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Mazda 626 Sedan expands to mid-size dimension with make-over
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Catch a breath and cinch that seatbelt tighter as we rip through the gears and run the apexes of all those curves on Skyline Boulevard, Route 35 that wiggles down the spine of California's Coastal Range to separate southern reaches of San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean.
Through breaks in tall stands of redwoods from time to time you can catch a glimpse of either bay or sea, but who can look when zipping at speed on a test drive where eyes must focus on the next in a never-ending series of bends and swoops and dips and serpentine kinks of this tricky road?
Of course, we're pushing our test car -- Mazda's revamped 626 sedan -- to the limit of all laws of physics in order to sample its promised agile character and the improved capability of a rigid platform.
And, quite frankly, we're flying down the course.
Yet 626 begs for more: More throttle, tighter turns, quicker dips, steeper grades.
By the time we wind down the mountains to reach the coast at Santa Cruz, the driver seems out of breath, out of gas and out of twisty roads to race. But what we gain in this drive is a new respect for an impressive sedan that in the past has often been overlooked in a quest to stake out more popular entries in the mid-size sedan segment.
In expanded form, Mazda's sedan commands attention.
Previous editions ranked at the head of a line which includes performance labels like the Miata roadster, but 626 never scored the kind of volume sales as several Japanese rivals, despite precise manners and better prices.
The car traces back to 1979. A 1983 edition, first front-wheel-drive vehicle for Mazda, won "Import of the Year" awards from motor magazines, while in 1986 the first 626 produced in the United States rolled off an assembly line at the Mazda-Ford plant in Flat Rock, Mich.
A generational upgrade in 1993 produced the first V6 engine option, and improvements in successive years elevated 626 to contemporary status in terms of its mechanical and safety systems.
Now, a classy face-lift for 1998 editions also finds new and improved hardware aboard to make a performance statement which sets 626 apart.
Revised exterior styling applies cues which hint at lines of the larger Millenia, Mazda's elegant Euro-styled sedan. Based on the new sculptured front end and exacting new handling attributes, perhaps 626 should be called the Mini-Millenia.
This isn't a small car, however.
It actually provides one of the largest volumes of interior space in class, thanks to a wheelbase stretch of more than two inches and a similar gain in overall length.
The extension of 626's platform, strengthened with more steel bracing at flex points to set up a rigid foundation, planes the ride quality to simulate a luxury car.
Then Mazda's designers made certain that 626 carries the kind of mechanical systems to tilt it toward the sporty side of performance, which is why the car showed me how it could dance across that California ridge route on recent tests in 626 prototypes.
Key elements for the 1998 editions include an independent suspension system at each wheel and a link to responsive rack and pinion steering with power assistance.
As a bonus for those who appreciate sporty performance in a sedan, 626 offers optional V6 horsepower and a nice 5-speed manual transmission.
The new face of 626 looks handsome and even elegant.
Noteworthy changes occur at the front, where a Millenia-styled grille accents the tapered nose in a ring of bright chrome. Enlarged halogen headlamps flank the front grille and cast wider and longer beams for better illumination.
From the top of the grille, slick curves notched in the raised hood expand upward and outward to the base of a broad windshield. Then fluid indentions flow along curving side panels to a high tail, where a revised rear valence repeats prow highlights in chrome trim around the license plate.
Overall, the new look of 626 appears subdued and sophisticated, definitely European in tone like Millenia -- and different than the typical Asian import's design.
Inside, twin front buckets and a 3-person split-folding rear bench accommodate five people in a package that feels rather plush even in base trim. Spatial measurements for passenger heads and legs in front and back seats seem generous in the expansive cabin.
Four levels of trim signify that a 626 shopper may choose as many comfort and convenience items as the budget will bear, yet all versions contain a high level of the important gear, beginning with safety systems such as dual airbags, side-impact steel beams in doors, adjustable front seat shoulder belt anchors and child-proof rear door locks.
Trims divide into two segments by size of engine.
Entry level DX and the more luxurious LX editions contain Mazda's lively 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with twin-cam configuration and four valves in each cylinder. Output climbs to 125 horsepower, a boost of 11 points over the previous version, thanks to new refinements.
Upgraded LX-V6 and top-flight ES models draw from an aluminum V6 displacing 2.5 liters and installing dual cams on top. It zips to 170 hp -- 10 more than last year's engine -- due to higher compression ratios and a new air-flow sensor for quicker throttle response.
Mazda's tight-fisted 5-speed manual transmission works with any trim edition.
Also, an optional automatic transaxle, with four forward speeds and electronic controls, has a thumb-button shift button for overdrive lockout.
The price-leader DX brings a tachometer, tilting steering column, manual window controls, intermittent wipers, dual remote mirrors and cloth velour seat upholstery. The LX adds air conditioning, power windows and door locks, power mirrors and a sound system with AM-FM stereo and CD deck, plus options such as power moonroof and a keyless entry.
Even more conveniences and the bigger engine show up on LX-V6, which also has an anti-theft system, anti-lock brakes and traction control. The ES-V6 gets everything, including rich leather upholstery.
1998 MAZDA 626 SEDAN
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1998 MAZDA 626 SEDAN Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size 5-person sedan |
| Model Options: |
Mid-size 5-person sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
105.1 inches |
| Overall Length: |
186.8 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.0-L I4
DOHC 2.5-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
I4: Power disc/drum
V6: Power 4-disc/ABS/TCS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
I4: 26/33 mpg
V6: 21/26 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 16,500 to $ 25,000 |
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