Mazda 323

The Mazda 323 (called the Familia in Japan) was a subcompact car produced by Mazda in Japan between 1976 and 2003. In the United States it was originally known as the GLC, then the 323, then finally from 1990 on as the Protegé. In South Africa it was known as the Etude. The Ford Focus-based Mazda 3 replaced this series of platforms for 2004, though Mazda still contributed much to the project.

323s were built in Hiroshima, Japan, although they were also assembled in Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Colombia and New Zealand.

In North America the 323/Protegé was always more expensive than its entry-level competitors such as the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, partly due to its manufacture in Japan, and therefore is not as ubiquitous. A perennial favorite of US car magazines, the model is well regarded for its spirited handling. It was also the first small Japanese car to cross over to the EPA "compact" class in 1990 when the 4-door started going by the name Protegé.

It formed the basis of the Ford Laser and Meteor in Asia, Australia and other markets, (known as the Mercury Tracer in the United States) and from 1991, the Ford Escort in North America.

1976

The first Mazda 323 was a rear wheel drive model. It was known in the United States as the Mazda GLC (which stood for 'Great Little Car') and was a version of the fourth-generation Japan-market Mazda Familia.

It was available in several body variants:

• Five-door four-seat hatch.
• Three-door four-seat hatch.
• Five-door four-seat station wagon.
• Three-door four-seat station wagon.
• Three-door two-seat van with an extended roof profile.

Several of these were available in several trim levels.

Engines:

• 1.0L PC, 45hp (33.6kW)/51ft·lbf (69N·m)
• 1.3L TC
• 1.4L UC

Still later, a five-speed manual gearbox was introduced as an alternative to the original four-speed manual gearbox, and at the same time the original 7in (17.8cm) round sealed beam headlights were replaced with square sealed beam units on all models except the van, together with a general styling and mechanical upgrade. A three-speed automatic gearbox was also available throughout the model run.