trunk and rear folding seats which are good if you transport a surfboard or pieces of furniture. Another good feature is that it has high road clearance, and it is not so problematic going over the speed bumps. Over all I invested a lot of money in this car and then sold it for $1000 since I got a new job.

Faults:

Power steering unit went bad at around 120,000 miles. Car would shake at highway speeds until it was replaced.

Heater doesn't work very well. I replaced the thermostat and cleaned out the heater core, which helped some, but it's still only enough to defrost the windows when the temperature is below freezing.

Driver's power window mechanism broke (probably from trying to open the window when it was frozen shut).

The front suspension has rubber and metal caps over the springs that wear out over time. When they break, the car makes a clunking sound when turning.

The air hose between the filter and the fuel injector wore out and cracked, causing the engine to sputter or quit when idling in gear.

Power antenna broke loose from its motor, and now stays in the up position.

No rust, but some of the paint has started to wear off.

General Comments:

Better acceleration than I expected from a 4-cylinder. It's a light car, which also helps the handling.

Not especially surefooted in heavy rain or snow. Anti-lock brakes would have helped.

Reliability has been good enough. Most of the repairs have been standard maintenance (brakes, tires, etc.). Parts tend to be a bit more pricey than domestic cars, but not too bad. Mazda uses unique engine layouts which may be confusing for the novice attempting do-it-yourself repairs.

After 150,000 miles and 5+ years without seeing the inside of a garage, it is showing its age.