Mazda is at a crossroads. The Japanese automobile firm began selling cars in the northwestern United States in 1970 with 38 dealers. Today, Mazda boasts more than 900 dealers in all 50 states. Currently, Ford Motor Co. owns a 33 percent stake in the struggling automaker. Ford's digging deep into its pockets, investing $500 million of much needed capital to reverse declining sales trends. Last year, sales in the United states dipped 25 percent below previous fiscal year numbers. Global figures were not much prettier. Mazda already has pruned the number of models sold in the United States from 12 to seven. And commercially, Mazda is taking the bull by the horn. It's beefing up excitement on the advertising court by signing area basketball superstar, and Chicago Bull forward, Scottie Pippin as a spokesperson. One constant bright spot for Mazda has been its mid-size, front-wheel-drive, 626 four-door sedan. Since its 1979 introduction, more than one million have been sold. While not quite as refined as such rivals as the Toyota Camry, 626 is competitively priced while having a well-deserved reputation for reliability. Historically, Mazda has been most successful with midsize and sports car offerings. Available in a wide variety of prices and options, potential 626 buyers can choose between an economical four-cylinder, or more potent six cylinder engine. Mazda offers two four cylinder trim levels (DX and LX) and two six-cylinder offerings (LX and ES). We test drove a gold, 1997, 626 LX, the more elaborate of the four-cylinder offerings. All trim levels include rear window defoggers, dual air bags, 60/40 rear folding seats, tilt steering column, remote fuel and trunk release levers and dual remote mirrors . Base price of our LX checked in at $18,595, including optional automatic transmission ($800) and a $2,135 appearance package featuring power moonroof, keyless remote entry, leather-trimmed upholstery and anti-theft alarm. After adding destination charge ($450) and Mazda discounts, the bottom line added up to $21,040. Entry-level DX 626s with manual transmission start between $16,000 and $17,000 while top-of-the-line V-6 ES models start in the $23,000 neighborhood. Inside, drivers have ample headroom, even with the sunroof option. A thin, rear roof pillar design diminishes blind spots, providing decent road perspectives in several directions. Headlights activate from the turn signal stalk and there are plenty small storage areas for loose change and other items. Seats are very comfortable and supportive. Dual cup holders, conveniently placed between front bucket seats, don't obstruct other controls when in use, a simple but all too often overlooked ergonomic accomplishment. Mazda needs backseat cupholders in its next generation 626. Temperature and fan speeds, controlled by a series of buttons and slide levers, are placed above the stereo in the center console. Small stereo preset buttons need upsizing. A small, flip-top storage bin is found in front of the floor-mounted automatic transmission. There's some hesitation when flooring the gas pedal, but second and third gears provided ample passing power in our 114 horsepowered, 2.0-liter, four cylinder powerplant. Little body sway during sharp maneuvering around turns contribute to above average handling. Horsepower remains unchanged in four cylinder offerings, but increases in the V-6 engine. Anti-lock brakes are optional in both the four and six cylinder LX versions, but standard in ES. Mazda's compact Protégé, mid-size 626 and full-size Millennia all share a common high rear end, exterior look, but with varying lengths. Mileage estimates list at 23 miles per gallon city, and 31 mpg highway for the four-cylinder power plant. Our test-drive 626, with just 1,200 odometer miles, registered 24 mpg in combined driving. The tank holds 15.5 gallons of unleaded fuel. The 626 is built in Flat Rock Michigan at a plant jointly owned by Ford and Mazda. |