| A subcompact car that was produced by Mazda | | | | then in different bodies: a five-door four-seat |
| of Japan, the Mazda 323 is also called the Familia | | | | hatch, a three-door four-seat hatch, a five-door |
| in its home country. It was manufactured from | | | | four-seat station wagon, a three-door four-seat |
| 1976 up until 2003. In the United States, it was | | | | station wagon, and a three-door two-seat van |
| originally known as the GLC, then the 323, and | | | | with an extended roof profile. It carried with it |
| come 1990, it was then known as the | | | | square sealed beam units on all models except |
| Protégé. In another part of the | | | | the van, together with a general styling and |
| globe, South Africa knows this vehicle as the | | | | mechanical upgrade. |
| Etude. These vehicles were built in Japan, and also | | | | The Mazda 323 is exquisitely designed and enjoys |
| they are assembled in other countries that include | | | | excellent reliability. It also has a dynamically styled |
| Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Colombia and New | | | | 5-door hatchback. It is well-made, spacious and |
| Zealand. | | | | very reliable. Easy to drive and offers design |
| It has become a perennial favorite among US car | | | | features that are very detailed, the Mazda 323 |
| magazines mainly because the model is well | | | | has the best reliability in the automotive and |
| regarded for its spirited handling. Also, it had made | | | | automobile business. It has driving strength which |
| a place in the automotive industry by being the | | | | is quite the usual and the norm running through |
| first small Japanese car to cross over to the EPA | | | | the Mazda range. It also offers an excellent driving |
| "compact" class in 1990, the same time that it | | | | position. What makes the Mazda 323 have a |
| started to be recognized and known as the | | | | smooth and light work to drive are its controls |
| Mazda Protégé. It also became the | | | | that are easily manipulated. Space is something |
| basis of other vehicles by manufacturers that | | | | that this vehicle can afford and there is quite |
| included the Ford Laser and Meteor in Asia, | | | | more than enough space in the front and rear. It |
| Australia, and other markets (this is known as the | | | | also features a forward folding backrest of the |
| Mercury Tracer in the United States), and the | | | | front passenger seat which could actually double |
| Ford Escort. | | | | as a picnic table that allows long loads to be |
| In 1976, the first Mazda 323 rolled off the streets | | | | carried in it. |
| as a rear wheel drive model and was known in | | | | Replacing the Mazda 323 in its line up is the Mazda |
| the United States as the Mazda GLC which | | | | 3. This time, this vehicle shares a platform with |
| actually stood for "Great Little Car". This was a | | | | the current generation Volvo S40 and the new |
| version of the fourth-generation Japan-market | | | | generation Ford Focus. |
| Mazda Familia. The vehicle was made available | | | | |