Mazda models

Mazda was founded in 1920 in Hiroshima by Jujiro Matsuda, first making cork and tools before moving into three-wheeled trucks and then cars. The company has stayed in Hiroshima ever since, including rebuilding there after the 1945 atomic bombing, and that sense of a smaller maker doing things its own way runs through its products.

Mazda's signature is a stubborn streak of engineering independence. It bet on the rotary engine when no one else would, kept building the lightweight MX-5 roadster for decades as rivals chased size, and developed its Skyactiv engines to wring efficiency out of petrol rather than going all-in on hybrids early.

The cars trade on driving feel and design more than badge prestige. The Mazda3, CX-5, and MX-5 tend to handle better than their price suggests, and recent models lean into a clean, premium look that reaches above the mainstream brands they sit beside. Mazda is the choice for a buyer who notices how a car drives and wants something a little less obvious than the default pick.