Faults:

Brake discs warped at around 12000 miles. This snapped anti-rattle clips. Found it very difficult to convince dealer that there was a problem, although to be fair this was a Honda dealer who sourced this car from a Mazda dealer to be able to provide company car of my choice.

General Comments:

This car has serious performance for a diesel. I've driven some comparable cars (Mondeo, Accord etc) and the Mazda has the edge.

Leather powered seat option on mine, really comfortable.

Xenon self adjusting headlights on this model are excellent.

Some cars feel like your sat ON them. This car really feels like you're part of it. Everything seems very natural when driving.

Absolutely great looking car, the rear spoiler on the Sport model (or optional on others) really makes the car. I think mine is titanium grey, which also adds to the looks.

Not too keen on the radio controls - and I still haven't really got the hang of the air-conditioning etc after a year, but probably just needs a little homework.

The dash is very stylish.

Bose sound system is amazing, 6-disc 'in-dash' multi-changer, sub woofer contained in the space saver wheel surprised me during my first puncture.

I would buy the car on looks and performance alone, but the rest of the car just adds to that value.

I'm just handing this car back in as I leave the company, so this is not a biassed review. I loved it.

I've just bought a Mondeo (cheaper) - but not sure it will be able to live up to the Mazda.

Faults:

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

General Comments:

Agile, nifty car, feels and handles like a smaller car would. Grips like glue in corners - and this is a wagon! I love it.

Faults:

Absolutely nothing!

General Comments:

Coming out of 4 Honda accords in a row (2 sedans, 1 wagon, 1 coupe, we were pleasantly surprised by the fit, finish, and overall quality of this car. The warranty is light years better than the Honda (no loaner car provision) the reliability up to this point is flawless, and dealer service has been PERFECT! At 100 mph, this car feels like my brother's BMW, at half the price. Great mileage, great looks, great price. Big bang for the bucks.

Faults:

The front passenger side door has a loose cable the dealer can't seem to rectify. It makes an irritating rattling noise. Sent in the car 3 times and they have yet to solve it. Spoke to the technician and he tells me they thought it was on the driver's side! Well, maybe fourth time's a charm.

Had the bumper gashed by an errant motorcyclist. It has been replaced for RM 1,200. The paint job is OK, but the colour is just a bit off.

General Comments:

The car's handling is great. Every day I go through a series of twist and turns on the way to work. This car tows the line superbly. Previously drove a BMW (e38 and e34) and this car does it just as well.

Power-wise, the 2.0 is barely sufficient if you're an enthusiastic driver. Don't expect the car to overtake faster than the average car on the road. It hasn't got enough power, then again it is only a 2 liter.

The car is generally quite quiet. However if you're one expecting a luxury ride in silence, this is not it. Tire noise is evident (riding on stock 17") and the sound insulation could be improved.

As the car is shod with 17", the ride is expectedly a bit bumpy. Greatest fear I have is the long term effects on the interior as Malaysian roads are not exactly smooth all the way. No dashboard rattle yet!

In Malaysia, this car sells at a premium of almost 30% above an Accord 2.0 and Camry 2.0. The key difference being this car is a CBU (completely built up) from Japan and comes standard with 3 year warranty. Not many on the road and gives individuality to the driver.