Test drive Mazda 323 F 1994 - 1997 hatchback

By evolution

Today, the car can be sold arbitrarily well, but who will guarantee its commercial success tomorrow? Only a constant process of improvement will help to resist the onslaught of competitors. According to the current laws of survival, already three to four years after the start of the release of the model, its improved version should be prepared. And here two directions are opened in front of the manufacturer: to invest by completely overlapping the car in accordance with the last fashion, or slightly renew it in order to hold the conquered borders until the successor appears.

  

Deciding the fate of a successful model 323, the Mazda Motor managers chose the second option, while adjusting the pricing policy. So, only a sedan performed by Exclusive is now delivered to Russia through official channels, which in practice means Full Option. All machines are regularly equipped with two airbags, air conditioning, an electric packet, heated front seats, ABS and EBD systems in the brake drive. Moreover, the price of the car increased by only $ 400. And the only option is the machine.
 
Externally transferred restyling to the 323rd is easy to distinguish by headlights with a predatory squint that changed the previous polygons. Accordingly, the hood cover, the front wings and the bumper were transformed. The back of the car is a little updated. Inside, a leather steering wheel and a gearbox lever appeared, white dials of devices and an insert on the central console for carbonate. Very interesting two -layer material is used for doors upholstery: the fabric is as if it is tightened with a small net.

  

Under the hood, a 1.6-liter motor instead of a 1.5-liter, which promises a well-known increase in horsepower and Newton meters. In practice, the behavior of the car has almost not changed: long gears emphasize the elasticity of the engine, but for the time being, they do not allow it to spread his wings. For a confident jerking forward, you should not be afraid to promote the motor the greatest edification, it shows precisely in the high -speed zone. The reconfigure of the suspension, fortunately, did not spoil the important advantages of the machine of reliable handling and stability in corners. An experienced driver 323rd will still deliver a lot of pleasant sensations. Moreover, vertical accelerations when passing irregularities are held at a comfortable level. And still the car pleases with powerful brakes that can cope with a much larger mass.
  

So, the Mazda 323 successfully passed the round, which can rightfully be called evolutionary. What next: a velvet revolution or a coup like what happened to the model 626?
 

The car is provided by Eurosib-Avo.
During the test, the car is insured by LLC Nation Center.
 
Text: Leonid Klyuyev
Photo: Vsevolod Konovalov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 62/2002]