2002 Mazda 323 Sport from UK and Ireland - Comments

Nothing.

I know nothing will, it's a MAZDA!!!

The 2.0i Sport model is simply stunning. Many people may think of Mazda's to be bland and characterless, the 323F sport isn't! I cannot believe the difference from my Nissan Almera GTi. Okay the car was quicker, but it lacked style and refinement.

Anyway back to the stunning 323F, the 2.0i engine is just so smooth and quiet. I think the 0-62mph time could be improved from 9.7sec to about 9.0sec, however it feels very nippy on the move. Fuel economy of 33mpg on the combined cycle could also be improved by 2mpg I would say, but this is a performance car. The 323F Sport calls it a day at exactly 130mph, even though Mazda figures show 126mph.

At speed there are low levels of wind and road noise, the car remains taut and composed at all speeds. Some may say that the 323F is dull to drive. The problem with the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra are that their steering is just too sharp, the slightest movement and the car is off. The 323F doesn't suffer from uninvolving and lifeless steering like some other Mazda's, it is just inbetween. The steering isn't as sharp as rivals mentioned above, but it feels exactly right as it is, whether you want a relaxing Sunday drive listening to Classic FM or a boy-racer style drive listening to 95.8 Capital FM.

Saftey and security are excellent, the Sport is fitted with ABS, 4 airbags, traction control, body stability control, three rear headrests etc. Security is first class too. This is just truly an exceptional car. You get:

Climate control

E/sunroof

4 airbags

CD player

16-inch alloys

4 e/windows

Heated mirrors

Trip computer- (ave. speed/mpg etc.)

Front fogs

Body kit

Nardi leather steering wheel.

ALL FOR £13995!

This is amazing, who needs an Audi A3 that with all of this would cost about £21995 and isn't half as fun to drive. The 323F is the best Mazda I have driven, and I have driven a good few, the ride quality is sporty, but just so smooth, the car has a good low down pull, too! Buy one, I guarantee anyone who finds a single fault has spent too much time in a £50,000+ Merc or something similar.

I drive a Mazda 323F 1.6 Auto. I had it since new last March. I find, as I did in previous Mazdas, that these cars are truly fantastic. My wife's 626 is 13 years old and still going strong! Anyway, back to the 323. I also find that in spite of the fact that my car is an automatic, I get a thrill every time I drive it. It has all I require in a car. Much roomier than most family saloons especially in the back, very versatile seating, good dynamics, very well appointed and to top it all, reliability that is second to none. Price? £13500! Who can ask for more? Andrew Kirk.

Two weeks into ownership of my 2.0 sport and I can't enthuse enough about the quality of this car. Performance is strong if not red hot, although this is more than compensated for by its truly outstanding ability in the twisty bits. The level of equipment coupled with the price and reliability of the car mean that you get everything you need from a car of this type.

My only gripe so far would be it seems a little thirsty, although hopefully this will improve as the engine loosens with use.

I've done about 4500 miles so far in my 323F 2.0 sport and I'm very happy. The equipment you get is superb, everyone who has sat in it has been impressed by the interior and exterior. Handling is great and so is the mid-range acceleration, my only gripes are that it could be quicker 0-60 and it eats fuel. A good car to compare with the Mazda would be a Golf GTI TDI that has the same BHP, similar speed, but better MPG though slighly more expensive. I think the mazda looks better from the outside and a chap with a Golf TDI said the Mazda interior was better. If you want to be different then go for the mazda, for MPG go for the Golf. Mazda dealers have dropped the price of the 2.0 sport to £12500. (I'd like to hear from anyone who can tune the engine.)

Luv it Luv it Luv it.. Just purchased myself an R plate silver 323f 2.0l V6, leather throughout with all mod con electrics. Immaculate condition with low mileage. I do agree it is a bit thirsty, but man, it's a small price to pay for the sheer pleasure it brings everytime you slink into the driving seat and hear that engine rev. Get it onto either the country roads or the city bypass and its hard work to point it back in the direction of home. Out of all the cars I've owned over the years this one's by far a pure born pleasure seeker.

I purchased a new 323F 2.0 Sport 4 weeks ago and can't emphasize how much of an enjoyment it is to drive this car.

I have had an Escort 1.8si, a Megane 1.6 Sport Alize and neither come close to the Mazda. It has a lot more equipment for the price, It isn't quite as quick as the Escort, but the handling is far superior.

I can't ever remember enjoying driving a car as much as the Mazda Sport.

As mentioned all ready Mazda are selling these at £12500 New which is what I paid and have no complaints. I have also had a 6 CD changer fitted just to finish it off.

Well done Mazda.

I posted on the 17th Feb above, update... engine is getting better with use and loosening off nicely, but still can't seem to pass a petrol station without filling up. really

happy with the car still, but wish it would be a bit quicker. Tried to source a performance upgrade, but no joy. Don't get me wrong, this is a great car, I'm more than happy with it and for 12k the price to kit/car ratio is in my opinion unbeatable. Just wish it had a little more Mazda "zoom zoom".

After 2 years of driving a Mazda 626 2.0L whilst faultless and nippy, I decided at the age of 56 years I needed to up-rate my image with something a little more sporty. I got the best trade in at a Mazda garage and went for the Mazda 323F 2.0 Sport 2002 model. Whilst a little smaller inside and a slightly harsher drive than the 626, these points are forgotten against a much more exciting drive and the "WOW" factor. The seats are comfortable (especially as I am only 5'2" tall) and the visibilty is great. Much better than the 626. I have only owned the 323F for 2 weeks now, but am already planning a trip to Germany to try out the autobahns! At 2nd owner price of £8200 I think I have got a bargain, and I am beginning to feel like a NEW WOMAN.

I have just come across this comments page and as a confirmed Mazda owner (last 5 cars from new, moving down from 626 to 323 (always the toppa da range sport versions!) I'm pleased to see that other people like me value the build quality, style and sheer reliability of the Mazda as opposed to the more flashy, but less reliable makes which obsess most car mag writers these days. Yes, the 323f 2.0i Sport could be a little quicker, and yes if you floor it for most of your driving you will only get around 28 mpg, but you can drive all day and all night and not need a masseuse when you arrive. Also, nothing you can cram into the back or load elsewhere appears to affect its driving characteristics, and what I like most of all is that I keep finding new functions, ie, the aircon comes on if you select screen demist - saves you doing it yourself I suppose! I've seriously considered 'chipping' the engine to boost performance, but don't fancy boosting my insurance premium as well. That might be why Mazda have never added turbos to 323 sports versions as so many other manufacturers have done. Maybe they think we should all progress to the RX8? Happy motoring!

David O'Conor.

I have a Pearl black Mazda 323 Sport 1.8 16V sport, I bought it with 39K and now I'm at 65K.

Interior...

The interior isn't as nice as the later facelift model. In my car the interior is a light grey blocky pattern cloth. all I can say about that is that the shock gets less and less as time goes on. some of the plastics can scratch easily, but its all put together very well and durable my girlfriend likes how the passenger seat folds down to be a table :)

Exterior.

I like the body kit, its very sporty looking as standard, I have a bit of a boyracer split personality, so I decided to have some 18" alloys fitted, it has improved the look of the car and it now has more presence on the road.

However for some reason it gets mistaken for an estate sometimes by some people..

Performance and Economy.

The performance is pretty good for the 1.8 127hp engine - it pulls cleanly and with urgency at half throttle in the lower rev range. The "valves" kick in after 4000 rpm and then it screams to the redline. you can buy parts to make the engine faster from America, I found a turbo conversion while surfing though..

The economy is only just reasonable if you are very gentle with the throttle. If you drive as the car wants you to (third gear) then the car does get thirsty. I'm considering an LPG conversion.

Handling/brakes.

Brakes are fine, they look small, but are quite powerful and haven't ever faded out on me. The ABS is very clever and will cut in at the right time.

The suspension is too much on soft side as standard, it grips the roads thanks to the traction control however it tends to lean over a little too much. The traction control is a little too quick to slow you down when powering out of a bend luckily there is an off button for it.

I bought some Premium springs (progressive rate) and it has improved the comfort and road holding abilities of the car by so much, I can't even think how I even drove it with the standard suspension! now I can (if I wanted to) throw it at a bend and it will stay level.

The engine mounts are a bit too soft too, I bought an uprated one much improvement here.

Reliability..

Now this is why I love the car so much. the legendary reliabilty Mazda is famed for is totally true. one thing though after about 30k you will need new endlinks for the anti roll bar they start rattling, they are an inherently a weak design in my opinion, but the good news is they are reasonably priced (even at the dealers) and should only take an hour or two in labour to change.

I would buy one used, its definitely worth the money and a little higher mileage shouldn't be a worry these cars run forever..

I've owned a Black Metallic 02 plate 323f 2.0l Sport for the last 11 months now after owning two 94-98 323fs previously. This model is even better to drive than the previous 323f incarnation although possibly not quite as aesthetically pleasing. My previous 323f was a V6 which was great fun, but more costly to own than this version.

The 323f Sport is a genuinely fun car to drive, pretty quick off the mark and great at cornering as there's very little body roll when you do. Any twisty roads you take it down it hugs the road really well and the brakes are decent too.

The whole car is well screwed together and reliability of the car has been 1st class which has always been the case with all my 323s.

Even the interior seems nicer on this car than other cars I've checked out in the same class although for some reason trying to find one with leather interior is quite difficult. If anyone is considering getting one of these cars I would recommend it. You can get a decent one now for under 5k and they all come with air-con, traction control & electric everything. The 2001 face lift given to the 323 Sport makes it the best looking car in the whole range (especially in black!).

I BOUGHT ONE!!! BEST CAR EVER!!! BUY ONE... Its as good as they say.

I have a smile for everytime I turn the ignition on.

Im getting mine lpg converted. So cheap motoring with a kick. Big boot for bikes and all sorts. Bigger than the original 323 fastback and larger than my brothers ford focus boot.

I wanted another mazda. Something a bit different. I got a great deal and value for money.

A happy 323 sport fan!!!

I recently bought the 323F 1.6 GSi (2002) and I must say that I am very impressed with it. It's plenty quick enough up to 40 mph and corners like a sports car but the ride is a little harsh and choppy around town, and on longer journeys you'd like an overdrive to lower the revs a bit, but having said that, the overall performance is very pleasing.

My previous car was a Rover 827 Si manual, which is a wolf in sheep's clothing, but I wanted better than 20 mpg and half-price insurance.

I was looking for a Mazda 3 when I saw this little beauty at a knock-down price and just couldn't resist.

I am about to change my 323 1.8SE for a 2003 2.0 Sport ; had the 1.8 for almost 5 years - bought in 2004 with c.38,000 on the clock - now has 85,000 and almost 10 years old but still going strong - just as fast ; great acceleration in 3rd and 4th. (I used to be a confirmed Astra driver - great road-holding and economy, but always seemed to have problems with electrics after 5 years old!)

I moved to Japanese cars via a Nissan (also a great car) to the 323 and realised that for reliability, equipment levels and value you just can't beat them.

I am so pleased with the 323 that I am now buying a late model as near to the 1.8SE spec as I can - hence the 53 plate 2.0 Sport with 37,000 on the clock - I know it's good for another 4 years, 40,000 miles without too many worries.

The road-holding is brilliant - a great driver's car, but also a very comfortable and usable family car ; monthly drives from Leeds to Glasgow (circa 4 hours) with little or no discomfort on arrival. The SE has a sliding rear bench to increase luggage capacity with the seat backs still up, and the individual backs can be reclined a little if required - don't think the Sport has this : I will miss that.

I agree that economy is not great if you exploit the performance ; I get about 15litres/100miles on the trip computer (c.30mpg) - but I can get 12.5 (c.36mpg) if I keep it at 65 and don't over-use its acceleration ability.

The only other issue has been rapid wear on rear pads - if not caught in time the disks are scored and need replacing.

I have had my 323 2.0 Sport since November, and the only problem I have had is that it drinks oil.

Due to my own fault (normally the engines are bomb proof), I have fouled up one of the main engine bearings, and now need a new engine.

All of that aside, I will definitely buy another one for the wife!