The joy of every automaker is to have their product loved by the masses. No matter how great a car is created to be, the final verdict lies with the consumers who make use of it. If they are impressed, they spread the word onto others who will be motivated to get it based on their good testimonies. But if they are far from being impressed, the automaker is stuck with pieces of the car with no one buying.

The Mazda 323 (Mazda Familia/Mazda Mazda Protegé) is one of such cars that sat well with the consumers from the beginning. Ushered into the Australian market in 1997, there was no guarantee that it would be accepted by the people especially given their negative reaction to previous brands like the VW Golf that debuted in 1974.

In Nigeria, Mazda 323 is an older, cheaper option for those who like the Mazda 3 with most basic features existing.

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The Mazda 323 comes in the following trims and specs:

GSE                                                                     

• Engine: 1.5 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 86
• 0-60 mph (secs): 11.5
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 37

LXi

• Engine: 1.3 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 72 – 73
• 0-60 mph (secs): 13.7
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 38  

Atlantis

• Engine: 1.3 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 73
• 0-60 mph (secs): 13.7
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 38  

Mazda Atlantis has a refined exterior

Aegean

• Engine: 1.3 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 73
• 0-60 mph (secs): 13.7
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 38  

Celebration

• Engine: 1.5 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 86
• 0-60 mph (secs): 11.5
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 37

Shiraz

• Engine: 1.3 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 73
• 0-60 mph (secs): 13.7
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 38

GXi

• Engine: 1.3 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 72
• 0-60 mph (secs): 14.8
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 38

SE

• Engine: 1.8 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 112
• 0-60 mph (secs): 9.5
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 34

GSi

• Engine: 1.6 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 93 - 98
• 0-60 mph (secs): 11.2 – 13.7
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 32 – 38

Sport

• Engine: 1.8 Petrol
• Power (bhp): 112
• 0-60 mph (secs): 9.5   
• Fuel Economy (mpg): 34

>>> You might want to check out: 2002 Mazda 626 review & prices

Features offered in the basic trim include the following:

• Cloth seat trim
• Steering wheel rake adjustment
• Body coloured bumpers
• Folding rear seats
• Space saver spare wheel
• PAS

Though portable, Mazda 323 offers good engine performance

Additional features offered in the upper trims include the following:

• 3x3 point rear seat belts
• Air conditioning
• ABS
• Alarm
• Alloy wheels
• CD
• CD Multichanger
• Central locking
• Driver`s airbag
• Electric mirrors
• Electric sunroof
• Front electric windows
• Front fog lights
• Heated mirrors
• Height adjustable driver’s seat
• Isofix child seat anchor points
• Leather seat trim
• Manual sunroof
• Metallic Paint
• Remote locking
• Passenger`s airbag
• Rear electric windows
• Roof rails
• Traction control
• Side airbags
• Steel wheels

It offers decent legroom for such a small car

The engine of the Mazda 323 is one that picks up slowly. To get it on the road, put on the ignition and leave it idle for some time. Begin to move quietly and increase your speed gradually. Change the gears gently, void of clutch spillage.

Mazda 323 was offered by the automaker as a sedan Protégé. Its transmission offers two options: a five-speed manual transmission and a four-speed manual transmission. There are also options of a 1.8-litre, 92kW unit and a 1.6-litre 78kW motor.

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Taking the car for regular servicing keeps it healthy

Mazda 323 was not a flash in the pan. After raking in sales for the automaker, it also opened doors for other business opportunities. Impressed with the performance of the Mazda on the market, Ford Australia came up with the idea of collaborating with Mazda to manufacture a small car. In lieu of this, Mazda’s 323 and the Laser by Ford were practically the same car with just little differences in the trims and styling.

In order to differentiate both cars, Mazda decided to make the 323 a little costlier than Ford’s Laser, and that has been the case since 1981.

Pros

Mazda 323 gets thumbs up for the following:

• Practicality
• Reliability
• Plenty of room

Cons

Mazda 323 gets thumbs down for the following:

• Bouncy ride
• Poor instrument layout
• High cost

A smooth and energetic ride makes a consumer’s day. To get that with the 323, you need to ensure that you service it regularly. If you are not one to abide by regular maintenance, you should not bother getting the car. Irregular servicing makes the car to malfunction, firing at high speeds, if the odometer exceeds 80,000 km. You will be doing yourself a lot of good by keeping tabs of the service history.

>>> Download Mazda 323 manual PDF

>>> 9 car maintenance checks you should do regularly

Good performance of the ride is also dependent on carrying out specialized maintenance. Your Mazda 323 car is better off being services or repaired by expert mechanics who specialize in repairing the Mazda brand. One wrong move by a non-specialized expert is all it takes for your car to develop additional problems.

>>> 5 signs of a good mechanic you can trust

The timing belt is recommended to be changed in not more than five years after replacement. If you are buying the car, inquire from the seller the last time he/she replaced the engine timing belt, so you will know when next to do that.

>>> What does the timing belt do in the engine and when should you change it?

The belt in question is rubber. Naturally, it deteriorates with time. Going beyond the recommended five-year limit will only cause you more car problems that will require more money to fix.

Mazda 323 cars for sale are more expensive than other brands you will find in its category. Ordinarily, this would be a spoiler for the brand as consumers generally do not like paying a higher amount for a brand they can get at a lower price elsewhere, but that is not the case. Consumers still prefer the 323 because of its good quality, high-end technology and superior finishing. There are better margins than what is being propelled by Mazda, but one thing that cannot be disputed is the high resale value of the car.

Nigerian used Mazda 323 prices in Nigeria