1983 Family Sized Hatchback comparo | Retro Review

The 4-door lift back was an early departure from the traditional 3-box design, and arguably the ancestor to the modern CUV. Check out what we thought of these models back when they were new.
Show 301 | Original Airdate 09-19-1983
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MotorWeek, PBS' award-winning weekly automotive magazine, provides unbiased, consumer-oriented car news with feature stories on related topics.

[@thetechlibrarian]

Dude was looking real zesty chewing that gumball

[@Stressless2023]

Looked like he would have gladly ate it out of the guys hand 😭

[@nwezetx1]

Rather homoerotic though.🤔

[@TheBikemaster94]

ooh 🤤

[@Saul_Soto82]

😂😂

[@arlesterblackmond5603]

1:53 1:54 1:55 1:56 2:26 2:26

[@advilshenk]

I couldnt imagine having a 88 hp nissan datsun stanza fully loaded with 5 adults ac on going up hill or trying to pass a car lol

[@tedunguent156]

I had a 2001 Nissan Altima SE (Stanza) with the 2.4L, 155 HP, 4 speed Automatic and with the A/C blowing it would bog down in traffic. Get the 5-speed manual, no problem. At the time I tried to find one but they were all sold out so I bought the automatic.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

Imagine on a Colorado high mountain pass with a full load.

[@timothygibney159]

I did as a kid. My Mom bought one for us and we drove in Apalachicola for years in it! It was so big

[@CarringtonHollister]

That Stanza (OG Altima) is gutless af

[@jasona8964]

​@@oldtwinsna8347imagine being on the Moon with no gas stations! Lol

[@jbm0866]

Anyone else laugh at the Phoenix's braking being described as "generally straight" as its shown on screen nearly completely sideways after a panic stop test?😂😂 I love watching these things as a reminder of how far car engineering has come. These days even the slightest nose dive or tail wag on emergency stop tests are considered concerning..not to mention the door handle dragging body lean most all cars had back then...wow.

[@retrocompaq5212]

now cars are fucking garbage that are always broken and its 200 times more maintenance costly than back then

[@adstix]

The unique selling point of this channel is longevity! Many of the biggest auto youtubers today were either unborn or just out of their diapers when Motorweek started several decades ago! For this reason, I think Motorweek should leverage more on that heritage with a change of youtube name - "Motorweek since 1981"

[@rightlanehog3151]

That is one Phoenix that will certainly not be rising from the ashes. 😂

[@andydhillon1977]

Lol!!! I don't even remember that car!

[@rightlanehog3151]

@@andydhillon1977 Please accept my apologies for the nightmare.

[@PhilMante]

My hometown, there's a neighborhood where a '77 Phoenix still rolls around.

[@rightlanehog3151]

@@PhilMante Yes, that would be the earlier RWD Phoenix built on the Nova platform.

[@PhilMante]

@@rightlanehog3151 Those Novas took their time to sail off into space. They're one of the last ultra retro V8 muscle cars that are still affordable. If you have about 5K you might get a 4-door survivor.

[@darylmark]

Ahh, I remember those days watching Motorweek on PBS. This was my college freshman year, and it was the closest to "cable" a broke young man had!

[@AnthraciteHorrorStories]

👍

[@casualsuede]

Still on PBS!

[@hothatchpa]

Rare to even see a Phoenix mentioned. This was great to revisit these cares that were everywhere when I was growing up. The occasional Camry or 626 are the only ones you see on occasion anymore around here.

[@modelmanjohn]

We had the Citation version as a kid. I didn't think it was so bad.

[@Stressless2023]

@@modelmanjohn Yeah my grandma had the Chevy Citation version when I was a kid, I think an 82. It seemed ok. Hers was black which I've never seen another one painted that color.

[@vwestlife]

The X-Cars really weren't bad at all once GM got the bugs worked out. But you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. GM used basically the same platform and engineering for their A-body cars (Olds Ciera, Buick Century, Chevy Celebrity, Pontiac 6000) that sold extremely well for many years and are generally considered to be very reliable -- you still see many of them on the road today.

[@civlyzed]

@@Stressless2023 Either you got lucky or my dad got a lemon :D our 1983 Citation had lots of problems within the first 2 years. Clutch, front axle, suspension and some other issues, but it was paid for so it became my first hand me down car. Fortunately it was totaled in a 1989 crash and I bought a used Cavalier. Ahh, memories...

[@Stressless2023]

@@civlyzed I've heard of them being hit or miss. My grandma's 83 was fine, never left her or us stranded, but she only kept it about 4 years. She also traded it in for a new Cavalier lol.

[@tz612712]

"Our contestants include three orientals..." Woweee, this uh....this was a different time wasn't it

[@6ec6YRFPTcC]

Today they're all "Asians", Im sure future generations will be offended by that

[@MWBenDavis]

According to Merriam Webster, while an outdated term, it's not considered offensive when used to describe art, medicine, or objects...just when describing people

[@Ntsej_Muag]

I'm Asian and and I find that funny. 😂😂😂

[@MrHeem94]

Yes a different time. A better time.

[@new2000car]

I can speak for John Davis at the time (no I can't, lol), but when he said it, it was meant to be witty and tongue-in-cheek. Also, since the Orientals in this review were great cars (for the time), it would be viewed (by anyone not woke-brainwashed) as a compliment to any and everything Oriental (whether it be people or country).

[@MonkyPocks01]

3:00 That Stanza door chime brought back a flood of memories. My mom had a 1983 Sentra that she bought brand new and had for 15 years. That door chime is the sound of my childhood. 😂

[@justinfincher2385]

Right? I had an 82 Datsun 310GX and that immediately took me back to shifting through the gears learning how to drive a stick

[@GeeEm1313]

My grandma's (Datsun Nissan) Maxima had that as well. I thought only the Maxima had it!

[@gofiveggggg]

​@@GeeEm1313 The First Generation Mazima has the talking voice.

[@gofiveggggg]

Love the tinkle sound warning chime.. So polite

[@landonbenford8369]

The chime on the 1989 Accord was Very similar!!

[@teresapflaumer5717]

Ah, the MotorWeek Players are fantastic once again! The jawbreaker test was completely unexpected!

[@GeeEm1313]

We should try that with our cars haha

[@nandernugget]

That generation of 626 was my mothers first car, I wasn’t around to see it but fortunately she got the next generation and kept it well until I was old enough to appreciate it. Today I’m a huge Mazda enthusiast because of it (and my dads 83 RX-7 helped too)

[@benjaminschmied7998]

My parents had this gen as a coupe. They kept it till 2000 I think. So many childhood memories. 😊

[@thecustardguys]

My dad's Mazda 6 has 300,000 miles on it

[@Demun1649]

@@thecustardguys You have been allowed to use the permanent marker again? Don't write on real cars. Mazda, who are only vehicles, not cars, don't matter.

[@thecustardguys]

@@Demun1649 you okay bruh?

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

​@@Demun1649 Okay ..... Deep Breath... now, u wanna try that again?

[@dkt1976dt]

I was 7 years old when all of these cars roamed America's roads and freeways, i remember seeing them all. Its hard to believe it was 40 years ago, the Family Car has gone through alot of changes since then.

[@kcindc5539]

Instead of an insipid beep or droning buzzer, the 626 plays an actual melody when you leave the door open and the keys in the ignition. I hadn’t noticed this when I saw this original broadcast back in ‘83.

[@Thegonagle]

I liked any cars that used bell chimes, with solenoids that struck a set of actual bells. I recall several makes using various bell chimes, but Subaru sticks out in my mind because I once owned one that had them.

[@dadgarage7966]

Those Orientals sure do make good cars.

[@Jose_hernandez970]

Rugs and food as well.

[@devinbiz]

Love these old comparisons, hope there are still more hiding in the archives

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

A lot more, I fancy.

[@radsk8rbigollies594]

I love the stereo with the equalizer in the Mazda, looks so high tech for the time.

[@mattpeterson553]

The joystick in front of the shifter controlled the fader and panning of the speakers.

[@joebehrdenver]

"Cam-ray" ;) Seriously a great blast from the past. Would be nice if 2023 offered options like these.

[@1985toyotacamry]

Here we go with that Cam-ray: the saga with the pronunciation til the 92 model. Edit: Mazda chime is familiar (is it a Australian built?) My first car is 1985 Toyota Camry sedan(automatic) it's pretty nice car but wow that brake test is long. OK I think he got it mixed up with the transmission on the mileage part

[@JoshBrinson]

Didn’t Hyundai use a similar chime in the early 2000’s?

[@1985toyotacamry]

​​​@@JoshBrinson I remember the USDM Hyundai one and that chime doesn't match the Mazda one. The Mazda just "sings" not the Hyundai one just "beeps". The only other car that does "sing" is Volkswagen Edit: I forgot the Mitsubishi Starion.

[@hothatchpa]

LOL I love that someone pinned down the year when he corrected that!

[@1985toyotacamry]

​@@hothatchpa lol. Of course that pronunciation make me cringe. So he didn't correct it in 83 model the 84 model the 87 model the 88 model and corrected it in 92 model. Took him almost a decade to correct it.

[@roddydykes7053]

Lmao, wonder when the obsession for volt meters and oil pressure gauges started

[@atomsmash100]

I initially was very surprised to see the Phoenix rate so well, but take away the quality and recall issues that plagued the first few years so badly and the X-cars were at their core a very capable design. Alas, the damage was done and the X-cars never recovered even when GM ironed out the issues.

[@ce9345]

That is true. Another reason the x-cars sales dropped off was of the A-body cars. Same wheelbase but in a larger body. I owned an 85 citation. No quality problems with mine.

[@HamsterWheelGaming]

2:34 bruh

[@cobracharmer6178]

WTF!

[@krisjones74]

I bet my Grandfather saw this and went out and bought a 626. That car was totalled in an accident, and my grandpa and grandma pulled themselves out of the wreckage and went straight back to the Mazda dealership. The replacement car was passed around our family for decades.

[@NOXStellans]

'What I still think of as a "Family Sized" car: If we'd stick to Honda Civics* for diriving our kids around we would be able to afford send them to college (or your favorite trade school)-$30k today is less than $11k in 1983.

[@billschlafly4107]

College isn't worth the price of admission unless the goal is a degree in science.

[@carzak]

The problem is Americans see small cars as a temporary embarrassment while they work towards barely being able to afford a big SUV or luxury car instead of saving for their future.

[@chrisnagel2708]

Would never have guessed back in 83 that the Camry would become the world class car that it has!

[@boggy7665]

Still with pogo-stick lousy suspension. Watching crash compilations, it's often a Camry that goes out of control & runs off the road, after an emergency maneuver on a straight, dry road.

[@tyronepowell147]

You mean Cam-Ray!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@chrisnagel2708]

@@tyronepowell147 yes that's definitely how John Davis says it! 🤣

[@rodmunch69]

If by world class, you mean extremely boring, correct.

[@angryshoebox]

We had an '83 Stanza, my mom's first new car in 10 years. I was 15 1/2 when we got it; it was one of the cars I learned to drive in. That "ding ding" alert took me back.

[@Aforementioned]

My grandparents had an '82 with the same uh, bordello red interior as MW's tester. The chime takes me back, too. ;)

[@05gtdriver]

I bought a new Nissan Hard Body truck in 1992, and it, too, had that same chime! 😊

[@adamr4198]

My parents had a 84 Stanza HB that looked identical. It last until 1999 and ended up being my first car. Lots of memories riding in the backseat and a year of rowing my own gears in the driver’s seat.

[@IndyF1FanMarquis]

One thing that holds true from this comparison is that Mazda will always emphasize driving performance. I've owned two Mazda 6's and have never been disappointed by either of them. I'd be first in line if the rumored return of the 6 comes to be!

[@Andyface79]

For sure. My Dad had a Mazda 3 and it was a blast to drive. My brother still has its, 18 years later and its still going strong.

[@Thindoublechin]

​@@Andyface79 I drive a 2005 mazda 3 hatch to this day.

[@AndresSalazarAutos]

I think the Mazda 626 got fuel injection in 1986 and also there was a turbo model with 120hp and it was a quick car.

[@BeefyMon]

Yes, I had an 87 626 GT Turbo… it was wickedly quick for the time. Along with fuel injection the 86-87s also had a completely new interior/dash design, updated taillights and flush wide headlights.

[@loganlovescarsandmotorcycles]

I haven't ever seen these cars other than the Camray. Still see a few Camry on the road. It's a good car. Rust is the issue that killed the Camry my family had.

[@USNVA11]

My first new car purchase was a 1984 Mazda 626 two door coup with all the bells and whistles including digital instrumentation. It was a really great car other than it could have used a bit more power under the hood. For 1984, the styling looked pretty advanced.

[@barryervin5297]

Today you couldn't do a comparison like this, because there are no family size hatchbacks. Everything is SUVs and "crossovers '.My 88 Dodge Lancer was the most useful car I've ever owned. I could throw my bicycle in the back without taking the front wheel of and once picked up a 50 gallon water heater with it, and it didn't handle like a truck.

[@joestuff8]

19:28 what a garbage 🗑 display, design and execution.. looks so utilitarian lol

[@RallyLancer95]

I wasn't around then but one glance at the Phoenix interior makes me see why people were buying imports

[@joestuff8]

@@RallyLancer95 agreed✔️

[@darrentoronto73]

Oye. 3 Orientals. Doesn't sound PC 2023. Grew up watching this show. Loved it.

[@AsteroidsDeluxe]

626 was a hansome car and the Pontiac Phoenix was the best value. The 1983 Phoenix is a clone of the improved Citation II that addressed the reputation ruining record setting recalls of the original Citation.

[@palebeachbum]

My heart just sank to my stomach realizing these cars are 40yrs old. FORTY years old! Man, I feel old. I was only a kid in the 80s, but I remember when these were on the road. Of the group, my choice is the Mazda 626. I really like the design and it seems the plushest inside, only bested in that regard by the Pontiac Phoenix. Camry would be at the bottom for me due to having the ugliest exterior design and poor driving dynamics.

[@JolliAllGenGamer]

Hi Toyota Camray, also I don’t think Oriental can’t really be used anymore these days.

[@thetinysideoftiny7625]

The Phoenix was by far the worst car in the test. Laughably behind its Japanese competition. Like a horse and buggy competing against…well…modern Japanese cars 😂

[@MistahJigglah]

People in 2064 watching KZbin videos from the 2020s: "Can you believe they said 'People of Color' five times?"

[@TheCOZ]

That was weird to hear in 2023..."three orientals"

[@Ben-Rogue]

The coupe version of this era 626 is such a classy car. There's one that I've seen around my town a couple of times, and I just can't look away when I see it.

[@AndresSalazarAutos]

I'd love to see this generetion Mazda 626 in its Turbo/GT version, at the time it must have been the fastest of the bunch-

[@tedunguent156]

In 1983 I bought my first new car. It was a Plymouth Colt GTS Hatchback (Mitsubishi, 1.6L 4 cyl., Super Shift which Plymouth called Twin Stick. It was a 4 speed manual with a second lever for a high-low differential). It would burn rubber in 1st, 2nd and, sometimes, 3rd in low range and get 47 MPG in high range at highway speeds. I don't remember the price but it was about $7000-$7500.

[@TheCamoPowerKing]

47mpg is even great for today's standards!

[@NOXStellans]

$10,000 + 40 Year = $30,000

[@marshalmagooo3899]

The 1st uttering of the Cam-Ray

[@marshalmagooo3899]

Or idiot lights

[@dforrest4503]

I wish Mazda still made a 5 door hatchback. I had a 2006 Mazda6 hatch and it was more practical and efficient than small SUVs, and handled much better.

[@mymomsaysimcool9650]

Those 626 could last many years and miles. My wife had a new 85 we kept for 250,000 miles.

[@pbfloyd13]

Ah yes the Toyota CAM-REY...

[@mrdorkomatic]

If I had the money, I'd love to get this group of cars together again after 40 years of abuse and see how they compare to their new selves. Would be hilarious and fun!

[@adamfischer6768]

What were the 5 Motorweek hunks doing with their hands when they all got into the Pontiac Phoenix?

[@rickymack2611]

So the Camry is the only car on this list still around. It's come a long way

[@hothatchpa]

Orientals….

[@landyachtfan79]

I've been thinking lately about John's continued mispronunciation of "Camry" as "Cam-Ray" back then, & am now wondering if Toyota told him to pronounce it like that just as Mitsubishi told the press to pronounce "Galant" "Ga-Lawn" for the first generation models.

[@billschlafly4107]

I thought it was a typo on an early script and John simply locked in on Cam Ray forever after. But you are probably closer to the truth.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

He probably dismissed any comments from staff early on with these things .This includes oil and voltmeter gauges that he kept harping about.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

About 1992-93 he switched to the acceptable camry instead of camray.

[@archfapper211]

John just says certain words h'weird

[@zerocool5395]

I rather watch these over any new super car/exotic whatever. The comments say alot of people feel the same lol.

[@themanwithsauce]

A few years ago I bought a 2017 Ford Focus ST, brand new. From the moment I pulled into work, people kept asking me why I didn't get something "nicer" which was a polite way of asking why I didn't get a pickup or a big sedan. I simply said it was big enough for me, and it has what I want. So it's funny looking back and seeing how 30+ years ago, cars that would make my FoST look big were still considered "family size" with 80hp and 3-speed autos.... I miss the lightweight and simple lines of the old cars but I do appreciate how far we've come, even if most people don't.

[@perfectstorm7518]

CamRay

[@thetechlibrarian]

Oscillating Vents and active dampers for $11,000 lol

[@vwestlife]

I noticed the title card shifting around a little bit, and that made me realize that it was probably generated by the old trick of aiming a camera at the logo drawn on a piece of paper, inverting the video signal to make it white on black, and then luma-keying it on top of the video. No computer graphics involved!

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Titles and credits swerved quite a bit even until the mid 80s!!!!!

[@AaronSmart.online]

It looks like it was part of a filmed sequence, with the amount of noise and what could be gate weave

[@Wiencourager]

They didn’t test the AMC concord wagon, which was really a hatchback. But since it was basically a warmed over 1971 amc hornet, maybe it’s just as well.

[@scottvickery2057]

I feel sorry for anyone who bought a Phoenix over a Camry back then.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

Cam-ray

[@scottvickery2057]

@@oldtwinsna8347 😆

[@terminallygray]

@scottvickery Ditto- I liked my Pont Phoenix also. Many times I've said outloud that I wish I could find another one like it. But whoa nelly.... that brake test brought back some scary memories. "stops were generally straight to boot" yea....until you lock em' up on street covered in ice and snow. Despite the cars shortcomings I liked it and it came to me at a good time to have it.

[@oi32df]

Can't get a simple Versa hatchback these days and even less an American car since there's only one 'pony' car left . Just a sea of ​​awful inefficient SUVs and pick-ups available.

[@jeremyb4493]

I had a charcoal grey 85 626 5 speed during/after high school. Had a burgundy interior and I drove it everywhere until I gave it to a younger brother at well over 400,000 miles.

[@jayhopkins8341]

I had some problems with this comparison. The guy couldn’t even pronounce Camry correctly. He kept saying Camray. Toyota prob hated that but I believe 83 was its debut so maybe no one knew. More importantly, the cars chosen weren’t on equal playing fields. The Stanza was a lesser car than all of them. The Maxima was the better match w/ them but I don’t think it came as a hatchback ever. The Stanza would be more comparable to the Corolla hatchback. Finally, the Phoenix is arguably not on par with comparisons becoming the brand was a step up from Chevy so a Citation seems a better choice. Just my opinion on all this of course & they certainly ask for mine. Lol

[@postersm7141]

3:38 I love the fact that he thinks the windows have “high window sills” mr. Davis, wait until you see the year 2023 lol the windowsills are almost up to your neck these days lol Of course this is all due to new safety regulations. The Nissan from back then first of all it was actually a Nissan :-) and second of all the windowsills were low enough to where you could actually rest your arm!! try doing that in a modern car

[@67marlins]

Even as a Ford guy, I like the Phoenix best. Like most GM compacts, it's light years better looking than Asian cars.

[@ClassicTVMan1981X]

September 19, 1983 -- same night Wheel of Fortune had first aired in primetime!

[@UncleJoeLITE]

So...40 years ago you guys weren't completely bonkers! Now it's all F-150s vs Rams. 😂🤟

[@MSimmonsAZ]

ALthough my parents were divorced and not on good terms they both had that generation 626 (sedan). Dad had his 20 years. He always said it was the best car he ever owned. I learned to drive on it, and my mother's. He had a stick. I am sure he used to get 33mpg. And one year he brought me and a friend home from sleep away camp, that was two hard trunks plus the rest of our stuff. All fit. THe car had 3 different chime/warming sounds. The open door one is sort of audible while they are giving the tour. It was a little song, when have you ever hard that before? We also hada 1980 chevy citation (same as the pontiac phoenix). One of the worst cars dad ever owned. It was a lot bigger than the others. Also in this test it looked like only the Japanese had side mirrors on both sides.

[@wolfshanze5980]

Not enough companies do the "Jawbreaker Test" for panel fit anymore... we need more of these tests in 2023.

[@kevinbarry71]

I am old enough to remember this review, we have come a long long way. Incidentally, among other things, what they considered to be quiet we would today consider it extremely loud

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

Well do u remember it

[@TheMajortanner]

Those boat American cars were pretty quiet.

[@newcarpathia9422]

Brought a tear to my eye. That precise model of Camry was my first car. Mine was even the same color.

[@burntcrumpets5616]

Oh dear lord!.......I'm so sorry.

[@newcarpathia9422]

@@burntcrumpets5616 I was a 16-year-old and entirely jazzed to have anything mobile. Was it a great car? Nope, but it took me places and that made it magical.

[@burntcrumpets5616]

@@newcarpathia9422 but darling......there's also the bus. Travel in style I say!

[@newcarpathia9422]

@@burntcrumpets5616 The bus? Where I lived? Har! There was no bus. :)

[@burntcrumpets5616]

@@newcarpathia9422 Train then? Forgive me but am I taking public transport for granted with me being European? In all seriousness, I was just messing with your nut before. I'm sure the early Camry's were a decent piece of kit back in the day being a well trusted model over on the States. Can't go wrong with most Japanese auto brands though the Camry wasn't an option here in Europe. Instead we had the other saloon/sedan model called the Avensis. Rather nonchalant but the cabbie's loved em! Again I apologize for my overly dry euro humour regarding your first automobile. I confess, I'm sure your Camry was a whole lot better than my first car which was a total embarrassment! May I ask what year did you take possession of your Camry? Just curious. Kind regards 😉

[@normanlim5071]

He said "ORIENTAL"?!?! Also, CamRAY. That's the 1980's for ya!

[@johnnymason2460]

And to think my dad at one point tried to get me to take a 1983 Camry. I'm glad I didn't. The 1987-1991 Camry sedans and wagons were better cars.

[@christopherwaits7852]

I have a 1990 and have driven lots of V20 Camrys. Never a V10. I’m curious just how different they drive, since the 2nd gen is based heavily off the 1st gen platform

[@donaldwilson2620]

That generation Mazda 626 was a great generation. Good looking, reliable, and fun to drive.

[@Flying_GC]

Yeah. My father had several of them, last one was an 87 GT Hatchback. Great car would love to find one these days

[@djkenny1202]

@@Flying_GC they were around 83-88? Why Several?

[@ljmorris6496]

Although the Pontiac had more room and power than the Japanese, I'd still would have gone with a Japanese make here...and I'm a domestic guy. I see the struggle GM had back in the '80s with smaller cars..

[@davidaubin3902]

I’d take the 626

[@JJPMustang]

Odds are these have all been recycled into beer cans several times by now 😂

[@Rosteg2406]

i don't think that you can make beer cans out of rusted metal scrap that falls apart in your hand like dry sand

[@05gtdriver]

Beer cans are made from aluminum, none of these cars have aluminum bodywork, but I get what you mean.🙂

[@cobracharmer6178]

The Pontiac Phoenix/ Chevy Citations are now hanging on the walls in ladies bathrooms as tampon dispensers. 🙂

[@Stressless2023]

@@cobracharmer6178 All of these met that fate besides probably a handful of Camry's from this era naturally lol although I'll say I've seen a couple minty looking Chevy Citation X-11's in recent years at car shows I attended.

[@cobracharmer6178]

@@Stressless2023 😀👍

[@torres3800]

The interior of all the imports were lightyears ahead the Phoenix. Those gages looked faded and used like Junk Yard replacements. 😂 (and im a GM guy). My favorite was the 626.

[@suomenpresidentti]

Ahh.. The first Camry. I Had one back in 1990-1991. Great memories. Greetings From Finland!

[@Paul-cx4gm]

I can't believe they thought the Nissan Stanza was best in class over the Mazda or Toyota..

[@jeremyanderson1139]

I personally think that the Pontiac Phoenix was the worst of these, especially because it was a GM X-Body

[@sBrCj]

8:21 those switches are absolutely the dumbest shit I've ever seen. looks like something ai would come up with

[@Doobie1975]

By 1983 the bugs that GM's X-body cars seemed to be worked out, I remember by the early 2000's the later versions of the X-body cars were still somewhat commonly seen on the road while the earlier models were nearing extinct.

[@ce9345]

The GM X-body cars were better than people gave them credit for. I had a 1985 chevy citation and drove it till 1994.

[@markallen2984]

I miss simple M/T cars with graphic equalizers. Good times.

[@TurboMan942]

Style wise, I’d say: 1) 626 2) Phoenix 3)Camray 4)Stanza

[@rossbynum7495]

The “ting-ting” of the door ajar alarm on the Nissan…that takes me back!

[@mattw8332]

The Mazda would be my choice. It looks very cool. The Camry hatchback looks a bit awkward from the side.

[@allentoyokawa9068]

I always hated how he compared cars to european cars... as if it is one country and all cars are done the same way... I mean they are all junk, so they all do that the same!

[@the_jarmel]

❤❤❤❤ LOVE U MOTORWEEK ❤️👏👏👏... HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY EVERYONE ✌️

[@ralphmcmahan2139]

MotorWeek tried to warn Detroit about the Camray. No one was listening.

[@donaldsalkovick396]

Say it with me......Cam reee. Cam reee. Not Cam rayyy

[@landyachtfan79]

My friend Bill Simmons had a 1984 Phoenix that I had a ride to & from the New England Aquarium in one day. WHAT............A..........PIECE........OF.........CRAP!!!!!! 2:51.............I REALLY miss Nissan's "ding-dong/doorbell" chimes that they shared with Subaru! The GM X-cars will always be one of those car lines that REALLY frustrates me. They had all of the ingredients to be the best cars ever built, & that is exactly what they could & should have been. Ultimately, I feel that the X-cars' undoing was not really the cars THEMSELVES, but the company who built them, late-'70's/early '80's GM. As was the case with Ford & Chrysler, they became too focused on beating the European & Japanese competition at their own game & not focused ENOUGH on providing the American car-buying public with viable alternatives to the imports. As a result, quality & reliability were allowed to fall by the wayside.

[@Zachman676]

I’ll have a 626, thanks

[@joeseeking3572]

Given that the 626 had a lot more content for not a lot more money and was clearly the most competent as an imitation sport sedan, I'd clearly go with that. Though my 16 year old self would have been capitvated by the Phoenix V6 (we had a Citation V6 with a stick, and it was pretty fast - compared to anything near its price point in 1983) You 'd have to have been driving then to remember an 11 second (stick) car as fast, but yeah, this was peak malaise and the T-bird turbo coupe was being touted as an avsolute marvel with a time a bit over 9 sec (stick).

[@stephcrane]

Would they have been so rapturous if that Phoenix had the Iron Duke instead of the six? How about if they all had automatic transmissions (only the CamRAY would have had a four-speed transmission in 1983)?

[@vj5225]

I find it a test of time when one car model in this episode is still seen currently running in the year the episode came out & still produced today. The Toyota Camry looks to me to have proven longevity.

[@Thindoublechin]

Pontiac Phoenix. The official car of weekend dad.

[@bid84]

@6:57 that’s what she said

[@blue_lancer_es]

Ironic how the cam-ray is still sold today. 😅

[@CarringtonHollister]

Stanza is still around (as the Altima)

[@blue_lancer_es]

@@CarringtonHollister no! Thats like saying the 210 is still around because of the sentra.

[@GP1138]

:46 - is this the first time John Davis uttered “Cam-ray”?

[@runoflife87]

Don't know if it's fair to make a cars comparo with such different engines. Lol, seems like US Camry tried too hard to be a brougham. JDM Toyotas never had such a problem.

[@1985toyotacamry]

My first car is a Toyota Camry in the US. If I remember correctly the 85 I have the handling is OK but the automatic is smooth (to be fair I have the sedan not the hatch) but the brakes didn't swing or have a long brake distance. I guess they somewhat improve it.

[@Aforementioned]

@@1985toyotacamry Yeah, they tweaked the suspension for '85.

[@1995RangeRover]

Overall the 626 put the others' to rest.

[@Doc1855]

When FWD first came out, All the manufacturers were boasting about a “flat” floorboard. They Lied ! They all still had the raised “driveshaft” hump. But people took it, Hook Line and Sinker

[@commodorenut]

The wheel covers on the phoenix were also used on a much better car - the 1983-1984 Australian GM-Holden Statesman Deville (series 2). Basically an Aussie Cadillac back in the day.