1983 Mazda 626 Hatchback review from Australia and New Zealand

The biggest problem I had with the car is its rear hatch door which started to rust. I found it to be a common problem with many 626 hatchbacks of this year because water tends to sit around the rear windscreen for long periods of time.

The windows are becoming slightly hard to wind up or down.

The plastic on the handbrake handle and is harder than most of the interior trim and has started to wear out, most likely due to the strong sun.

I love driving this car. My parents have driven it for about six years and when I got my license it became my car. I have been driving it for about six months and it a beast in the right hands. For a small engine and a relatively heavy car it has surprising acceleratation and speed. It is a very smooth car and very stable through corners.

This car is an amazing piece of machinery. Me and my dad have been doing the maintenance on it since the day we got it and it hasn't aged a bit. The cylinders are immaculate, piston rings are also good and the transmission has seven year old fluid in it which looks like new.

The driver's seat is by far the most comfortable of all. There is plenty of space at the back, but only if people at the front are willing to compromise a bit. Overall the seats are tilted back a bit and that way the acceleration is harder to feel, but it's there.

Another great feature is the massive space in the boot. By taking out the parcel shelf, the boot becomes big enough to transport just about anything and for even more room, you can drop the rear seats. this almost turns the car into a station wagon.

I love driving the car because it is heavy and stable, fast and also strong. I have pushed the RPM past the red line, well past 6,000rpm many times and it's still fine.