Mazda Then And Now

"William Byrd" (thedriver) 12/20/2018 at 14:06 • Filed to: None

1

37

Made this quickly in Paint for Raph’s Mazda article. Figured it was worth sharing. It’s crazy to see how the lineup has changed between then and now. 11 vehicles of varying style, platform, utility, etc. vs. basically 6 now (not counting the 3 twice or the ND twice for slightly varied packaging).

What say you Oppo, do you pine for the old days, or is Mazda doing more with less now? Personally I miss the 2-door MX-3, MX-6 and RX-7 options. A lot. Especially the FD.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:18

1

This is great. I think the Mazda3 has filled the role of the MX-6 (which I loved), the protege, and the 323. It really has the performance of those cars and keeps the compact size.

I really wish they still had a high performance rotary car like the FD or speed 3. Or put the speed 3 engine in an RX8. I don’t miss their badge engineered suvs.

TysMagic > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:20

2

I quite enjoy this! Also I’m going to start calling my RF the protege sedan. 

William Byrd > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 12/20/2018 at 14:21

0

No, the bottom of the graphic isn’t a standout, although I bet they would take a new Mazda version of the Ranger right about now.

I still think that the 3 needs at least at least a Speed or at least an “ST” type version to get my attention, the latest iteration is good, just not great.  And the styling of the MX-6 was always a favorite of mine, such a curvy attractive coupe for the price.  You don’t see that much these days.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:21

3

I love what they’re doing now, but I really want a larger, 2+2, RWD + manual sports car from them (lightweight, with the 2.5 turbo). 

99XJSport > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:23

1

I’d take a Navajo because I ’m wei rd. Also, its the most unique way to get a first gen Exploder which I have a particular weakness for. It would be cool to see Mazda make some kind of off roader, except their own effort next time.

William Byrd > TysMagic 12/20/2018 at 14:23

1

haha yeah I started to try and align them to the modern equivalent , but gave up.

William Byrd > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 12/20/2018 at 14:25

1

Oh God yes to all of that.

TysMagic > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:26

1

I dig where it does line up, neat to see.

Different note, I am seeing more and more CX-3's on the road. I know I’m part of the problem by saying this, but I like it a lot! (that could be the recently acquired all Mazda garage we’re rocking though)

William Byrd > TysMagic 12/20/2018 at 14:28

1

I get press loaners and we’ve had a bunch of Mazdas, they’re ALL good.  Especially the CX-3.

Ash78, voting early and often > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:31

1

TIL there’s a CX-3. I just can’t imagine someone needing/wanting something smaller than the CX-5 in the US market, but I’m constantly surprised. Honestly I think Mazda only offers it to keep in lockstep with Honda and Toyota for doing the same.

Sales and market share reports are broken out like this, so very few manufacturers are going to say “This one serves BOTH market segments.” Once you stop being able to quantify something, it’s harder to make a case for it to exist.

punkgoose17 > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:31

1

I want a 3 door sportier version of the Mazda3 now. No one would buy it though.

TysMagic > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:32

0

I rave about our CX-5. It’s fantastic even as a mid trim level.
The mx-5 doesn’t need to be raved about since everyone already knows it’s always the answer. 

Urambo Tauro > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:33

0

Are these to scale?

The Ghost of Oppo > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:45

0

With the Ranger coming back Mazda should sell a re badged truck again

arl > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:53

1

Had a B2300 truck a while back. Great truck until the brake lines rusted out. Wonder if they’ll partner with Ford on the new Ranger and give us a new B truck? Probably not. 

BigBlock440 > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:55

0

If you remove the Fords from the list, they make exactly the same number of cars.

nerd_racing > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:58

1

BigBlock440 > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 14:59

2

although I bet they would take a new Mazda version of the Ranger right about now.

Um...

nerd_racing > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 15:01

1

I’ll take an MX-3 again, a 323 again, a protege 4wd again, miata again, I’d like to try the MX-6, the MPV, and the FD RX7. I feel like if I had to take it for the rest of my life, Mazda’s 1994 lineup would be perfect for me.

InFierority Complex > BigBlock440 12/20/2018 at 15:04

1

The graphi c he made is just for the US market

William Byrd > BigBlock440 12/20/2018 at 15:09

0

How do you figure?

MX-6 = Probe
Navajo = Explorer
B-Series = Ranger

What else?

The 323 was rebranded the other way as the Escort and Ford also used the 626 platform. 

William Byrd > Urambo Tauro 12/20/2018 at 15:22

0

Nope, see above about MS Paint, it was a quickie.

BigBlock440 > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 15:29

0

Ok, so almost exactly. The silhouette of the MPV looked like a Nautica and I assumed without confirming.

Nauraushaun > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 15:31

1

Ugh. Sports car AND 2 sports coupes AND a roadster. And don’t forget, the 929 was available with a rotary and the Protege was available with turbo AWD.

AND don’t forget the JDM Cosmo triple-rotor double-turbo they had around that time

BigBlock440 > InFierority Complex 12/20/2018 at 15:32

0

Sure, but they have a Mazda version of the Ranger, in markets where the Ranger is sold.

Maybe now that the new Ranger has been federalized, it’ll find a Mazda badge here too.

William Byrd > BigBlock440 12/20/2018 at 15:32

0

I dunno, 8 is still more than 6 by a decent percentage. :)

William Byrd > Nauraushaun 12/20/2018 at 15:33

0

That’s all very depressing, thanks! haha

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 15:33

1

We used to be a 2 Mazda family (my ‘05 3s hatch and my wife’s ‘08 CX-9 GT AWD). The new CX-9 will be on the consideration list when we replace my wife’s MDX in a few years, and I’d love to own a cheap, used  ND Miata at some point in the future (5+ years out) , but I don’t see myself buying another Mazda for myself until they offer something that appeals to my wants.

BigBlock440 > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 15:34

1

I also counted the the hatchback as separate, but I can see the argument either way.

William Byrd > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 12/20/2018 at 15:34

1

They don’t really make a bad vehicle currently, but absent that 2+2 RWD option, I don’t see myself buying anything in the current lineup. 

William Byrd > BigBlock440 12/20/2018 at 15:35

1

Ah, makes sense. I figured that was pretty minimally different, everything on the OG lineup was a completely different model for the most part.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 15:51

0

You’re missing one on the left

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 16:41

0

If I needed a pure commuter, I’d buy the upcoming 3 in a heartbeat. Maybe I’ll pick one up in a few years for my kids to learn to drive on. 

BarryDanger > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 17:23

0

I saw a 929 yesterday it and it was bonkers! Jewish racing gold (thanks farrah) with a car seat in the back. 

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > BigBlock440 12/20/2018 at 17:51

2

Nope. Because Ford and Mazda have ended their commercial vehicle arrangement. Mazda are now aligned with Isuzu and that u te is due in 2020.

Ford have taken up with VW for commercial vehicles now but the development timelines for Ranger and Amarok are out of kilter and Amarok is coming due for a platform upgrade so it’s questionable whether the utes get included in the co-development agreement

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > William Byrd 12/20/2018 at 17:53

0

One could argue that, in the US at least, these days they are doing more with less.

Also (argueably) with much better cars.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > William Byrd 12/21/2018 at 16:41

0

We were pretty big into old Mazda. From that list, we had a 91 MPV that was the family truckster and tow vehicle for many years, my grandparents had a 626, I owned an MX6-V6 for many years, and we’ve had 4 NA or NB miatas over the years between us. My parents are still on the Mazda train with a 2016 Mazda 6 and my dad still drives his 05 Miata (with less than 60k on it). My dad also owned a 91 mercury capri (sadly, a non-turbo), the Australian convertible based on the 323 platform with a B6D that was closely related to the 1.6 miata motor.