1990 Mazda 323 LX 1.6i from Croatia

Summary:

Fast family sedan combined with a sports car

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

The car is great. Family sedan and a sporty little beast.

It handles great. You really have to do something stupid to loose control. With good tires it handles good on snow too.

Engine is the best part of the car. Likes to rev, it pulls from 2000rpm all the way to 7000 rpm stronger and stronger.

The cabin is great, the plastic is high quality and looks like new even after 13 years.

Seats are also like new, very comfortable and they hold you in place in curves.

I think that if you would scratch all the color of the car and put it underwater, it will not rust!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th December, 2003

1990 Mazda 323 DX 1.6L 4 Cylinder from North America

Summary:

Reliable little fortress

Faults:

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.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st October, 2002

1990 Mazda 323 18i 16v from Belgium

Summary:

Its is a fast and nice car

Faults:

When I changed my car radio the fuse blow, replaced it myself I'm proud of that.

General Comments:

It is a fast car (i love that)

Cheap 750 euro (about 730 dollar)

And smooth in curves.

Very comfortable seats.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th September, 2002

17th Oct 2016, 12:58

I owned one of those, and the seats were the only letdown for me. My back would be killing me 2 hours into a trip, sold it after a few months. Otherwise, very reliable and stylish.

1990 Mazda 323 Hatchback 1.6 liter 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

A 10-year+ love affair!

Faults:

I'd had only a few very, very tiny complaints/problems in more than 10 years...

The foam that holds apart the horn contacts went bad, and the horn thus went off all by itself, as happened to another reviewer (fixed that easily with some foam from a shipping carton!).

The design of the windows/doors/roof means that water pours inside if you have the window down a little for ventilation, or to help defog, when it's raining.

The defog system for the windshield isn't the greatest; I often have to open the window, too.

General Comments:

The things I listed above are such minor points! I've never, ever put any money into my 323 Hatchback, other than routine maintenance, and it sips gas.

I've had this car since it was new, and I love it. I'm sorry that it will one day have to go to the great car lot in the sky, and that I can't buy the same model all over again.

I'm pretty small. The car probably wouldn't be all that comfortable for a six-footer!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th January, 2002

25th Jan 2003, 11:59

Commenting on your review: Being a 6 footer, my little 323 is still the most comfortable car in this class I have ever driven. Good leg room and almost perfect placing of all controls. Anyone over 6feet tall might have problems seeing the top of the speedometer (blanketed by the steering wheel).

13th Sep 2004, 14:13

I have had my little 323 hatchback since July and I love it. Although two weeks ago someone ran in to my passenger side door and smashed it in, but that's alright because I'm getting a new door and a paint job, and I just got my system installed. But overall I have had no problems except that I just put a new clutch in it, but that's my own fault.

17th Oct 2016, 18:05

I would simply install a new push button switch onto the steering wheel hub and wire the existing horn to that, correct.