Mazda 323F: Detailed Review and Drive!

I take this fantastic 1994 Mazda 323F out for a drive, and we have a look all around the outside and interior, and look at some of the fun and unique features the car has.

[@AsherPiesman]

My mum used to own a 323F identical to the one in the video, my parents liked it so much they bought another one in Forest green. As a car guy I’m grateful I got to show up to school everyday in something a bit quirky and different.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Yeah, they are definitely an unusual informed choice

[@roooooooory]

Always liked seeing these growing up, this and the Volvo 480 were the sort of everyday cars with popups that I would see often. Any popups are the best popups when you're 7

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Even when you're 37 they are still pretty cool!!

[@liamoification]

The 1st car I drove on the roads! Great cars.

[@RJMcB999]

Thanks for solving the mystery of the little "tab" at the A pillar for me. I've often wondered what that was about, and everyone I've ever asked had either never noticed them, or thought that I was strange for being interested. My parents had a very similar 323F back when it was quite new and I was about 18 - I would very occasionally get to drive it, thinking that I was the coolest kid in town and taking every opportunity to pop the lights up.

[@Birdy_04]

I have been wanting one for a while now. It will be the first car i buy with my own money, it looks awesome and sportive, but is still functional with decent space

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Good luck!

[@Gravios181]

it was my very first car, drove it for about 9 years

[@andrewbrouwer7726]

Still have my little 323F back home... missing her dearly. Finally a great review on KZbin!

[@mikeg8835]

I like your little reviews mate. Better than furious driving.... he's too frantic. Nice Mazda too 👍

[@pilskadden]

I had one in the GT version with 140 hp. It was a gorgeous and fast little machine. Loved the pop up headlights. Only problem was that it rusted almost as quickly as it went.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

I think the owner is finding rust an issue too, sadly

[@televisionandcheese]

Excellent thorough review :) I love these 323F/BG/Astina whatever they're called around the world; they're such cute and smart looking cars! I absolutely love the little detail of how the smokey dark light clusters below the pop up headlights, housing the sidelights and indicators, those light cluster's shape sort of joins into the bumper rubbing strips and wraps around the side and continues down the length of the car and I think it's brilliant I remember Poppy too! I saw her at RADwood 2023, I recognize that slightly cronguled front bumper hehe

[@sebastianohalloran9093]

Always liked the look of these. Thanks to you and the owner for clarifying the purpose of the thing on the window surround. I used to think it had something to do with directing rain, or even (originally) whether it was something to do with electric windows. My older Renaults have always had them - R11 and R21, plus my 92 Clio. I may try fashioning something similar for my daily car and see if it works!!!

[@markonmotoring]

I love the look of these and the generation that followed. The pop up lights are an added bonus on this generation and that wrap around spoiler and colour coded bumpers and mirrors were such a big deal back then. These would have been an exciting proposition for anyone buying a sensible family car. I think the reason you see Rover R8 in the styling is both the cladding in the A piler and the radio antenna that retracts into the piler. The top sliding sunroof is of similar design to.the one fitted to my Renault Mégane with its top slide mechanism. The interior fabric is great, I miss those bright, colourful interiors of the 90's. The only thing that often lets down Japanese cars if the era is the dashboard which were always solid and functional but didn't replicate the stylish exterior.

[@tomjanowski8584]

The map pocket is on the back of the passenger seat so that it is easy for the driver to grab something out of it.

[@Poppy323F]

Thank you for giving her a lovely thorough review 🥰❤

[@MorselsAndMotors]

You are so welcome!

[@chrisbury4635]

It probably is a twin cam but the 2nd cam will be driven by a gear wheel connected to the 1st cam, unless the original engine or cylinder head has been replaced by a more basic one 😊

[@Poppy323F]

It’s a fun one actually, she’s SOHC with one camshaft driving two banks of rockers to give her 16 valves 😂 gotta love a bit of fun engineering! The sticker it turns out was for the rare GTi model and it seems that wing was taken from one at some pain in her life ❤

[@AutoPosts]

that’s a lovely car!!! and your videos are awesome!

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Thank you ☺️

[@fhwolthuis]

Nice video, I do like this F (and it's successor)👍😃

[@ExXxC4L1BUR]

Beautiful machine

[@Sumeguy528]

My mum used to have one in black I think, wish she still had it, gorgeous car

[@alifloydtv]

Fun vid! I remember liking these much more than boring Escorts etc. when I was in early high school. I briefly owned an MX-5 of this age a few years ago (damn you rust!) and can confirm that I also spent a lot of time indicating with my wipers🤪I wonder if these, with their lack of space, weren't slightly aimed at people like me now - childless, needs a bit of space but doesn't want to give lifts all the time, likes a sporty wee drive a la my current BMW F20 125i. The parental types could get something duller!

[@MorselsAndMotors]

I'm sure you're right - a kinda sexy coupe for the person about town.

[@justforfun9880]

you’re so calming its so comfortable to watch this video awesome review i also want to buy this car it’s my dream car actually

[@CreRay]

Solid review of a really nice car! They were considered quite cool back in the day, and quite courageous of Mazda to launch a model like this which looked like nothing else in its class. Any chance you might get your hands on a Galant E10? Quite a cool car for the mid 80s, but skip the lesser EL/GL models.

[@damieg82]

If the 'F' initially stood for fastback, it definitely didn't stay that way. The model after this (BH/BA) was named 323F in a plethora of markets worldwide, regardless of the bodystyle. I owned the fastback model after this one (commonly known as the Lantis)... in my country the official name is 323F Sport. The regular 4 door saloon is just called 323F.

[@oliverstemp9132]

Congratulations for not mentioning the Aston Martin DB7. I think you’re right about the Rover 200. Mazda liked it so much they made their own.

[@andyb3666]

Not quite, they came out in the same year

[@BretFrohwein]

AAhhh the Mazda Kansei engineering.

[@club1fan552]

I had a DOHC version in the 90's. You are absolutely right about the wide C pillar...perfectly good at obscuring a motor cyclist which is one reason why I sold it. That combined with very short gearing, a jiggly freeway suspension and that silly sunroof that sat on the roof. When they were released in '89 everyone was talking about the stunning looks. No other manufacturer was building a svelte small hatch like it and with pop up lights! Your one has seen better days however the spec is very high for a 1.6 SOHC and the same as mine although mine had the optional A/C (note the blanking plug yours has between the vents). It's kind of a 5 door coupe which is why the rear leg room isn't great. I run a 1.8 SOHC saloon which is a much better balanced vehicle. Interior space all round is great, all round vision is brilliant, still has 4 wheel discs, stable suspension and the gearing is taller and near perfect. 5th gear gives relaxing freeway driving rather than the 5th gear freeway buzz of the DOHC. Interestingly in America you could get the saloon with the DOHC engine and cruise control. Swish!

[@mrjsv4935]

Cool car, and they had higher price tag even as a used car in the 90's, compared to the Sedan and Hatchback. I was shopping for newer car in 1999, and saw plenty of these BG -generation 323's, and ended up buying a 1990 323 Sedan. The same used car dealer also had a black 323F, but it was thousands more expensive, would've been cool to own it though. 323 Sedan had that little tab in the front door window frame as well. My car had 1,6 litre petrol engine with 16-valves, one overhead camshaft. Valve train was a bit unusual, if I remember correctly, each exhaust valve had their own rocker, but intake valves had one common rocker per cylinder. It still had 4 valves per cylinder, with hydraulic lash adjusters. Fuel system was still carburator in my car. It was pre-facelifted version, GLX trim level with body coloured mirror housings and mostly body coloured bumpers, nice upholstery in the seats, but surprisingly no power steering, power windows, or even central locking. Old Top Gear test drove this generation 323 when it was introduced, and my car was similar light blue Sedan as in the test drive report: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2eahoGXpd-MqaM

[@pizzalover3]

I like your review. The 323f always reminded me (when I was a child) of the fictitious car in Inspector Gadget but maybe the 5 door version, if that makes sense!

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Yes, I can actually totally see what you mean, especially the low front with the line around it

[@charliecoco2115]

I was always under the impression that bump on the A pillar was to direct rain drips away from the car so it didn't come into a slightly open window.

[@sansnotacandy]

achiveble dream car hope i get it one day

[@hhgttg69]

use to see plenty of them here in Australia, rare now.

[@J.F.K.O]

A buddy of mine had a red GT the 140hp one that was pretty fast

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Ooh that sounds very fast indeed, would love to try one of those!

[@MerkJacobus]

The map pocket on the passenger side only is also a feature on the 2007 Fiat Bravo, Alfa Giulietta and Lancia/Chrysler Delta .

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Did not know that, thank you!

[@markeastwood74]

I'll also add the SW20 MR2. Bean-counters strike again! 😂

[@badbooks476]

My uncle had 2 of these new, he kept the last one for many yesrs

[@scadman33]

Feels like the designers of Kia's EV6 were mainly inspired by this model :)

[@markeastwood74]

Thanks for a great video. We had a blue 323F (called Eric) 20 years ago. It was a fab little car, but I absolutely hated trips to the garden centre; the boot height made anything heavier than a shopping bag quite a challenge. The question is, do I regret selling it enough to buy another? 🤔

[@darrenwilson8042]

Really enjoyed Avril Lavigne on Glasto at the weekend - now have "Complicated" as a new ear worm ....... whoah whoah whoah

[@MorselsAndMotors]

It’s an absolute chooon!

[@81152998]

The cabin gives me USS Enterprise vibes

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

All mondeos had airbags as standard from when they came out in 1993 on a k plate.surprised you didnt mention about the rear lights being used in aston martins to.high spec fords had puddle lights in the 1980s.

[@charliecoco2115]

The point of no map pocket behind the driver I believe is a safety issue. Driver reaching behind the passenger seat is safer than reaching behind his own seat.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Interesting, thank you

[@markeastwood74]

Meanwhile, I'm heading into a bush with hot coffee all over my lap. 😂

[@scaleartsg]

also called the Astina

[@billysforu]

does anyone now if the carburator have a lot worse fuel consumption than the injection version? because i want to buy one but i find only with carburator.

[@adskn]

Distinctly miffed by the washer fluid warning light as a 2021 Mazda3 owner..loads of gizmos but doesn’t have one.

[@enes2784]

Hayalimdeki arabalardan biri fiyatı uygun, pop-up farlar, japon ruhu var, Mazda ayrıca kolay kolay arıza vermez, 4 kapı, büyük bagaj, yeterli iç hacim istediğim her şey var sadece performansı kötü onu da gerekirse motoru swap yapılır veya modifiye

[@nidalkeskin2571]

brother just add a turbo and it will surely be fast enough then