The first model year of the third-generation Mazda Capella, known as the Mazda 626 here, was named Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year for 1983. This 1985 Mazda 626 LX is listed here on eBay in The City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The seller is asking $5,995 or you can make an offer for this incredible one-owner car. Let’s check it out.
We all know that some iffy cars have been named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year and/or Import Car of the Year but most of us also know Mazda’s reputation for quality and fun-to-drive vehicles. One Motor Trend writer said about the 1983 Mazda 626, “I love virtually everything about, in, on, or under this car.” If that isn’t an endorsement I don’t know what is. The seller has included a ton of great photos on this link, including underside photos. Very well done, seller.
Two-door and four-door models were made along with a four-door hatchback. The third-gen cars were the first of this model that had front-wheel-drive and for the next couple of decades, they were available with either front-wheel-drive or AWD in some markets. The Mazda 626 competed with the also front-drive Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys. This car appears to be in outstanding condition and 1985 doesn’t seem like a “vintage” car to many people but it was 37 years ago which is older than a good percentage of Barn Finds readers.
The first thing that you notice inside if you’re someone who cares about driving fun is that this car has an automatic transmission. It’s the only letdown on this entire car for me but the LX was a luxury model more so than a sporty model. There is still plenty of zoom-zoom here because it’s a Mazda that weighs 2,400 pounds. The interior looks outstanding, I don’t see a flaw in the materials anywhere. The classic 1980s stereo with the myriad of tiny buttons brings me right back to that era. The trunk looks great as do the seats both front and back.
The clean engine compartment houses Mazda’s FE-series 2.0L overhead-cam inline-four with 84 horsepower which is where the 5-speed manual would have come in handy. The seller says that this car has 92,000 miles, has been with one owner since it was new, hasn’t been smoked in, and has had a ton of recent maintenance work. Have any of you owned a Mazda 626 or any 1980s Mazda?
I knew a guy with one of these. Seemed like a nice, dependable car.
He did make one minor modification that always cracked me up: He removed the 626 chrome emblem on the right rear of the trunk and re-installed it upside down thus making his a “929” model.
Stunning. Not certain if I would venture on to a highway nowadays with 84 hp, but around town this would be very nice.
They do great on the highway actually. Never an issue flowing with traffic in my old one, which I sold two years ago.
Nice piece of Radwood history. The autotragic is disappointing, and the car would be pretty sluggish, but it is a neat blast from the past.
Mom drove an ’82 for 12 years. 5 speed, rear wheel drive. She taught me to drive in it. She changed the oil on it every “couple” years, it never let her down despite it’s lack of maintenance. Everything still worked when I drove it to the junkyard with a rod knock and loads of white smoke out the tailpipe. It was a great car.
When my wife and I met in’93 she was driving a 1989 MX-6 w/ a 5 speed. Probably the most dependable and great driving car for a recent college graduate. Took a lot of road trips up and down the east coast and when she decided to join me in AZ along came the Mazda. Kinda wish we still had it!
This should be gone soon…
This time capsule brings back a lot of memories. I was a sales manager from 84-90 in a Mazda dealership. I had quite a few 626’s for demos. Great car and seems very reasonably priced.
Wish it had a 5 speed! These cars were everywhere – and then they weren’t. Amazing how they disappeared considering how I felt they were pretty well-built cars. I still see Camrys from this era running around here in AZ – just saw one today as a matter of fact.
I remember our ball coach having one of these, man we thought it was cool and fast ! Because it had a 5sp. May have had a turbo also ? Don’t know what motor but it was a 4dr hatch which was also cool compare to the boring mid 80s gm fare we were used to.
I had an ’83 sedan and an ’84 coupe. Both 5-speeds, both great cars until the rear suspensions failed (same place – the right rear strut towers). The ’83 had the “ICS” – Integrated Chime System. For every warning, instead of dinging or buzzing, it played a different melody. We used to wait with the door open and the key still in the ignition just to hear it. It was adorable.
Underside looks clean considering where the car is first thing to do is charge the timing belt and water pump but this should last someone a long time
I had an ’88 MX-6 & could hardly say enough that was good about that car. It was adequately powered, great handling, good comfort,reliable. There was only one serious flaw; the auto. transmission. A 5-speed would have made a near-perfect car. The A/T destroyed itself awhile before I sold it. I had replaced it & that was expensive.
Guaranteed not to ever see a car like this ever again new for singles – an affordable 2 door with a trunk & good visibility all around. & a fully color coordinated interior & comfy seat material.
Wow. This is very very tempting. I’m always smitten by unmolested originals of what used to be ordinary vehicles. They styling on these was excellent. Even today the design looks fresh and crisp. It really doesnt look like a 37 year old car.
Think of it this way, when this Mazda was new, a 37 year old car was a 1948. I think most of can agree that a 1948 car in the mid 80s was ancient. Yet this 626 doesnt look out of place even today.
What can I sell to make room for this?…….
Oh the great memories. My wife and I purchased a used one owner dark blue ’86 LX coupe with the manual 5-speed and 23K miles in 1988 from the Mazda Dealer. So we paid top dollar for it. None the less we kept that car for many years and sold it with 181K miles on it. Even waxed, the painted flat surfaces faded badly though. Other than that, the only issue we ever had was the ignition igniter started going bad. As soon as it got hot the motor died. It never left us totally stranded though and was just a simple replacement part. I still miss that car to this day.
I have a Chilton repair manual for this car. It’s the Mazda 1978 to 1989 – All U.S. and Canadian models of RX-7 * GLC * 323 * 626 * 929 * MX-6 * MPV
I drove one of these back in the day and the only thing that compared to it at the time was the Toyota Crown, also a beautiful car. And don’t get me started on 1980s Mazda 929s. Late 70s – early to mid 80s Japanese luxury cars were something special. I also had series 1 and 2 Honda Preludes. Real babe magnets for us young yuppies back in the day.
Auction update: this one ended because it wasn’t available anymore – someone must have made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.
I picked up this vehicle. It runs amazing but previous owner (only one) or someone that had access to the car, smoked in it (ashtray can’t lie).
Everything works on this car except one of the two center vents (should oscillate) won’t work.
Sunroof doesn’t leak; radio, equalizer and speakers work good as well…. bought it cause it looked solid, loved the built-in equalizer and sunroof and liked the style of the headlights.
Planning to keep it for a few years and then move on to the next one…. Cheers!
I think you mean that you like that the headlites are sealed beam GLASS ones, will never fog up, yellow, cloud up, or scratch & will always look new. & are dirt cheap to replace. How the government could continue to allow(or at least not recall) all the expensive modern headlites that have any of the above problems is beyond me.
You’ve got it all wrong. Weve all been told that the European style headlights are way better. Sarcasm intended. I agree with you completely
Glad to hear that one of the BF crew will preserve it. Enjoy it! I’ve bought several cars featured here as well.
Purchased a new silver colored / blue interior 1985 Mazda 626 (DX trim level I think). 2 door, 5 speed, 2.0L 4 cyl, finger tip controls on both sides of the guage cluster, 3 position shocks, great Yokohama tires, under coated. Added driving lights and a 6″ black hard rubber front air dam to help prevent buffeting effects by cross winds. Never a problem. A very excellent car! Much more power than specs stated.
This is identical to my first car except it was a manual with blue interior. Same ugly wheels and everything. I really raced that thing on logging roads all through northern California. Other than oil changes I think I put a battery in it. It was a champ! Never left me hanging