The Mazda 626 V6 2-liter was introduced in 1992 at a time when the only segment competitors were the like-minded Ford Telstar V6 2-liter, the 4-cylinder Honda Accord and Toyota’s 1st generation Camry. The 626 was introduced at a time when executive sedans were all in a boring squared off sedan shape that had most Mazda buyers happy with its slippery dolphin like shape which was ahead of the rest in styling and interior design. Even the previous 626 led in styling and design when it was launched in 1985 where it was the only sedan in its class and few others above it to offer swiveling a/c vents and front seats with lumber support.
In the favour of the V6 Mazda were size and comfort against price, two of the highest priorities in the average Malaysian buyer’s list of requirements. In many people’s eyes, however, the Mazda had it over the Telstar and Camry in terms of style and the model also lived up to a well-founded reputation for reliability and comfort. In any case, the 626 sold well worldwide unlike in Malaysia where local dealer Cycle & Carriage sold only limited numbers. I feel that a lack in marketing was the major cause of disappointing sales. Making the task even more complicated for the V6 626 in Malaysia was the fact that Ford’s contemporary Telstar was based on the same Mazda, and differed solely in ways that clearly branded it as a Ford.
But the Telstar stole sales from Mazda. The 626’s sales always were less than a quarter those of either Accord or Camry. These 626s are from the era when Mazda had a complete range of very stylish cars; before the company shifted back to the “everyday” look for its current crop of models. In both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback form, the cars oozed style and class. In the early 1990’s the executive car buyer was looking for price against size and this new 626 represented best value for money as it was cheaper than the competition and offered a smooth powerful V6 engine. However this situation changed in 1995 when the Proton Perdana arrived at a hard to resist selling price of some RM30k cheaper. First version was a 4-cylinder but a few years later Proton introduced a V6 version at a price just below RM100k thus making the Mazda V6 unattractive. This promoted local distributor Cycle and Carriage to facelift the Mazda 626 with attractive cross spoke alloys with wider tires and a new range of colours and leather interior.
Initially there were four variants on the theme: Hatchback and Sedan with 2.0-litre four-cylinder or 2.0-litre V6, each with either five-speed manual or automatic. However a manual is very, very hard to locate and Telstar hatch is available in manual only running on a 2.0-litre V6 quad cam. Plenty of power and style and an unbelievable price to match! The value is great in the second-hand car market where a 1992 manual 2.0-litre sedan sells for as low as RM10,000 and they run all the way up to RM14,000 odd for a good 1997 V6.
The four-cylinder versions are lively rather than fast performers. They have a willing feel about them even though they happen to be carburetor fed. The V6 is almost the opposite. Smooth in operation, it gives the car a feeling of substance and higher quality, but it lacks any real punch. It seems to match the characteristics of the auto transmission better than the manual. The ‘HOLD’ feature on the auto allows for greater ‘pull’ on every gear and consequently sucks greater fuel also. Economy buyers should be looking at a four-cylinder car with a manual gearbox and luxury buyers should aim for the V6 automatics. Either way, owners should end up with a quality car with abundant style and a long, reliable life ahead of it. The Mazda reliability record is good and parts are never a problem. What to look for in any used Mazda 626 V6? The 626 should be reliable except in cars with very high kilometers. Careless servicing like leaving old oil in the engine for long periods of time or using incorrect grade oil or oil filter is likely to cause the biggest problems. Check for a good service record. The gearbox will only have problems most likely to arise from careless drivers wearing out by keeping to lower gears at all times. Autos are not immune to rough driving. CV joint problems are common on the 626. Drive the car on full lock and listen for clicking noises. Examine rubber boots shielding the CV joints from dust or splits which lead to failure. Mazda 626 models look classy and the reality is close to the image. Performance is lively if not rapid, and reliability is up there with the best. Hard to beat used price for overall value. Now the question is to buy or not!
