Mazda 323

Mazda 323 at a glance

The Familia line was assembled from kits in many countries, from Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia to South Africa, Colombia and New Zealand. Ford sold its twin as the Laser in Asia and Australia, and in the United States the Mercury Tracer used the same base with different panels. By November 1986 Mazda had built five million Familias. Other models of the brand are in our Mazda catalogue.

Generations of the Mazda 323

Years are the main production years in Japan and Europe; some markets kept older bodies longer.

FA4 (1977-1980): rear drive and the first 323

The FA4 Familia AP of January 1977 was the first car exported under the 323 name. It was a hatchback and estate with rear-wheel drive, an interim model while Mazda developed front drive. Export engines were a 1.0 with 33 kW (45 PS) and a 1.3 with 44 kW (60 PS); a 1.4 followed in March 1978. A June 1979 facelift brought rectangular headlights. About 890,000 were sold in three years, and the estate and van stayed in production until 1986.

BD (1980-1985): front-wheel drive

Revealed in June 1980 and launched in Europe that September, the BD moved to front-wheel drive and was developed with input from Ford, which sold it as the Laser. It came as a three- or five-door hatchback and a saloon with E-series 1.1, 1.3 and 1.5 engines. In Japan the XGI Turbo of June 1983 was Mazda's first turbocharged piston engine, with 85 kW (115 PS) JIS. A January 1983 facelift brought a top European version called the 323 GT. Australia's Wheels magazine named it Car of the Year for 1980.

BF (1985-1989): turbo and four-wheel drive

The BF arrived in January 1985 as a hatchback and saloon, with an estate from November 1985. The 1.6 DOHC turbo made 103 kW (140 PS) in Japan and was offered with front or four-wheel drive. A naturally aspirated 1.7 diesel with 43 kW (58 PS) joined in July 1985. In the United States the 1988 323 GTX, with a 98 kW (132 hp) 1.6 turbo, was the first four-wheel-drive Mazda passenger car sold there. The rally-bred 4WD models gave Mazda success in Group A rallying, including a World Rally Championship win for Timo Salonen in Sweden in 1987.

BG (1989-1994): GT-X and GT-R

The BG brought the 323F, a five-door liftback sold in Japan as the Astina. Engines ranged from 1.3 to 1.8 litres, plus a 1.7 diesel, and four-wheel drive was built from August 1989. The European 1.8 4WD had 78 kW (106 PS).

Lightweight homologation versions, the GT-A and GT-Ae, were limited to 300 cars each. Most BG production ended on 24 May 1994.

BA (1994-1998): 323C, 323F and saloon

The BA split into three distinct cars. The 323C, sold as the Familia Neo in Japan, was a three-door coupé-like hatchback with up to 99 kW (135 PS) from the 1.8 BP-ZE. The 323F, known as the Lantis in Japan, was a sleeker five-door built on the CB platform from September 1993 and offered with a 2.0 V6. A lean-burn 1.5 Z5-DEL engine produced 69 kW (94 PS), and an Isuzu 1.7 turbo-diesel was added in October 1994. The range was facelifted in October 1996 and replaced in most markets in 1998.

BJ (1998-2003): the last 323

The final generation was announced on 9 June 1998 as a saloon and a five-door hatchback, sold as the 323F in Europe and the Protegé5 in North America. The European facelift of October 2000 brought this range in Germany (ADAC):

Japan and North America had faster versions: the Mazdaspeed Familia of May 2001 with 130 kW (176 PS), limited to 200 cars, and the 2003 Mazdaspeed Protegé turbo with 127 kW (172 PS), of which about 4,500 were built. European sales ended in September 2003 (ADAC).

Dimensions and practicality

Our sources do not give consistent dimensions for each generation, so we do not quote them. The BA saloon is worth noting: its wheelbase was only 5 mm shorter than the larger Mazda 626 of the same period, which made it roomy for its class. Our size comparison tool helps when you compare a 323 with a modern compact.

Safety

The early 323s were designed before Euro NCAP started crash testing in 1997, and we could not verify a Euro NCAP result for the BJ, so no rating is given here. Expect a 1980s or 1990s compact to protect its occupants far less well than a current car.

Reliability and known issues

Our sources contain no documented model-specific faults for the 323, so none are listed. As with any car of this age, the condition of the individual car decides more than the model: rust, the state of the turbo on GT-X and GT-R models and the four-wheel-drive system are what to check first.

Rivals

Over its 26 years the 323 met the Volkswagen Golf, Opel Kadett and Astra, Ford Escort, Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic in Europe. The 4WD turbo models were rivals to the Lancia Delta HF 4WD and Toyota Celica GT-Four in rallying. None of these cars is sold new, so prices are not compared.