A competent cruiser
Whether taking a trip to the local mall or to the country, the 626 has proven to be more than competent. In fact, one of the more common complaints with the Toyota Camry is that its ride is too soft. Well, the 626
might be the answer to that dilemma. Its suspension is firmer than the Toyota's but more forgiving than the Honda Accord's. This means that it can tackle your favourite back roads and maintain a high level of composure when negotiating Montreal mine fields.
As far as brakes are concerned, the V6-equipped cars were delivered with 4-wheel discs. Providing adequate stopping power, they often required some form of maintenance to avoid premature wear issue such as seized callipers. Steering is fair and to the point. Even though the car is capable, it never pretended to be a sport sedan.
A wise purchase
Not as reliable as the other Japanese cars in this segment however a far better choice than any of the Americans, the Mazda 626 is a hidden gem that deserves to be looked into. If you find yourself in the market for a used midsize Japanese sedan, keep the 626 in mind and take one for a test-dive. You may be pleasantly surprised. As always, make sure that you get the car inspected before you sign on any line regardless of where you or from whom you buy it.
Good stuff:
Roomy interior
Peppy V6
Not so good stuff:
Steering a little vague
Tested model:
1999 Mazda 626 LX-V6 168,000 km
Problem areas:
Automatic transmission failures at or around 100 000 km
Stabilizer bar links
Competitors of the day:
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Nissan Altima
Hyundai Sonata
Ford Contour
Chrysler Sebring
Chevrolet Malibu
Recalls:
TC #1998202 (1998 model year)
If the vehicle is operated in a hot, humid environment with the window open and air conditioner running, it is possible for condensation to enter
the audio unit and cause a short circuit. If the short circuit occurs at a specific set of terminals, the speaker can overheat and possibly catch on fire.
TC #2000125 (1998 model year)
On certain vehicles, an external spring in the timing belt auto tensioner may break. The broken spring may get caught in the timing belt, resulting in possible engine stalling.
TC #1997223 (1998 model year)
Vehicles equipped with 2.0 litre engine. The powertrain control module (pcm) may trigger a shift in air-fuel ratio to an over-lean condition resulting in an engine stall. This could lead to loss of vehicle control and a possible vehicle crash.
TC #2000073 (1999-2000 model years)
On certain vehicles, the brake master cylinder reservoir tank cap may not have ventilation holes. As a result, the pressure in the reservoir tank will drop gradually as the brake pad or shoe wears and ambient temperature drops. The low pressure may reach the point that the brake caliper and brake cylinder are pulled back by vacuum in the reservoir tank when the vehicle is parked for a long time. This may cause reduces brake efficiency during some early brake applications.
Whether taking a trip to the local mall or to the country, the 626 has proven to be more than competent. In fact, one of the more common complaints with the Toyota Camry is that its ride is too soft. Well, the 626
 |
| (Photo: Olivier Delorme) |
As far as brakes are concerned, the V6-equipped cars were delivered with 4-wheel discs. Providing adequate stopping power, they often required some form of maintenance to avoid premature wear issue such as seized callipers. Steering is fair and to the point. Even though the car is capable, it never pretended to be a sport sedan.
A wise purchase
 |
| (Photo: Olivier Delorme) |
Good stuff:
 |
| (Photo: Olivier Delorme) |
Peppy V6
Not so good stuff:
Steering a little vague
Tested model:
1999 Mazda 626 LX-V6 168,000 km
Problem areas:
Automatic transmission failures at or around 100 000 km
Stabilizer bar links
Competitors of the day:
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Nissan Altima
Hyundai Sonata
Ford Contour
Chrysler Sebring
Chevrolet Malibu
Recalls:
TC #1998202 (1998 model year)
If the vehicle is operated in a hot, humid environment with the window open and air conditioner running, it is possible for condensation to enter
 |
| (Photo: Olivier Delorme) |
TC #2000125 (1998 model year)
On certain vehicles, an external spring in the timing belt auto tensioner may break. The broken spring may get caught in the timing belt, resulting in possible engine stalling.
TC #1997223 (1998 model year)
Vehicles equipped with 2.0 litre engine. The powertrain control module (pcm) may trigger a shift in air-fuel ratio to an over-lean condition resulting in an engine stall. This could lead to loss of vehicle control and a possible vehicle crash.
TC #2000073 (1999-2000 model years)
On certain vehicles, the brake master cylinder reservoir tank cap may not have ventilation holes. As a result, the pressure in the reservoir tank will drop gradually as the brake pad or shoe wears and ambient temperature drops. The low pressure may reach the point that the brake caliper and brake cylinder are pulled back by vacuum in the reservoir tank when the vehicle is parked for a long time. This may cause reduces brake efficiency during some early brake applications.
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