Mazda 626 – Specifications & 5 Generations

Mazda produced five 626 generations between 1979 and 2002, documenting 134 variants in the Automobilisto database. The model evolved from a straightforward two-bodystyle launch with carbureted petrol engines into a comprehensive four-bodystyle lineup by the third generation, which added the estate and introduced fuel injection across the range. The third generation's 46 variants marked the commercial zenith, coinciding with Mazda's global expansion and the 626's role as a Ford partner-platform donor in certain markets. The fourth generation shed the coupe bodystyle but gained chassis rigidity and multi-valve engine technology, pushing maximum output from 140 PS to 165 PS. Overlapping production windows between the third and fourth generations reflected regional market strategies, with certain territories retaining older platforms while others adopted newer architectures. The fifth generation refined rather than revolutionized, focusing on interior quality and NVH suppression as the D-segment shifted toward premium attributes. Diesel availability from the second generation onward addressed European fuel economy priorities, though petrol engines remained the global volume choice. By 2002, the 626 nameplate was retired in favor of the Mazda6, which adopted a new platform and naming convention aligned with the brand's early-2000s identity reset.

The 626 competed in the global D-segment against established rivals including the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Bluebird and Ford Mondeo, with particularly strong presence in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific markets. The model's front-wheel-drive layout and available diesel engines positioned it competitively in European fleets, while North American buyers favored petrol-powered sedans and coupes. The third generation's platform-sharing arrangement with Ford underpinned the European Telstar and certain Probe components, demonstrating Mazda's strategic partnerships during the 1980s and 1990s.