Faults:

Rear silencer was starting to rot when I got the car.

General Comments:

I bought the car at auction intending to buy a Hyundai coupe, but when it came into the hall I was smitten. I'd never really considered one before and wasn't too sure on the looks. I'd heard about the peach of the 1.8i V6 and once I heard it I had to buy.

First impressions; corners like its on the proverbial rails, far better than my previous 3series BMW. Fast, more than enough for me with a really good dollop of torque in the mid range. Get it up to 4500rpm and it really starts to fly. Ride is a bit firm (you know which side a coin is lying on if you drive over one) but nothing too hard. Fairly refined for what it is, nice pleasant exhaust note and not too much wind or tyre noise.

2nd Impressions; Amazingly practical, rear seats you can actually use and a boot (trunk for our cousins) that can take a full load, although the lip is a bit high and just not wide enough for my golf clubs. The seats, although fabric, are still comfortable after a long run. The dash although plastic isn't something you'd find particularly offensive and once I'd put in a CD changer it was a car I looked forward to driving more and more.

So what's the downside? Well just about 30mpg on a long run (admittedly not hanging back on motorways), and just over 24mpg around town. That's not so bad if you've a decent tank, but it just isn't big enough. The reserve light was a bit untrustworthy too.

In the end I put up for sale after a month and someone came halfway down the country to pay me just over twice what I'd paid for it. Apparently it's a bit of a cult car to those in the know. If I was looking for a car to keep for those days when you want a grin on your face, I'd have another tomorrow.

Faults:

Absolutely nothing has gone wrong. Mazda reliability comes standard on this car.

General Comments:

The car is super smooth to drive, the V6 engine hums effortlessly as you're whisked along.

It looks good even today, very original shape still turns heads, better still, no one knows what it is.

Faults:

In three years the only thing that has failed is the exhaust downpipe which started rasping and was replaced under warranty with no problems.

Occasionally sticky sunroof opening.

General Comments:

A superbly reliable and good looking car. This has caused me no problems at all.

Performance for a 1.6 is superb, partly I guess because of the weight of the car - some panels seem really thin. Performance drops heavily when more people are in the car, and forget full grown adults in the back except for very short trips across town.

Much cheaper to run than the 1.8 V6, especially with UK insurance figures.

Faults:

There was an annoying problem with the brakes that the dealer couldn't identify. It felt like a warped disc but was not. After 4 months it was finally sorted by a brakes specialist.

The power steering crapped up and had to be overhauled.

As an import it came with a Jap stereo which was pretty bad, I replaced it.

General Comments:

Tax and insurance wise, a great option.

Nice looks that haven't dated since its initial release.

I enjoy driving the MX3 in traffic, it really corners well and has a great kick behind the acceleration. On longer journeys the 1.5 engine lacks the power to overtake with confidence on motorways at higher speeds.

The cabin is pretty dim and dismal and rear visibility is limited.

Faults:

Alarm central locking solenoid seized, drivers windscreen wiper rubber failed to wipe properly, and Clarion Radio/Cassette developed faulty power switch. All items were replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

The car has been 100% reliable, and only required one service at 12,000 miles so far. It is a good package of sporty handling, and an interesting small 1.8 V6 engine which thrives on revs. Fuel consumption without trying to economise is a very reasonable 28mpg on average. Having air conditioning fitted is a must this time of year, as the very black interior heats up quickly.