This car is the best car I have ever had by miles. The GLX version (mine was 1994) has Electric Sunroof, Electric Mirrors, Power Steering, Optional A/C,RAKE,ABS...just about everything that you would want from a car. I had the 323 Fastback.

The interior has a basic layout, but is friendly enough to seat 5 people, and from experience 3 children fit in the back easily.The back seats fold down to allow room to fit washing machines, fridges and tumble driers to fit (from experience here folks) and there is a surprising amount of room in the boot. The seats have rake adjustment, are very comfortable fo long journeys and allow for long legs in the front. The back is a little more cramped, but there are handy child locks to stop kids jumping out, and driver-controlled electric windows all-round.Adding to the leccy windows the dual opening electrc sunroof and you have a cool sporty looking car!Only downside to the interior is that condensation can be a problem sometimes. Other features are a large, lockable glovebox and some handy storage areas on the dashboard.Another added feature is the ease of replacing the car radio, much easier to replace than rival models from the same period (eg. Escort, Astra).

The exterior is quite sporty on the Fastback model, with colour coded bumpers and a solid look. However, unfortunately one downside is the height between the bottom of the car and the road.The height means that the lovely low bonnet can get chipped easily (which isn't helped by the paint-manufactured by a Ford subsidiary) and going up a driveway that is too steep will result in furrows in the drive. Another slight drawback is the height at the back, which obscures reversing, however you get used to that after a while and it isn't a big deal when driving a car of this quality.The quality is also reflected in the build, and a model that is fifteen years old (or older) will look good and fresh if looked after and washed regularly.And don't forget the pop-up headlights, which are snazzy and always raise a smile!

The price of Japanese parts has traditionally been a sticking point with Jap cars, and the Mazda 323 has been no exception. However, truth be told you are buying a totally different proposition to a Ford Escort or Vauxhall.This car will last and will not need parts every month. After doing an average 20,000 miles a year, I spent a max £160 a year on servicing. Also, I shopped on the Internet for parts, which saved a lot of dosh.Things like Headlamps can cost a fortune, however Mazda dealers sell them for around £40 and you can haggle which is great!So my advice is shop around, but if you buy this model you will rarely have to buy spares for it, apart from the odd brake pad etc!

Pretty good, and can take corners very well.Handles icy weather conditions, and refuses to skid off the road.Although it only has a 1.6 engine, this is seriously poky and will happily plod along at 95 mph down the motorway. However, flogging it down the motorway will increase fuel consumption quite a bit...normally it's good on juice doing around 34 mpg.