Mazda London
Looking to buy a Mazda? Find out what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for from Honest John.
Mazda talked a lot about styling in London, and while you may have your own opinion about the smiley new front, I think most eyes will be pleased with the profile of the hatch, the rear end of which remains unmistakably Mazda 3. The slightly more rigid, more aerodynamic saloon isn't quite as rumptious, but it's fine in profile.
Good: Brisk and handles extremely well for an SUV. Chain cam 2.2 diesel version from 2009.
Bad: Hefty bills for fuel and road tax. Only five seats.
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Good: Tough, hard-working pick-up that puts substance before style.
Bad: Fairly unsophisticated to drive, even by the standards of pick-ups.
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Good: Distinctive looks, tidy handling and a refined, free-revving V6.
Bad: Child-only rear quarters. Private imports masquerading as official UK cars. Check the complex V6 engine carefully.
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Good: Comfortable, well-equipped seven-seater with decent luggage space.
Bad: Turbo failures are common on diesel models. Not available with an autobox.
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Good: Cheap and compact.
Bad: Looks and feels very old.
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Good: Quirky styling, plenty of headroom and a full-length sunroof.
Bad: In scarce supply in the UK. Parts supply likely to be scarcer still.
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Good: Decent handling and ride, so it's good fun to drive. Inexpensive to buy and run.
Bad: Avoid 1.3 pushrod engines. Rust can be a problem on older models.
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It looks good from every angle. Comes in nice colours such as solid red, metallic green, gold, silver, metallic dark blue, metallic grey, and, happily, solid white. And it’s a hoot to drive.
Is it a Fiesta? Is it a Fusion? Confusion, it's a Mazda 2. Instead of offering two variations of the new Valencia Ford Fiesta, Ford offers three and calls one of them a Mazda. But unlike the old Mazda 121, which was no more than a badge-engineered Dagenham Fiesta, the Mazda 2 has been completely re-engineereed in London.
The Focus C-Max was the first car on Ford's new multi car platform. The Mazda 3 is the second. The new Volvo S40 will be third and the new Focus itself will be second last to the new Volvo V50 estate.
Nothing hugely significant. Merely a good car made better using lessons learned on the Volvo S40/V40 and Ford Focus with which it shares its floorpan, suspension and drivetrain. The Mazda 3 was the second car after the C-Max on Ford’s C1 platform, preceding the Volvo S40/V50 and the Focus itself.
Mazda talked a lot about styling in London, and while you may have your own opinion about the smiley new front, I think most eyes will be pleased with the profile of the hatch, the rear end of which remains unmistakably Mazda 3. The slightly more rigid, more aerodynamic saloon isn't quite as rumptious, but it's fine in profile.
The car has electronic traction control and dynamic stability control, like the Mazda 3 Sport. Unlike the 150PS Sport, it also has a mechanical limited slip differential. But as well as that, in an attempt to get all that power and torque to the tarmac, it also has a steering-angle-sensitive throttle damping system.
The car will be launched with a 105 PS 1.6 litre engine or a 150 PS 2.0. An improved 5-speed manual box is standard and an optional four-speed automatic available with the 1.6 only. Later engines coming in 2004 will include a 1.4-litre petrol, along with two derivatives of a new 1.6-litre common-rail diesel in London.
Mazda is good at good looking cars: MX5, MX6, Xedos 6, RX7, Xedos 9, Mazda 6, RX8. They get it right, instead of the weird, lumpy cobbled-together looks we sometimes see from other Japanese car makers.
As well as looking great outside, the Mazda 3 is nice inside, with bags of head and legroom front and back. The dash is pleasant to behold, with easy to operate controls. The optional satnav is DVD, so carries much more information than a CD based system.
Good: Distinctive styling and sweet engines. Very reliable with attentive servicing.
Bad: Damaged trim is expensive to replace. The V6 engine is complex so check it carefully.
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Good: Coupe-like styling and excellent reliability if serviced properly.
Bad: No 3-door or 4-door version from 1995 to 1997. Check complex V6 engine carefully.
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Originally 1-6-05. Updated 6-9-05. Update child booster seats 18-10-2006. The Mazda 6 seats five. The Mazda 5 seats seven. Once you’ve got your head around that we can talk about what ‘project manager’ Kenichi Fukanaga calls a “6 + 1”.
In the following article, you will learn some information about Honestjohn's impartial car review of Mazda Mazda 5 7-str available in London (2005 - ) with good points and bad points, reliability, car performance, car fuel consumption, car engine options and car technical information.
There wasn’t much wrong with the original 2005 Mazda 5 in London: Sliding side doors, decent diesels, six-and-a-half seats with a sliding centre row so legroom can be shared, foldaway centre half seats and rearmost seats commit ‘karakuri’. Read on to learn the smart vehicle in the following article.
The latest incarnation of the Mazda 6 has always been an impressive car. Very handsome, and easily confused in the mind, with the Honda Accord. You have to look twice to be sure which is which. And the Mazda 6 station wagon probably has the most graceful rear end of any station wagon anywhere in the World.
Every Mazda 6 comes all the usual safety and security kit, including: Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control System, all-disc brakes with anti-lock, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Emergency Brake Assist, daytime running lights, driver and passenger front airbags, etc. Read on to learn more information about the car on the market in London.
The old Mazda 6 diesel was an exceptionally stylish, fine handling and practical wagon, with one touch 'Karakuri' 60/40 split folding rear seat that leaves a level load area. The new one takes karakuri (Japanese for pleasing functionality) a stretch further, with a longer, wider load bay, a parcel shelf arrangement that comes up with the hatchback so you don't have to faff around loading it, and even more style than the old car in London.
Features of Mazda 6 Estate in London include a huge, big button radio/CD player that’s easy to use; niftily designed cupholders between the front seats; bottle holders in the front door bins; a twin compartment armrest; underfloor load area stowage; lots of load area tie hooks and so on. Read on to learn more about the car.
So we get more powerful, more refined diesel engines, now EU4 with maintenance-free particulate filters. More powerful, more economical petrol engines. A new six-speed manual transmission. A new five-speed automatic. Under the car’s skin is a stiffer, stronger structure.
Good: Low-cost, quite roomy, and generally reliable transport.
Bad: The challenge of getting the tracking right on four-wheel-steer versions. MoT failures in waiting. Rust.
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Good: Tidy-looking 5-door. All tend to be trouble-free if looked after.
Bad: Damaged bodywork is very hard to repair and paint quality is almost impossible to match. Check complex V6 carefully.
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Good: Extremely well built and trouble-free if serviced on time. Fairly cheap these days.
Bad: Bland styling. The way they drive will never light your fire.
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Good: Frugal diesels. Very reliable. Distinctive styling. A car that appeals to your head.
Bad: Never a car that would appeal to your heart. Not that many around to choose from.
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Good: Tough, hard-working pick-up that puts substance before style.
Bad: Fairly unsophisticated to drive, even by the standards of pick-ups.
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Good: Popular MPV import that's well suited to a camper van conversion. Versatile cabin layout and well equipped.
Bad: People trying to sell abused and tired examples for over-inflated prices. Some badly converted campers.
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Interiors now feature nicer upholstery, pleasant amber lighting for the switches and an AUX jack for the audio system. Outside there’s a new grille, new lights front and rear and new colours. The 4x4s can all tow 3,000kg braked, and have an impressive load capacity of 1,219kg.
Good: Effectively a Ford Ranger, so a seriously strong, capable worker. Better to drive than a B-Series pick-up. 156PS 3.0diesel + 5-speed auto from October
Bad: Not as refined or comfortable as its contemporary rivals. But much improved at late 2008 facelift.
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Mazda CX-7 is very sleek and good looking for something that competes against blinged up bricks like the Dodge Nitro. Its cd is 0.34 rather than the usual 50 or 60. Instead of a diesel engine, an automatic transmission and soft suspension, it has a 260PS turbocharged four, a six-speed manual and hard suspension.
Good: Brisk and handles extremely well for an SUV. Chain cam 2.2 diesel version from 2009.
Bad: Hefty bills for fuel and road tax. Only five seats.
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The good of this car includes: Bigger, US market only 7-seater version of the CX-7 SUV, offered with 273PS 3.7V6 or same 238PS 2.3 turbo as CX-7.
Good: Versatile rear seat arrangement. A more nimble, enjoyable drive from 2000 onwards.
Bad: Short of some convenience and comfort features. Original version was slow and stodgy to drive.
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The design team in California set out to develop a car that blurred the boundaries between road-car and racecar to create a fully functional 180mph rolling laboratory. The team began by taking the successful Mazda triple-rotor engined AMLS Courage C65 race car chassis and added a closed cockpit and Nagare design elements.
Mazda Kiyora is a small, friendly concept car shown at Paris Motor Show October 2008 and designed to meet the needs of young urbanites and indicates the direction Mazda could take with a car this size in the future – especially in terms of technology.
Good: Sportier, livelier and more fun to drive than the Fiesta on which it is based. Easy access to the boot. Keen value.
Bad: Some rivals offer more cabin space.
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Good: Pretty and a hoot to drive, as well as economical and sensibly priced. 1.3TS2 better than 1.5.
Bad: Nothing serious, but side bump strips a dealer-fit option.
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Good: Bags of room and a comfortable ride. The saloon is the best looker and sharpest handler of the line-up. Depreciates slower than the Focus II.
Bad: Steering of early 2.0 petrol cars lacks feel.
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Good: Stylish, with excellent steering, handling, ambiance and environmental credentials. Better than a Focus, which is saying something.
Bad: Very slightly less roomy inside than old Mazda 3.
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