Mazda Problems

Just as things are calming after Toyota's eight-million-vehicle mistakes in the USA and Europe, Mazda is hit with a 90,000-car recall in Japan and China.Australia has again dodged the recall, which only applies to a specific model of the Mazda3 not sold here, but things are looking tougher for even the world's most-admired brands. "The Mazda3 is not affected in Australia," says company spokesman Steve Maciver. "It's only the 1.6-litre engine, which we do not get here."But Toyota Australia was forced to recall the latest Prius hybrid for tweaking of the braking system; elderly Daihatsus have been recalled - ironically, under the Toyota banner; and Great Wall was forced to recall the first batch of its Chinese twin-cab utes to rectify a seat belt problem.Even Suzuki, which has one of the lowest warranty-claim rates in the country, was forced to recall the baby Alto because of a problem with wiring to the stoplights. Suzuki Australia is still sourcing a replacement stoplamp switch and will contact owners.Then there is Toyota USA, which is hit with another cloud over the Lexus GS460. It's a heavyweight SUV which is built up from the Prado and, thanks to an unsafe rating by the influential magazine 'Consumer Reports', sales have been stopped while the company conducts safety tests. It is responding to claims the car can develop a tail slide, leading to a rollover, in an emergency situation. Once again, Toyota Australia is responding with a 'no panic' reply."The Lexus GX460 is not and has never been sold in Australia. Toyota Motor Corporation Japan has advised us that Prado is not affected by the sales stop. It has a smaller engine and significantly less weight overall, particularly over the front wheels, says Toyota and Lexus spokesman, Mike Breen. Toyota is even putting a positive spin on the Lexus development."This is firm evidence of Toyota’s stated intention to respond even more quickly to ensure quality and customer satisfaction. It shows that Toyota is taking the matter seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue that was identified," Breen says. "Having done that, Toyota Motor Corporation has adopted its normal approach of conducting further tests on other SUVs. These vehicles have already undergone extensive testing and Toyota is confident they meet its high safety standards. Toyota is therefore conducting these tests as an additional measure to ensure customer confidence."And it's not just cheap-and-cheerful car brands that get caught up in recalls. Ferrari is also suffering after recalling more than 2000 of its F355 model fitted with a single fuel pump system and sold in the 1990s. Ferrari says it will be contacting known owners so their cars can be checked for a problem with the fuel system pipes.Porsche, meanwhile, plans to recall 152 of its all-new Panamera flagship, which sells from $270,000 to $365,000. They have to be checked for faulty seatbelt mounting points.

After years in the motoring doldrums with a range of well-built – but bland – cars, Mazda burst back into life early in the new millennium with a whole new energy and more youthful outlook on life. The company's entire range was renewed and every model proved successful, from the cute-as-a-button Mazda 2, the great 3, to the engaging 6. It was as if the company awoke from a deep slumber with a new drive and energy that powered it back to the forefront of car shoppers' minds.The stylish mid-sized Mazda 6 made as big a splash as any of the new models with its compelling blend of practicality, comfort and refinement, but then along came the MPS sports sedan that powered the 6 to a whole new level of performance to complement its natural sophistication.MODEL WATCHThe mid-sized Mazda 6 first burst onto the market in 2002 and was instrumental in helping to revitalise the Mazda brand. It was comfortable, refined, with good road manners and performance, and looked great.But the arrival of the MPS in 2006 added a whole new dimension to the prestige sedan, transforming it into a sophisticated and technically advanced sporting sedan. MPS stood for Mazda Performance Series, a sort of special vehicles offshoot of the mainstream model range.The MPS-tuned 6 wasn't a hard-edged sports car; it was more a luxury mid-sized car with a sporty attitude. Viewed from afar the MPS didn't scream 'hoon' as some sports sedans could do, its external enhancements were tastefully done and relatively subtle to make sure it stayed within the bounds of prestige appeal.There was a deep front spoiler with a gaping mouth to feed the much- needed air to the turbocharged engine, there were fog lamps, and a small spoiler on the boot lid, and big 18-inch alloy wheels, but the overall effect was one of refinement.Under the bonnet the 2.2-litre four-cylinder was boosted through the application of a turbocharger; the resulting output climbing to 190 kW at 5500 revs and 380 Nm at 3000 revs. It's not that long ago that power and torque of that magnitude would have had young V8 revheads going weak at the knees; the Mazda 6 MPS was indeed a sizzling hot road car.To put the performance to the road the MPS used a six-speed manual gearbox feeding a computer-controlled all-wheel drive system that kept a watchful eye on road conditions and distributed the drive between the axles for best traction. Unfortunately there was no auto transmission option available.In addition to the turbocharger the Mazda's engine also boasted direct injection for improved low and mid-range torque. The combination of turbocharger and direct injection delivered strong and smooth performance from low down right through to the upper reaches of the speed range. To cope with the extra zip Mazda beefed up the suspension with re- tuned springs and shocks, as well as bigger stabiliser bars.With the security of all-wheel drive, standard dynamic skid control, and the sports suspension the MPS enjoyed a firm grasp on the road. The good thing was that while the ride was firmer than the regular Mazda 6, it wasn't by any means uncomfortable. Bigger brakes, together with standard ABS anti-skid electronics, delivered the stopping capability to match the car's performance.Inside, there was comfortable accommodation for four, there was a good-sized boot out back, and a host of storage possibilities spread throughout the cabin.Naturally for a car of this class, the MPS had plenty of fruit, including Xenon headlamps, six-disc CD player, climate-control air, alloy sports pedals, and remote central locking with a deadlock function for added security. For even more fruit there was a leather upgrade, which brought with it leather trim, a power driver's seat with memory, seven-speaker sound, and a glass sunroof.IN THE SHOPMazda has always been renowned for the build quality of its cars and the 6 is no exception. Build quality is usually a good guide to the reliability and durability of a car in service and the 6 is performing without any major concerns. Mazda's servicing and parts costs are not cheap, but they're on a par with other cars in the class.It's important to check for a service record to make sure the engine in particular has had regular oil and filter changes. Also look for battle scars that often come from the daily grind of city traffic.IN A CRASHThe MPS boasted a comprehensive safety package with ABS brakes and stability control to help the driver avoid a crunch, and front, side and curtain airbags in the event a crunch came. ANCAP rated the MPS at four stars.AT THE PUMPMazda claimed the MPS would average 10.5 L/100km, which proved pretty close to the mark when it came time to road test it. It should be noted that the MPS needs 95-octane PULP fuel.LOOK FORSports performancePowerful turbo engineAwesome road holdingGood build qualityMazda reliability.THE BOTTOM LINE: A great driving sedan that is also at home in the hurly-burly of the daily commute.RATING: 80/100