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| 1989 Mazda 626GE Review, Brian, From Palo Alto, CA, USA
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Mazda MX-6 LX
| | Model of the car: | Mazda MX-6 LX | | | General comments: | I’d say the MX-6’s best features are its simple good looks, huge back seat and trunk, good stereo sound quality, and rarity. I think it can be a good car depending on what version you get. After owning an 89 LX, my advice is to stay away from the first generation model.The automatic transmission is the most frustrating element of this car. When you're coasting in any gear besides first and apply even half an inch of throttle, it will deliver a dramatic, neck-snapping downshift. If that “hold” feature weren’t there to let you override Mazda’s illogical programming, this car would be impossible to live with in traffic. When shifting from Neutral to Drive, the clumsy transmission can occasionally even get stuck in Neutral. Not so funny when you floor the pedal and hear a ton of noise accompanied by no forward movement. The automatic in the second generation isn’t known to have improved much.The engine is said to be the heart of a car, and that said, both variations of Mazda’s 4-banger are crap. 110 measly horsepower from a 2.2-liter? Please! If it weren't for the 130 pounds-feet of torque that peaks at an early 3,000 RPM, this car would have serious trouble getting out of its own way. The vibration makes the whole car shake like a Maytag dryer when idling. 5 seconds at a red light is enough to get on your nerves. The turbo version of this engine only makes 145 horsepower (as opposed to over 200 from Toyota and Mitsubishi’s turbo 2.0s), and doesn’t belong in a front-wheel drive car like the MX-6 where it creates so much torque steer. The 4-cylinder engine in the second generation MX-6 isn’t any smoother or more powerful.As for the rest of the driving experience, both the gas and brake pedals have non-linear feel, and in the case of the brake pedal, it’s due to the brakes themselves, which are second-rate units that sometimes lose braking effectiveness for no apparent reason. Both ride and handling are only average, as every bump is felt and the body leans a lot when turning fast.The interior design isn't so great either. The steering wheel is one size too big in diameter and one size too small in thickness, plus it's not leather-wrapped so it feels cheap, and it has 2 tiny horn buttons instead of a real center pad. The cruise control belongs on the wheel yet is found at the end of the wiper stalk. The radio is a long reach away and practically on the floor. And would it hurt for the passenger seat to have a memory feature? The door locks are a hassle, as you have to reach to the back of the doors to use them since there's no button (isn't convenience the point of power locks?), plus you have to hold up the handle every time you close the door from outside.Lastly, the reliability of this car isn't up to Japanese standards. The reason being that all MX-6s were made at a crappy Ford-owned plant in Michigan, and it has so many American-made parts that it’s officially classified as a domestic car. This plant is notorious for making cars that develop body problems. Some examples from personal experience are pathetic paint jobs, broken exhausts, loose door seals and handles, squeaky or stiff hinges, rattles from the hatchback, sunroof, or anywhere else, misaligned body parts, and just about anything else body-related. Mechanically, it holds up pretty well though, since it is still Japanese in that respect.Also, there aren't many aftermarket parts for this car. So much for rice rocket conversions. I guess uniqueness has its drawbacks.The conclusion? Get the second generation (93-97), and make sure it’s a 5-speed, V6 model. Or get something else. For those of you looking at regular MX-6s, I'd suggest a 91-93 Nissan 240SX. It has more horsepower, more torque, better ride, better handling, is more reliable, and is rear-wheel drive. Not as roomy though. For you turbo fans looking at an MX-6 Turbo, try an 89-91 RX-7 or 91-95 Toyota MR2 Turbo instead. And if you really need 4-wheel steering, I hate to admit it, but you're probably better off with a Prelude. The 4WS system in the MX-6 is a complicated electronic type that would cost a lot to repair if it were to ever break. Finally, check out the MX-6’s twin, the Ford Probe GT. The Probe is everything the MX-6 is, but with a stiffer suspension, a hatchback design, and much lower resale value. | | | What things have gone wrong with the car: | None | | | Previous car: | None |
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