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.
Mazda 323 vs Mazda 3
If you are into this classic sedan from Mazda, read on for Naijauto's Mazda 323 review and prices in Nigeria.
2. Mazda 323: Trims and specs
The Mazda 323 comes in the following trims and specs:
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
4. Mazda 323 engine & transmission
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.
Taking the car for regular servicing keeps it healthy
5. Mazda 323: Pros and cons
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
6. Mazda 323: How to maintain
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.
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.
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.
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.
7. Mazda 323 prices in Nigeria (tokunbo & Nigerian used)
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.
Tokunbo Mazda 323 prices in Nigeria
Tokunbo Mazda 323 prices in Nigeria
Model
Price
Foreign used Mazda 323 1992
₦700,000 - ₦850,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 1993
₦700,000 - ₦850,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 1994
₦700,000 - ₦850,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 1995
₦700,000 - ₦850,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 1996
₦700,000 - ₦850,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 1997
₦700,000 - ₦850,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 2000
₦700,000 - ₦850,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 2001
₦700,000 - ₦950,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 2002
₦1,000,000 - ₦1,100,000
Foreign used Mazda 323 2003
₦1,000,000 - ₦1,300,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 prices in Nigeria
Nigerian used Mazda 323 prices in Nigeria
Model
Prices in naira
Nigerian used Mazda 323 1995
₦250,000 - ₦400,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 1996
₦300,000 - ₦650,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 1997
₦300,000 - ₦550,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 1998
₦250,000 - ₦600,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 1999
₦300,000 - ₦600,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 2000
₦330,000 - ₦580,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 2001
₦330,000 - ₦580,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 2002
₦490,000 - ₦600,000
Nigerian used Mazda 323 2003
₦400,000 - ₦600,000
This article of Mazda 323 review and prices in Nigeria is brought to you by Naijauto review team.
Chris Odogwu is a Content Writer and Journalist. He holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from University of Jos and a master's degree in Mass Communication from University of Lagos. His works have been published in top local and international publications including Forbes, HuffPost, ThriveGlobal, TheNextScoop and Nigeria360 among others. A member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the thrill he gets from writing about exotic cars feels almost the same as riding in them.
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