If Mazda were an animal, it would be a Jaguar, or at least an African Leopard, it’s a loner, it's not quite popular, but when cornered, it's devilishly brutal. Mazda’s are not the most popular vehicles out of Japan, and they are quite countable in city traffic, but the Japanese automaker has a reputation for designing quite the impeccable automobile. Its recent entry into SUVs has received a warm reception, with iconic brands such as the winning CX-5 and the roomy CX-9.
Mazda’s are impressive automobiles, from the mean Rotary wielding RX-7 FD popular for brutalizing its rivals in the mountain passes of Japan to the nimble but punchy Mazda 2 maneuvering urban traffic in the tiny streets of Europe—There's a Mazda for everyone. Here are the ten best Mazda models of the decade.
10 2011 Mazda RX-8
Mazda RX-8 is an iconic car, it's bred from a line of reputable street cars with a reputation of brutally eating up the steep Japanese mountain passes. The 2011 RX-8 might not compare to its retired older brother the RX-7 FD, but it's still a unique sports car in many ways. There’s no doubt that its rotary engine needs a little bit more power, but its lightweight characteristics give it a near-perfect throttle response.
While the RX-8 is perhaps one of the best sports cars from Mazda, it's also an oil and fuel guzzler. The 2011 Mazda RX-8 is a rear-wheel-drive car that packs a 1.3L Rotary engine making 232hp.
9 2014 Mazda 2
If you are looking for a punchy city car that comes with an optional five-speed manual transmission as a fun-factor, the 2014 Mazda 2 is your ultimate choice. It’s a front-wheel-drive vehicle with a 1.5L engine making 100hp, compared to its main rival the Honda Fit, the Mazda 2 is a bit stingy when it comes to cabin space.
Prospective drivers have a choice between an automatic or five-speed transmission. All in all, the 2014 Mazda 2 is an amazing city car, nimble in urban traffic, and with superb fuel efficiency estimated at 28mpg in the city and 34mpg on highways.
8 2015 Mazda 5
In case you are looking to get a micro Japanese style van with a fun to drive package, and enough room for six, then the 2015 Mazda 5 is your ideal choice. It packs a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine matted to a five-speed automatic transmission, making 157hp.
It’s a front-wheel-drive car, with a disappointing and overly outdated and underpowered drivetrain, however, it still makes an awesome cargo hauler even though it was designed as a family car. The 2015 Mazda 5 is by all accounts an amazing car, but it did not get a successor for 2016; prospective buyers might still be able to find a few good offers.
7 2020 CX5
If you are looking to get a subcompact crossover with minimal practicality, the 2020 CX-5 makes an excellent choice. It has a sharp-looking attractive design with an equally lavish interior. It's a high seating automobile, but with much less cargo and smaller back seat space.
Beneath its hood is a 1.6L turbo engine making 146hp. While its engine sounds a bit coarse on high speeds, it's rev-happy with a racy characteristic, something its closest rivals lack. It can do zero to 60 in 8.1 seconds
6 2013 Mazda Speed 3
The 2013 Mazda Speed 3 is a street fighter; it’s a five-door front-wheel-drive vehicle making 263hp. It packs a 2L 4-cylinder engine with a much stiffer suspension, stiffer tires, and sports seats, something that makes it a worthy contender in the hot hatch segment. Its overall tough guy characteristics, street reputation, and $24k price tag make the Mazda 3 a popular purchase.
While having enormous power in a tiny front-wheel-drive creates torque steer issues, it's not an attribute that’s unmanageable and does very little to spoil this amazing torque -happy bunny.
5 2020 Mazda CX-9
We’ve all dreamed of a sports car life for eternity, but there comes a time everyone needs to grow up and take a few responsibilities along the way. The 2020 Mazda CX-9 is a great way to begin that lifestyle. The CX-9 has awesome handling capabilities backed with a gutsy 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that helps it maneuver through urban traffic, whether it's picking up kids from school or getting groceries at the convenience store.
It has quite the swoopy interior with a ton of tech features that will amaze any prospective SUV buyer. The 2020 CX-9 also comes standard with a suite of driver-assist features, a dash-top infotainment system with access to maps, media, and many more.
4 2020 Mazda 3
The 2020 Mazda 3 is a true refinement available in both hatchback and sedan. It offers a sophisticated aspect when it comes to drivability, and is perhaps one of the nicest compact cars in its class. There’s no doubt the 2020 Mazda three stands out from its competition; it makes a better pick compared to the Toyota Corolla or the Honda Civic.
While it’s a bit frugal on the highway, the Mazda 3 still carries Mazda’s attributes when it comes to driver engagement. It comes with a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine making 186hp. It comes standard with a front-wheel-drive with an optional all-wheel drive.
3 2020 Mazda 6
If you are looking for a more than ordinary mid-size family sedan, with extra value and fun to drive nature, check out the 2020 Mazda 6. It comes with an advanced chiseled body that’s common with much more pricier vehicles. Its impressive chassis offers a sublime driving experience that you can only expect with a top tier sports sedan.
Despite its blend of top-notch features, unsurpassed dynamics, and upscale ambiance, the 2020 Mazda 6 is surprisingly pocket-friendly. The Mazda 6 comes with a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that makes 187hp; there’s also an optional turbocharged engine making 250hp. Both these engine variants pair with a six-speed automatic transmission.
2 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Imagine an automobile derived off all its modern technological complications, along with all the weight that comes with it, now add a tuned, playful rear-wheel-drive chassis, a peppy engine, and an enjoyable crispy manual transmission. The result is a purely refreshing driving experience.
The 2019 MX-5 comes with a re-tuned 4-cylinder engine generating 181hp paired to a six-speed manual transmission. Its soft-top models come with a brown top, while the sports and club models come with metallic black wheel design.
1 2020 Mazda CX-5
The 2020 Mazda CX-5 drives as good as it looks, and that’s what makes this iconic SUV a winner. Its top-notch lavish cabin could easily go for an Audi 5’s, with a choice of three engine ideal for every buyer. The CX-5 offers crisp steering, eager driving dynamics, and a dreamy driving best experienced with its 2.5L turbo-charged Grand Touring and Signature model trims.
The 2020 CX-5 comes standard with Mazda’s i-Actisense suite of driver-assist features that includes automated braking, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and many more. The 2020 CX-5 has three engine variants, a 187hp 4-cylinder option, a 250hp turbo version, and a much pricier 2.2L 4-cylinder.