(first posted 2/28/2015) Free from its relationship with Ford, Mazda is forging ahead as an independent against unfavorable odds. Perhaps it’s only natural for a carmaker born out of Hiroshima’s postwar ashes, but the company is more well-acquainted with struggle than many of its Japanese counterparts. Unlike Honda, which never had to rely on incentives during its heyday, or Toyota and Nissan, who could move massive volumes of cars, Mazda was often in the unenviable position of importing the bulk of its cars from Japan and frequently offering discounts.
Traditionally, the company has had one or two moderately strong-selling models to keep the money coming in; today it’s the Mazda3 and the CX-5, and during the early ’80s, the RX-7 and GLC were hot tickets, with the 1983 626 also finding many buyers.
By the late ’80s, however, the 323 and 626 were not as popular as the company would have liked, with lower trim level cars selling due to competitive pricing while more exciting turbocharged top-of-the-line versions languished on dealer lots. The profitable RX-7 also fell victim to a weak sports car market. In the very late ’80s and early ’90s, the MPV minivan and later, the Miata, did their part to keep dealers busy.
The MPV was never going to unseat Chrysler’s dominance of the marketplace, but compared to many other manufacturers’ efforts, it was well-accepted by the market. Perhaps even more significantly, it provided an option for import-oriented buyers without much in the way of Japanese competition before Toyota’s characterful Previa hit the scene. This earlier 4WD-equipped van was shot by Paul, who shares my affection for those vans which distinguish themselves as particularly rugged and suited to multipurpose use (and as we can see his white xB in the background, this was a spontaneous capture).
Of course, the MPV’s early success could be attributed to more than mere circumstance; it was a strong product, with styling that clearly marked it as a member of the same family as the generically good-looking RX-7 and 626 Turbo. While those cars may have seemed a bit dowdy relative to their competition, the corporate styling theme leant the MPV a youthful look relative to other people movers, all without resorting to the monospace futurism that proved visually challenging to conservative buyers. Better still, this was backed up by the driving experience, which was good enough to land the van on Car and Driver’s Ten Best list for 1990 and 1991.
Contemporary road tests praised the MPV as one of the best performing and most carlike offerings. By the standards of the day, power was quite competitive. The vast majority of MPVs were ordered with an 18-valve V6 which delivered 150-horsepower and 165 lb-ft of torque routed through a four-speed JATCO automatic (a 121 horsepower 2.5 liter four was standard, as was a five-speed transmission, but both are rare). The 4.3 in the Chevy Astro was the only thing which could really beat it, but it came in conjunction with that van’s less desirable traits.
Motorweek managed to haul an early MPV’s 3,700 pounds to sixty in ten seconds flat, and whether or not you find yourself somewhat skeptical of this good figure (this was Maxima and Taurus-grade acceleration out of a van with similar power), ordering the trailer towing package enabled a strong 4,300 pound towing capacity.
This latter figure reflected that the MPV was a minivan more in the Astro or Aerostar vein than a copy of Chrysler’s playbook, with rear drive and a live axle in rear. Still, it only minimally borrowed from Mazda trucks, deriving its steering, front suspension and drivetrain from the Luce sedan/929. While it couldn’t match the ease of use of the segment-defining Caravan/Voyager, it easily outclassed Ford’s and GM’s rear-drivers. And for families who wouldn’t buy American, or for those who wanted a classy minivan which could also tow, it was the only game in town.
The MPV’s most distinctive trait as far as most buyers were concerned was its hinged right rear door which swung open a full ninety degrees. Foreign markets came with a door on the left-hand side as well, like the 1995 Honda Odyssey, but Mazda omitted it in North American vehicles for seemingly no reason. Evolution has tossed this feature aside, since sliding doors make much more sense with large openings, but it was a good choice stylistically, and was a unique touch which reinforced the MPV’s carlike credentials.
Perhaps the best thing about the MPV was its interior design, which wouldn’t have been out of place in a Japanese sedan of the era. In fact, it was a much more smoothly integrated layout than found in the 626 sedan, without the baroque, fussy look of the unit in the 929. The Chrysler vans, with their brougham-y touches, looked distinctly old fashioned in comparison, and none of the domestic options could compete as far as material quality was concerned. This remains one of the better interiors in its segment.
Mazda wisely copied Chrysler when it came to optional equipment, meaning that the MPV could accordingly be outfitted to only carry five passengers with no power assists or air conditioning or lavishly equipped with dual climate control, leather seats, a CD player and a variety of other luxuries.
It was a testament to the MPV’s positive reception that many more were ordered fully loaded compared to Mazda’s more mainstream offerings. A very highly popular option was the selectable four-wheel drive system, which retained a high take rate even following the MPV’s declining popularity after its first few years on the market.
Yes, the MPV’s success was ultimately short lived despite its good looks and refinement, because there were also significant shortcomings when compared to many other minivans. While it was popular because it was different, a lack of versatility was perhaps its biggest shortcoming, with a gigantic hump in the floor over the solid, coil-sprung rear axle and a heavy, nearly impossible to remove rear bench. Rear-wheel drive meant that many who lived where snow fell were compelled to ante up for four-wheel drive for a measure of security in the winter, and although we used to be more tolerant of such a compromise (in the days before nearly every Benz and BMW had all-wheel drive), it was something buyers of Chrysler minivans didn’t have to tolerate.
Furthermore, the arrival of the Previa took the wind out of Mazda’s sails. Though expensive and available only with a 2.4 liter four-cylinder, it was much more capacious and beat the MPV hands-down with regard to versatility, while overshadowing the modern, tastefully finished interior which had been the Mazda’s trump card. Being virtually indestructible was nice, also. The arrival of Nissan’s Quest also hurt, as it co-opted much of the MPV’s Japanese sedan-like appeal while offering the advantages of front-wheel drive and lower production costs through its joint-venture with Ford. Neither of these vans were segment busters, but they took away from Mazda’s large of the minivan market for import-happy households. It wouldn’t be until the second generation of Honda’s Odyssey and Toyota’s Sienna that any Japanese automaker could truly claim sustained, mainstream success in the van market.
Still, despite the Previa’s AllTrac all-wheel drive option, Toyota couldn’t match the take-rate of Mazda’s selectable four-wheel drive system. Ironically enough, while the MPV’s carlike credentials dated quickly in the face of more refined competition, it was its more primitive traits in 4WD guise which maintained its cult following. Much like an AMC Eagle, the MPV became sluggish and tippy, sitting very high off the ground when equipped to power the front wheels, a surprising compromise in a product planned from the beginning to offer all-weather capability.
Mazda, of course, didn’t have the cash on hand to really make the MPV more competitive against other, newer minivans. It took until 1993 for an airbag to be offered as standard and until 1996 to cobble up a new dashboard with a passenger airbag. What was to be done with a tall, wagon-aping, rear-drive minivan whose most compelling feature was optional four-wheel drive? Morph it into an SUV, of course; unlike minivans, they weren’t expected to be efficient or versatile, just high off the ground and rugged, which the MPV 4WD had always been.
The engineers in Hiroshima duly grafted on a nose-extension, gave the US market version of their van the left rear door it had theretofore been denied, modifying both to accept roll-down glass, and offered an “All Sport” appearance package to butch things up. In so doing, they tacitly brought the MPV out of the closet, revealing its true identity as a three-row crossover. While not convincing as an SUV outright, it usefully extended the now-elderly MPV’s time on the market, which culminated in ten whole sales seasons.
And truly, with second-rate flexibility, a hinged rear door, a sedan-like interior, and focus on front seat passengers, the MPV was always more of a crossover than a traditional minivan. It was something Mazda knew from the beginning, always avoiding the dreaded V-word where possible: this was a multi-purpose vehicle, thank you very much.
If marketing the refreshed 1996 MPV as an SUV wasn’t a straight path to profit, it was at least a shrewd way to save money. By the late nineties, most of Mazda’s cars were suffering an acute lack of development owing to declining profits.
All the magic and optimism which resulted in cars like the superlative FD RX-7, the incomparable JC Cosmo, the Millennia and a number of interesting V6-powered small sedans not sold in the US was expensive.
Worse still, these ambitious cars largely failed to make an impact with buyers; simply put, the petrol heads (calling the sole of purveyors of the Wankel precluded my calling them piston heads) at Mazda blew their wad.
The hard lesson Mazda learned was evident in cars like the 1998 626, largely a reskin and decontenting of its agile, curvaceous predecessor, and the 1999 Protege, which abandoned its distinct platform in favor of a shrunken version of the 626’s platform (fortunately becoming Mazda’s next strong seller and a class leader in the process). The second-generation Miata was also minimally changed from its predecessor, deservedly keeping a largely abandoned market for affordable sports cars to itself.
It was tough times for the company, but they used their resources wisely and by the end of the ’90s, Ford increased its shares in the company to 33.4 percent, giving it a controlling interest. Though Ford had owned 25 percent of Mazda’s shares since 1980 (the fuel crisis was particularly rough on the company), the period between 1996 and 2010 under Ford’s leadership saw the company engineer and execute a turnaround. Though known as the Zoom-Zoom brand today, Mazda always made cars which often offered dynamics a cut above much of their Japanese brethren, with unique engineering underneath their generic good looks. As lucky as we are for the company’s continued presence and dynamic offerings, the MPV is emblematic of the subtle individuality that defined the company at one of the high points of its creativity.
A neighbour had one of these MPV while roomy and reasonably good to drive it drank fuel and as usual ate a headgasket at a least affordable time, the diesel is the pick of them it shares an motor with the Mazda/Ford Ranger pickup 2.5 turbo diesel the 4 banger petrol is underpowered for the weight and the V6 will nickel and dime you into poverty the pack up expensively.
Funnily enough my MPV also drank fuel and ate its head gasket at a bad time. Nice drive though.
The ONLY time a Vehicle eats head gaskets, is cause the people driving them are stupid. Coolant needs to be changed (twice a year) or the result is: the engine will blow a head gasket.
I put over 800,000 miles on my 1993 Mazda MPV 4WD
I am going to assume the MPV in the lead photo is originally from a more UV intensive part of the Country since the Oregon license plates are from the turn of the century and long term Willamette Valley vehicles including Corsicas usually do not have this kind of damage.
My limited experience with these comes from a Central New York (Cornell) Cooperative Extension which had one of these non-air bag versions donated to them. Quirky vehicle, but it was not as popular as the donated Previa since it did not have a flat floor nor as good handling in the snow with so-so tires. I drove it once, with the tailgate open for a bit to blow out a bunch of Peat Moss, Wood Chips, and general dirt. Think the acceleration was a bit jerky with it kind of falling into gear, but that could have been me since I was usually driving a Caprice at the time. If I recall correctly the MPV’s steering felt somewhat heavy. It did have Official Plates so that was one way the MPV was as good as the Previa and it was a wee bit smaller so that made it easier to park than said Previa. The MPV rusted slower than the Previa which is also good when operating on a shoe string budget, but still it is a juxtaposition to see beater vehicles with official plates. What did the MPV in was the rear end (or something like that) wore out so it got scrapped then the Previa rusted out simultaneously with a major repair or two.
I kind of doubt the Wu Tang Clan likes the MPV since you only see it around 73 seconds in and that is it.
Oh Wu-tang LOVED MPVs, they gave them another shout out in “Can it all be so simple,” even a shot of a nice white ES like my old one:
at 2:03:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSgCM0F2GN8
“Dedicate to the Lexus, the Ac’s (acuras), dedicated to MPVS PHAT!”
Tupac had a black V6, tinted out of course:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug78aVtkuVI
Biggie liked them too
At 1:28:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bAVB4eRRtQ
“It was me, Dee, the MPV….”
Lol. Yes you’re 100% correct. Fat Joe and Mobb Deep also immortalized the 1st generation Mazda MPV in their rap music and videos. Fat Joe had clips of him rolling in the MPV in the track “Shit is Real”
https://youtu.be/tHhkw8HuHgo
Haha. Long story short this car was cool because it was the G-ride back in the days when rap music catered to hustlers and gangsters. The MPV was basically the most perfect car to own if you were an aspiring hustler/drug dealer from the east coast because it was the most practical vehicle to go out and do whatever criminal activity that you were doing to make your money. Why was it such a practical car for an aspiring hustler/drug dealer? Because it was low-key, reliable, drove and handled like a sedan instead of a clumsy minivan, was multi-purpose, and lastly all of the gangsters had it so you know it was cool. Haha. Even Biz Markie had one with BBS rims on it. Haha.
I never got past its dorky two-box design. If there ever was a car that screamed generic people hauler, this is it. Except, bland designs never scream, they just go out with a whimper. I’m sorry if it sounds harsh, but some designs deserve all the flack they can get. And this just have to be the minivan shape with the least amount of common denominators a board room could ever agree to put in production.
Yeah, me neither. For some reason the overall shape reminds me of Barney, the purple dinosaur. There are only two things that I deny my kids – Barney and glitter. I can’t stand either. Thankfully they are past the Barney phase and don’t seem too worried by the glitter ban in the house.
Anyway, I don’t remember ever even having looked inside one, the interior picture makes it look fairly nice. They were fairly popular in California, but I almost never seem there here in Colorado nowadays.
It actually makes sense. Barney’s bizarrely square muzzle looks like the MPV’s face, and the thickness of their proportions match.
I would rather have that box shaped utility design than any jelly bean 4 door sedan. Nothing, absolutely nothing, says bland like a generic 4 door sedan. I never even liked 4 door sedans back in the ’70s, my favorite decade for cars. And apparently I an not the only one. While many 2 door vintage cars are becoming highly sought after, even ones that nobody every thought would be worth anything, 4 doors are a dime a dozen. Even a 2 door ’57 Chevy is worth several times what a 4 door model is worth, in the same condition. That applies to many other vintage cars as well. To me a 4 door sedan is a people mover period, and nothing else. Station wagons and vans can be used for other purposes. I have gone camping in my Pinto wagon several times. You can fold the seat down and sleep in it. I have had many people try and chase me down in the Pinto, wanting to buy it. I am constantly having “want to buy” notes left under the wipers. That does not happen very often with the Fairlane, even though it is 8 years older. My guess it is mostly because it has 4 doors.
I would love to see someone build another 2 door wagon or small van. The HHR panel is the closest I’ve seen so far. I wish Chrysler had built a 2 door panel van version of the PT Cruiser instead of the convertible.
Sounds like a first-generation Ford Transit Connect may be in your future. Sounds exactly like what you want. And I fully agree that 4-door sedans are boring, I’ll always take the wagon if available.
The Transit Connect would be great, other than the 20 mpg highway mileage. It is difficult to find a van/wagon that is not a swoopy eggmobile, but still gets good mileage. The Soul, XB, and HHR are all I have found so far.
I never saw many of these, even when I was a small child and they were still being produced. I always thought their exceptionally tall proportions and high ground clearance gave them somewhat of a clumsy, less substantial look than competitors.
It actually looks more masculine and truck-like than today’s CUVs. Ahead of its time?
I like the simpler clean look of cars from that era. The new ones are over styled. Maybe it’s just a phase like the 50s, and in a few years they’ll go back to a cleaner looking style.
In 1990, I was hugely flattered to find out my then boss in Ottawa bought a 4WD MPV on my recommendation. He loved the car, which was light years ahead of the 84 Cutlass sedan he traded in, especially when the snow started falling.
I love Mazdas, although I’m not unaware of their flaws. They weren’t all zoom-zoom…I had a 1988 929, bought used in 1993 and sold two years later for a few hundred dollars less than I paid for it. Reliable but dull and very late 80s Tokyo-by-Night googie. Had the Mazda “oscillating vents” for the AC (thankfully they could be switched off). My wife, when I met her, had a 1993 MX-6, a lovely car that was enjoyable to drive, and in 1996 I drove a rented 626 from NYC to Saint John, New Brunswick and had a great time on the winding New England two-lane highways…Best Mazda experience was in July 1995 driving across Canada (Vancouver to Toronto, so actually only halfway, but still five days) with a friend in his 1990 Miata (which he still has). Close quarters, but driving through the Rockies with the top down was unparalleled.
Today, my wife loves her high-spec 2010 Mazda 5 GT, but we find it a little small now that we live in Texas. Really, if I was in the market for a regular sedan I’d go for a Mazda 6 over Camry, Accord, etc., in a heartbeat.
One little mystery is why Mazda is to this day so much stronger in Canada than in the US. I believe this is largely as Mazda was known in the Canadian market early on more as reliable small cars rather than, as in the US, primarily for the rotary engine. Mazda launched in Canada in the mid 60s with the handsome 1500, whereas in the US I believe they launched in 1968-69 with the R100. In Canada the piston engine models largely outsold the rotaries (eg, the 808 outsold the RX3), whereas in the US Mazda was known as the “rotary” make until Mazda USA introduced the GLC (323) in 1976.
As your pictures demonstrate, Mazda managed to produce an interesting range of cars on a small number of platforms…but their best cars almost never came to the U.S.
That muddled thinking probably explains the right side only door on the early MPVs (or maybe fears of lawsuits when passengers exited into traffic on the left?), and Mazda’s slowness in capitalizing on the optional AWD that could have taken sales from Subaru who was still offering FWD models.
I drove one of these in the mid 90s as a “loaner”. As a previous commenter here noted, the automatic transmission in the MPV was sort of clunky. All Japanese automatic transmissions in that time frame were reluctant shifters but the MPV may have been THE worst. Moving away from a stoplight was a gradual process unless you floored the gas pedal and each gearchange gave the vehicle a clunk like the transmission was about to drop to the pavement.
So what does Mazda do? When they get around to replacing the MPV with an “all new” model, they manage to give it a clunky transmission, too.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Mazdas and have recommended them to friends who were pleased with their cars and trucks, however, some the higher up folks at Mazda need to move to the U.S. and REALLY see how different cars and trucks need to be for this market versus the rest of the world.
I agree, I don’t care much for the Jatcos in these vans. The Aisin in my 1996 4Runner blows my MPV’s transmission away in shifting smoothness and lack of ‘slushy’ feeling. The Mazda also always tried to lock up the torque converter by 43 mph or so, which given the lack of power and high weight, meant that the slightest hill would have it bog down, then unlock, then speed up, then lock, etc.
A friend of mine had a 1990 MPV, 4 cylinder, 2wd that was bought new. It proved to be unexciting but reliable transportation and lasted for about 12 or 13 years until rust took it’s toll and it went to the scrap yard. I do remember they 4 cylinder be very coarse and not particularly powerful or economical. I also remember helping to remove that middle seat and how heavy that seat was.
He like that van enough that he wanted to replace it with another. So he bought a well cared for 1997 MPV with the V6 and 4WD. That vehicle lasted him a year until it was finished. Among the many minor problems, it also had a rear differential failure, and a premature timing belt failure that left him stranded. After spending all that money at Mazda to get it fixed properly, the van got T-boned at an intersection. The high center of gravity caused it to flip on it’s side. That year cost him almost as much in repairs as what he paid for that van. It got written off by the insurance company, although at the time he was upset, I think he later realized this was the best end for that monstrosity.
There are still 2 MPVs of this generation in my family. Our 1989, with the torquey ‘big bore’ 2.6L 12 valve 4 cylinder, RWD and automatic, was bought from a person down the street for $5000 with 90k miles back in 1996. Awesome shape, especially compared with a few used 2nd gen caravans we drove. The caravans were more expensive (at the dealer), and had much cheaper interiors, and just felt not as well put together or as well thought out. Numerous family road trips to the Outer Banks, many memories in that car. Compared to the 1990 Civic that we used to take on trips, a big van with A/C like that was a revelation. Only one breakdown, when a worn alternator belt snapped and my dad did not have the tools to do the job himself. My brother got this as his car to drive in high school, and he cherishes it to this day, using it as a parts hauler for his shop and mountain bike carrying rig. he cracked the head at around 175k miles overworking it in the hills of Mass. coming home from an internship one summer. A reman head later, and it’s rolled up to 230k miles now.
In 2001, we were car shopping again, this time for something with 4wd. We lived on a hill in Ithaca and the rwd MPV sometimes had trouble. We ended up with…. a super clean, low mile 1998 MPV ES “Allsport” 4wd. Top of the line, with every possible option. This thing had it all: dual heat and A/C, leather captains chairs front and back, tinted windows, polished alloy wheels, 2 tone paint, tow package with load leveling rear shocks, and of course the part-time 4wd system with a locking center diff, so you could run in “full-time 4wd’ mode on partially slick streets and not worry about shredding a transfer case.
many more trips to Key West in that car from NY. It remains to this day the most comfortable and versatile road trip vehicle I’ve ever known. before E10 was a thing, we got a solid 21-22 mpg with the AC blasting going 70-75 on the highway. Flip side is tha t that 155hp 3.0L 18 valve V6 was just plain overmatched by the 4100lb of the redesigned first gen vans (added crash protection, weight of all the accessories and 4wd hardware). It wheezed up hills with a full load. Transmission was geared down to try and help (2750rpm at 70 mph) but that can only do so much.
Just like my brother was handed down a MPV, I was gifted our cherished family van in 2011, with 145k miles on it. I took a bunch of camping trips in it, hauled canoes, lots of people (7 at a time on a camping trip). Built a platform to level out the rear and put an inflatable mattress back there. 2 adults sleep comfortably back there. It needed a decent amount of work during the time I owned it, a lot of it rust related. Replaced the rear air shocks with the stronger OEM steel springs, and then added monroe air shocks to still have the load leveling feature. Replaced a rear A/C line that corroded through, rewelded the bottoms of the front fenders and did some bondo/paint work to keep it looking good (my parents made the mistake of parking road salt covered cars in a heated garage for the life of the car). I replaced Fuel injector seals, noisy hydraulic lash adjusters, valve cover gaskets, a fan clutch, rear sway bar link mounts, front shocks, a brake job or two, timing belt and plugs/wires. All in all it treated us well over the course of 15 years and 165k miles. I gifted it back to my parents when I moved out to Indiana, they use it as their little workhorse on their new homestead that they bought 2 years ago, and to haul a small sailboat.
I moved on to a commuter Civic and a 1996 4Runner for camping/dog hauling duty. But despite their several shortcomings (weak engine, rust prone), I will always love this 1st gen MPV. It could carry 7 passengers much more comfortably than something like a Tahoe/Expedition in terms of 3rd row legroom, and yet in 4wd form it was a capable trucklet, with a sturdy solid rear axle and decent ground clearance, and locking center diff.
My brother’s MPV as it sits now
The old rwd one has seen more off road than the vast majority of SUVs. Very durable suspension, can you believe that it’s on the original ball joints? The front shocks were finally replaced at something like 200k miles when the spring perches started to rust out, they still had good damping! Curiously, the I4 vans have a different front suspension setup than the V6s, which have mac struts (I’ve replaced a few lower balljoints on mine in 165k)
The ’98 is no slouch either, perfectly competent on the un maintained forest roads one finds in Upstate NY forests, but not the true off-roader that my current 4Runner is (with its huge clearance and rear diff lock)
Truly a “multi purpose vehicle” seen here hauling a canoe, fishing and camping gear, on a trip to the Delaware River near Hancock NY.
One more of the 98
I had no clue the four-cyls didn’t use MacP struts. What do they use?
My mistake, they do, but the lower arm geometry is significantly different as I recall. It’s really interesting how they made that big of an engineering change for a different powertrain.
A happy “Efini” MPV owner in Russia:
Nice.
Some law school friends bought a 626 instead of an Accord like most others did upon graduation. Then, when it came time to buy a minivan for kids, they chose an MPV. They were quite happy with it, but eventually traded into a full sized Chevy van around 1994 or so.
I think one reason these never did better than they did in the US was that rear wheel drive seemed so retrograde in the 1980s. FWD=Modern then, and the only stuff that most of us encountered that was rwd was because it was cheap and outdated. I really should have bought one of these at some point, with my love for rwd, but I never did. I still really like these, particularly the later models with 4 doors.
And whatever happened with the term “MPV” ? I remember when this car came out, all minvans were called “mpv:s”. Like that would make them more exciting? Anyway, it’s a term that seems to have gone out of fashion? Or are people still using that?
“No, ma’am… It’s not a minivan, it’s a “Multi-Purpose Vehicle”. It’s not the same thing at all.”
MPV was the original legal classification in the US of what we know now as the SUV. The certification label in my Scouts put it in the MPV class for safety and emissions purposes. I never saw anyone other than Mazda publicly call their minivans MPVs.
I remember the first generation Mazda MPV. As quirky as its styling may have been, I liked its conventional front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. I would’ve bought it had I had my driver’s license during the time it was on the market.
Mazda has long been my favorite Japanese manufacturer. They seem to have both high quality, and even in these days of no style cars, Mazda seemed to be able to differentiate itself from other models to some degree. Mazda’s decades long use of the rotary engine showed their persistence and ingenuity. And while other Japanese manufacturers have made 2 seater convertibles, it was never on the massive scale of the Miata.
Mazda literally created a category with the MPV. The original was not an SUV or a minivan. Unfortunately the newer ones have become minivans with sliding doors.
I have narrowed my search for a replacement transportation vehicle down to some type of MPV (multi purpose vehicle) Right now I’m concentrating on the Kia Soul and the Scion XB, either generation, though I like the first one better, they seem impossible to find in decent shape. Had Mazda stuck to their original design, and it got 30 mpg highway, it would be at the top of my list. I would still consider the current generation one. I hate jellybean sedans, and want something with a little more utility.
My favourites are Mazda, Toyota, and Subaru.
These original MPV’s were very durable. Working at a Mazda dealer in the early 2000’s I used to see a lot of these come in trade with well over 200,000 miles. The only problem they had were with oil leaks and engine fires. If the oil wasn’t fresh and the engine was allowed to accumulate leaking oil, as they got higher in mileage they would often catch fire. Over the years I saw at least 4 of them get towed in burned to a crisp. Overall, they were fantastic vehicles and loved by their owners.
I used to see these a alot when it was on the market. When it was replaced by the later front-wheel drive MPV, I didn’t see that many of the 1st gen MPVs.
That’s my impression too, both from several acquaintances that had them, as well as the fair number still on the road here. It used tried and true components from Mazda’s RWD cars and trucks, which all head reps for being very durable then.
Great write-up on an often forgotten vehicle. Had a newer MPV, a second generation front-wheel drive 2003. Wish I could say it was a good car. But despite some very clever features, and a nice size compared to other minivans, ours was not a good vehicle. Major rust issues, transmission problems, engine oil leaks, generally uncomfortable front seats, and poor dealer service made it the only car I’ve bought new that didn’t see at least 60,000 miles before trading it (we keep most cars well passed 100,000 miles). Bought a Volvo V70, which we still have, and never looked back. Sounds like the first generation MPV’s were much better vehicles. Hope Mazda can succeed. Not sure they can ever win me back, but Mazda builds some impressive vehicles these days and I can understand how some may like them.
Tom C. is correct. I to saw several MPVs reach well over 200K miles. Very durable IMO. Too bad I also same many of these meet their fate with the government’s Cash for Clunkers program.
My (ex) wife and I bought a brand new MPV in 1990. V-6 engine, 2WD. I still have the car. It has 315K miles on it now.
It blew a head gasket at 175K miles, so I swapped out the old engine for a used one I got from the junkyard for $800. The automatic transmission has been rebuilt once. The rear axle has a noisy bearing, or two, but I just turn up the radio and ignore the noise.
The damn car just keeps going. I have used it for my daily driver in the past. It is always nice having a spare car when my Saleen Mustang is needing some work, or the weather is so bad that I would rather be out in the MPV.
Yes, it is ugly, and the paint is shot, but it has lived outside everyday since it was new.
I have gotten to the point where I do not trust the car enough to drive it very far. No more than 20 miles away from home. If I need to go farther I take the Mustang.
I had a 2WD 1992 for about 7 years. Comfy car, good for camping trips except for that huge and horrible back seat taking up all the boot space. For a long time it was reliable and would have been pretty cheap to run, except for the thirsty engine. I nearly sold it, thinking it was about used up, and then kept it for another 6 months. At which point it ate a transmission and blew a head gasket, telling me I should have trusted my instincts.
Quite tail happy in the wet. More than once I found myself unexpectedly opposite-locking on roundabouts, which was kinda fun, but also kinda disconcerting.
my boss had a string of these for a while, good drivers and comfortable for 5 or 6 of us to go to lunch in.
I did get to drive a 4 cylinder/5 speed model he bought once. rather entertaining, and the four was decently peppy, though the metric speedo was interesting, the story of how that particular vehicle came from Canada to Texas was never revealed, as it was passed through several hands, but made for interesting conversation.
In W. Wa the 626 was the volume Mazda during the mid 80’s through early 90’s the loaded up LX was the most common version seen. The MPV was pretty rare, through not as rare as the 626 Turbo or short lived 626 hatchback. The MP5 was pretty popular for a while.
At the time, I felt the 626 was the best looking Mazda produced. The thing I liked about the Mazda MPV at the time was that it wasn’t like other minivans being sold. Instead of being front-wheel drive, like the Chrysler triplets (Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and the Chrysler Town and Country), the MPV was rear-wheel drive. If you have a family of 7 or more, some luggage, and/or a trailer to tow, this is the vehicle for the job. The Chrysler minivans were good for carrying people, and carrying most things, but weren’t built to tow a trailer. The only thing I would’ve suggested for Mazda to offer would’ve been a turbo diesel engine. It would’ve given the vehicle better fuel economy while also giving close to the torque needed for the job. 🙂
That would’ve been pretty cool, but I doubt most Americans would’ve gone for it.
Now, not including the left-hand door from 1989 to 1995 is an omission which makes no sense at all (although I suppose it may have given the average US minivan buyer of the day the impression that the MPV was more dainty and wagon-esque).
Probably not. It may be naive thinking, but it’s my thinking, and I make no apologies for it. 🙂
Apparently most of these were shipped overseas like every other 80’s/90’s Japanese vehicle.
In 2008, my neighbor in my old apartment, who was always hard up for cash needed a new vehicle for nothing and ended up with a 1991 MPV. It was dark blue with a blue interior. I don’t remember the trim level, but it was well equipped. It did not have 4WD. But was obviously well cared for upon her receiving it. It had about 241k when she got it but somehow managed to look brand new.
Unfortunately, this woman and her rather uncouth family were the automotive equivalent of a firing squad. Within weeks, the poor vehicle looked like it had been through hell. But it soldiered on for about five more years. One day, coincidentally I passed them on I-15 in Salt Lake City, the van had finally bit the dust. It had to have somewhere in the realm of 300k on it when it finally croaked. If I could find one in decent shape I wouldn’t mind giving it a go. That van proved how tough it was by holding on through five years of what amounted to a mash up of Honey Boo Boo and Hoarders……just to draw a clearer picture. BUT it was 17 years old and closing in on 250k when she got it, and it still provided much service in the face of extreme use and abuse. R.I.P. Humble MPV.
Call me old-school, but I’ve always liked the rear-wheel drive/4wd Mazda MPV more than that of the more modern front-wheel drive MPV. Not only do I like its appearance over the more modern MPV, but I also like the rear-wheel drive drivetrain. 🙂
Hi, I’m looking for some parts for my ’86 Mazda 323 hatchback. Taillights (red/white), Licenseplate lightings …
If someome knows where I can find some of these parts, please message me: drewsmarvin@aol.com
Thank you very much for any help!!
– Marvin
As much as I’d like to slam Mazda for the hideous thing pictured here, Toyoduh and Honduh were building equally vomit-inducing and wretched products in this segment.
I had one too 4×4 for the wife, I had a truck. She loved that van and I really don’t know why. We’re in snow country and that beast was nearly unstoppable, no problem plowing snow with the front bumper but I did have quality a/t tires on it. Traded it in for a Mazda Tribute awd in Dec of 2000. She’s had awd ever since, I guess I spoiled her?
Although I’ve never owned a Mazda MPV, I’ve always liked the overall shape of the 1989-99 models. I was disappointed when it was replaced by the front-wheel drive model.
We have had a 2004 MPH since new. Now has 200,000 miles. Great vehicle. Fit, finish and interior have been great. No real complaints. Just normal maintenance. Original Ford 3L V6, tranniy, A/C etc. Also, love my 2004 2.3L hatchback! What a “pocket rocket. No issues here either. Still classic Mazda handle and ride. Better than too expensive BMW 3s and MBZ vehicles without all the dealer expenses that are built in.
I still don’t understand why Mazda didn’t use the Persona mid-sized, front drive sedan as the base for the minivan. Seemed like this could have been the first real competitor to the Caravan and could have easily surpassed it.
This is probably going to sound really ridiculous, but one minute detail that always nagged at me were the exposed screws on the portions of the taillamp lenses that were on the rear tailgate.
The MPV was very common in the boston area back when it was new due to the high number of “i only buy japanese” parents in my area. I remember them being very rusty like in the pics.
Mazdas always been a tick below Honda. Honda has almost always beat them in every catagory they competed in by just a little but add it all up and its always just made Mazda an afterthought. Hondas are a little more fun to drive, more reliable, better mpg, etc. Mazdas arent bad but Hondas are just a little better. People vote with their $$$.