Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 323 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 323 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 323 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 323 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 323 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 323 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 323 | 4 | 1 |
| 1994 323 | 11 | 2 |
| 1993 323 | 10 | 2 |
| 1992 323 | 15 | 2 |
| 1991 323 | 20 | 2 |
| 1990 323 | 19 | 2 |
| 1989 323 | 38 | 1 |
| 1988 323 | 34 | 1 |
| 1987 323 | 8 | 0 |
| 1986 323 | 4 | 0 |
| 1985 | 0 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Seat belts105
- Engine and engine cooling20
- Power train11
- Suspension6
- Electrical system6
- Vehicle speed control5
- Steering5
- Fuel system, gasoline5
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 1 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 8.0 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 323 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.9 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In New Zealand
2,724 323 cars are on the New Zealand register; 9% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| 2003 | 120 | 115 | 3 |
| 2002 | 189 | 178 | 6 |
| 2001 | 127 | 123 | 1 |
| 2000 | 104 | 103 | 0 |
| 1999 | 156 | 148 | 6 |
| 1998 | 96 | 91 | 2 |
| 1997 | 134 | 127 | 0 |
| 1996 | 201 | 196 | 0 |
| 1995 | 139 | 136 | 0 |
| 1994 | 115 | 115 | 0 |
| 1993 | 42 | 40 | 1 |
| 1992 | 35 | 32 | 1 |
| 1991 | 38 | 30 | 3 |
| 1990 | 83 | 72 | 4 |
| 1989 | 68 | 57 | 10 |
| 1988 | 74 | 49 | 24 |
| 1987 | 101 | 72 | 23 |
| 1986 | 182 | 120 | 52 |
| 1985 | 138 | 94 | 37 |
| 1984 | 102 | 74 | 27 |
| 1983 | 63 | 45 | 15 |
| 1982 | 63 | 45 | 13 |
| 1981 | 56 | 52 | 1 |
| 1980 | 107 | 98 | 2 |
| 1979 | 79 | 71 | 3 |
| 1978 | 73 | 66 | 3 |
| 1977 | 22 | 18 | 0 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
3,823 323 cars are on Dutch roads; 5% arrived later as imports, and 848 still have a recall open. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 147 | — |
| 2002 | 166 | — |
| 2001 | 273 | — |
| 2000 | 358 | — |
| 1999 | 392 | — |
| 1998 | 298 | — |
| 1997 | 219 | — |
| 1996 | 162 | — |
| 1995 | 185 | — |
| 1994 | 147 | — |
| 1993 | 104 | — |
| 1992 | 151 | — |
| 1991 | 192 | — |
| 1990 | 180 | — |
| 1989 | 105 | — |
| 1988 | 104 | — |
| 1987 | 168 | — |
| 1986 | 142 | — |
| 1985 | 78 | — |
| 1984 | 49 | — |
| 1983 | 63 | — |
| 1982 | 49 | — |
| 1981 | 40 | — |
| 1979 | 29 | — |
| 1978 | 22 | — |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
1,407 323 cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 100% petrol, 0% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 16 | 239,000 km |
| 2002 | 43 | 174,000 km |
| 2001 | 49 | 216,000 km |
| 2000 | 146 | 209,000 km |
| 1999 | 190 | 231,000 km |
| 1998 | 193 | 219,000 km |
| 1997 | 129 | 206,000 km |
| 1996 | 106 | 208,000 km |
| 1995 | 71 | 212,000 km |
| 1994 | 58 | 218,000 km |
| 1993 | 53 | 204,000 km |
| 1992 | 51 | 202,000 km |
| 1991 | 60 | 209,000 km |
| 1990 | 57 | 200,000 km |
| 1989 | 46 | 217,000 km |
| 1988 | 38 | 183,000 km |
| 1987 | 25 | 172,000 km |
| 1986 | 23 | 145,000 km |
| 1985 | 28 | 112,000 km |
| 1984 | 10 | 38,000 km |
| 1983 | 15 | 46,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
In the United Kingdom
888 323 cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | — |
| 2004 | 2 | 9 |
| 2003 | 149 | 359 |
| 2002 | 113 | 348 |
| 2001 | 89 | 228 |
| 2000 | 82 | 272 |
| 1999 | 86 | 291 |
| 1998 | 100 | 377 |
| 1997 | 70 | 282 |
| 1996 | 23 | 131 |
| 1995 | 16 | 87 |
| 1994 | 20 | 88 |
| 1993 | 22 | 75 |
| 1992 | 13 | 83 |
| 1991 | 23 | 88 |
| 1990 | 12 | 89 |
| 1989 | 16 | 72 |
| 1988 | 17 | 67 |
| 1987 | 14 | 77 |
| 1986 | 8 | 24 |
| 1985 | 4 | 22 |
| 1984 | 5 | 20 |
| 1983 | 1 | 7 |
| 1982 | 0 | 7 |
| 1981 | 1 | 3 |
| 1980 | 1 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | 1 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
1,372 323 cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 56% passed first time, against 60% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 287 | 51% |
| 2002 | 237 | 57% |
| 2001 | 174 | 57% |
| 2000 | 164 | 59% |
| 1999 | 180 | 62% |
| 1998 | 185 | 56% |
| 1997 | 145 | 51% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | 323 | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 20.8% | 14.5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 16.5% | 18.7% |
| Brakes | 15.1% | 12.9% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 9.8% | 9.5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.4% | 7.2% |
| Visibility | 7.2% | 7.3% |
| Tyres | 6.8% | 5.1% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 3.9% | 3.3% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
9 new Mazda 323 cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2018, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2018 the largest markets were United Kingdom (2).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 | 141 (NEDC) |
| 2017 | 2 | 142 (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 1 | — |
| 2011 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 3 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the 323 in 2 alerts. European versions can differ from the North American car.
In some ignition switches, too much grease have been applied to certain contact points. For a vehicle used under these conditions this can lead to carbonisation of the grease if and therefore to an increased risk of fire. The product does not comply with the R…
Over the time, the contact points inside the ignition switch may become carbonized and become conductive to electricity. As a result the ignition switch could overheat, leading to the risk of a fire.
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
3 campaigns cover the 323.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS. THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAN BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
NHTSA recalls