1989 Ford Telstar TX5 Ghia - Not a Mazda 626/Capella. Honest! Also, amazing dash vents!
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- čas přidán 19. 07. 2020
- The Ford Telstar was an unusual interpretation of the Mazda 626/Capella primarily for the Australian market. It also has the coolest dashboard vents of all time!
This one is Japanese-built, with a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, fuel injected engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. There is velour.
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Don't forget to like the video if you like it, and share with your friends if you really like it! Thank you all. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Thanks for liking my Telstar Ian. Your research turned up lots of information I had not known! I had been looking out for a comfortable, reliable, economical 'old man's car' (yes, that time is approaching), which didn't encroach on the overcomputerised 90's or newer, when this one turned up. Given the amount of time I spend railing against grey cars, buying it was not entirely an easy decision - it would have been an easier decision had it been red! Anyway, it is indeed comfortable, reliable and economical and also has a healthy disdain for speed limits, which you noticed. On the transmission, it's taken me a year of ownership to work it out, but it seems to be as follows. Position 1 gives first and second gears. Position 2 gives gears 1, 2 and 3. Position 3 gives gears 1, 2, 3 and 4 plus torque converter lockup. With the Hold button engaged, positions 1, 2 and 3 give actual gears 1, 2 and 3. Cheers.
Ah yes, for a vehicle that age the condition may trump the specification. If you wanted a Corsair, Imlachs in Clayton has one in Grandpa beige with brown interior and a towbar. Can I tempt you? 😁
and thank you for being so accomodating to Ian! Your name came up a lot in those vlogs from down under...
@@JamesAllmond As it happens there are two Peter Andersons in Melbourne and the other's name came up a bit more, if that makes sense. The other has a CZcams channel. Nevertheless I did have the pleasure of accommodating Ian for a couple of days.
So, what is the difference between position 2 and the hold button position??
@@ronaldderooij1774 In position 2 it will change as normal, but only include gears 1, 2 and 3, i.e.no 4th and no lockup. In position 2 with the Hold button on, it will stay in 2nd and not change up or down.
I really love these types of cars. Old enough to have its own charm, affordable enough to take it anywhere and never care about it, reliable enough to be a daily car. I love the styling too, it's such an honest looking car if that makes sense 😄I am wanting to sell my 2013 Holden SV6 and go back to owning something like this.
Ok, we're 31 years into the future and I've never seen a car with vents that do that. What the hell... Hoverboards were one thing, but seriously I want all vents to be able to oscillate.
Mazda 626s of this same vintage did this, not sure when this feature debuted or when / if it has been discontinued.
I'm trying to remember if my 1986 KC Laser Ghia had them. Or possibly my 1992 NC II Fairlane Ghia. Certainly a rarity.
Its a wonder no high end cars offer this today , instead of some gimmick that's never used ..after all there must be a plethora of tiny motors in modern cars ...whats a few more?.
@@howardkerr8174 My 1983 626 Hatch had the oscillating fan. I also had a manual Ford Telstar TX5 Hatch. This video made me realise just how good that car was. Old enough for Club permit plates.
@@planestrainsdogsncars4336 I think the current model Toyota Crown has it.
Our US assembled '92 (actually '91 1/2) Mazda 626 had the oscillating center vents. Best feature ever!
I had a manual 1991 model of this. Got me around for close to 18 years lots of interstate driving including sydney to Perth. The interior was really durable and was excellent until the day it died. The motor had amazing economy on the open road. And those oscillating vents!
Dear Ian. What a great test! This was one of the best vehicles Mazda ever made. In it's time it was in 1988 the most imported middle class car in Germany. My brother in law had two of them. Not a Ford, it was a real 626. The first one he lost by an accident. The second one was a facelift version. I loved them a lot. That's the reason I will never give away my 1999 Mazda 626 GF 2.0 16V. Those cars are good for everything. Good for travelling long distances without getting tired and you can tow caravans without any problems. Also the engines were very efficient. So thank you a lot for this video. Long time I was waiting for one like this.
I had a 91 Ford AX Telstar TX5 Turbo, it was quite a sleeper. Very satisfying and torquey performance but with a combination of torque steer and understeer, had to be careful on a wet road! Very well optioned just like the Ghia.
I'm a Ford fan and I've always loved these. Friend of mine had an identical one, except that it had a manual gearbox.
I think the mid-late 80s to early 90s were the golden era for Ford in Australia. They made great cars (albeit some were made by Mazda) and were generally well built and reliable. Top spec Ghia had nice velour and fancy features for its time. I would've loved to own one. I did own the original KA series Laser in Ghia trim though, but it had nowhere near the features that this one does.
That brings back many fond memories of my 1991 GD 626 liftback in 1.8 liter form. Not the fastest or most prestigious car I ever owned, but my favorite car I ever owned. My college friends loved it too. It survived two big accidents (not my fault!) including being hit from behind by a drunk driver doing 40mph in a SUV as I was at a red light. Both times I walked away with not a scratch, and the car was repairable. Sadly, she was stolen after seven years of 100% trouble free ownership. BTW, you missed the ingenious pull out drawer under the passenger's seat which was designed to conceal a laptop from the prying eyes of the smash and grab brigade. Thank you for the channel, I love how you cover the unsung heroes of everyday driving with enthusiasm and honesty.
My sister bought a 1994 Telstar station wagon many years ago and she took it from 184,000km to 274,000km in the five years she had it without it skipping a beat. Many years before that, she had said she wanted a Starlet but in fact has never owned one, so one day I carefully removed the badge, cut it up into its constituent letters and reapplied them to the rear of her car as "starleT" She laughed a lot (fortunately), but then I had to borrow it for something (I forget what) and while out, changed the letters around again to read "raTtles", because there were so many! She wasn't best pleased with that change, though.
XF Fairmont Ghia, ZL Fairlane & FE LTD also have oscillating central air vents.
Theres a few JDM cars from the 80's/90's that do. My 2001 Toyota Crown Athlete VX does. It's a thing the crown is known for
@@chappy2121 even the quite recent 2009 Toyota Mark X have them
Your assessment of this vehicle is spot on! Having some knowledge of the Mazda 626, I knew the automatic was a four speed, for when this generation came along, they upgraded from a three speed, which the 626 pre-1987 needed desperately!
That steering wheel reminds me of the 1991+ Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer that were introduced in 1991, using Mazda 323 underpinnings.
Another smashing video!
I just bought a telstar and i love it! manual windows and everything works. Cant beat it.
31 years old and still there! This Ford is in wonderful condition! The »velour beast«. Talking about »charmless cars«: the most beautiful italian design is worth nothing when the diva won't start up or breaks down all the time. So, for me it's better to fly under the radar with a low-key, mass production but reliable car from Japan... 😃
Yeah ..there's a lot to be said for having the most common car there is sometimes ..if its a bit unusual.and your in for a service .."oh that part we need wont be in for a few weeks ..can you bring it back then" ...!@#$%^&*()
Back in 1982 I was driving around Melbourne my friend in his Datsun 1600 and saw a odd looking bright yellow car with covered up badges in an otherwise empty car-park. We circled back and I took a series of photos with my 110 Instamatic camera and chased it down the road when the driver realised we were there and did a runner. It turned out to be the press vehicle Telstar that appeared in Wheels and Motor magazines shortly after.
Owned a few iterations of the original Telstar, TX5, GD Mazda, a couple with 300,000kms +. Early Ford TX5 was unbelievably economical 44mpg regularly. Cavernous boot space. Wonderful cars until the head gaskets go, but then excusable after that many kilometres. I remember driving home from the snow with 5 grown men on board and doing 175km/h effortlessly!
My father drives a 3rd generation Telstar. One of the last examples to exit the factory back in 1997 here in South Africa. Great reliable cars these. The first Telstars in South Africa were the 3rd generations which were sold along with the Mazda 626s of the same shape which were produced by Samcor. The Ford Lacer and the Ford Tracer were also rebadged Mazda 323s. Here in South Africa, the BF 323s and the Ford Tracers were indistinguishable from each other. It was literally only the badges that were different.
In regards to the Australian Ford Convertible Capri I hired one when I was in Australia in 2000. I remember driving up to Cairns in Queensland on the coastal road with the roof down looking out over the sea, whilst listening to Red Hot Chilli Peppers. What a great memory😁👍
I loved my 88 TX5 Ghia - 5 speed manual. I always regretted selling it
We had an 84 626 GLX Liftback in 1988. I was 14 at the time and thought it was sooo flash!! Has a great run out of it.
When I was small I remember reading a library book about car manufacturing, with lots of pictures of mysterious Fords being built, something that looked kinda like a Mk2 Granada (but not quite) and something with a badge that said "Telstar". When I was a bit older I found the same book again and noticed Ford Australia in the credits, but still didn't know anything about these cars until the internet got better. Now I can't remember what the book was called! Pretty sure it had XE Falcons and AR Telstars in it.
Greetings from Erlanger Kentucky USA,I have a 2002 626 LS,built in February 2002.My 626 has oscillating center vents.
Thank you so much for keeping me enterained during a depressing unusual year. I love your travels and this 80s Japanese built car shows how ahead they were then. Keep up the good work Ian.
Yes thank you Ian for keeping us entertained during this depressing year which renders our annual visits to Melbourne and Australia unattainable...:(
Mum had one of these in its base form - 2.0 litre engine, no rev counter, 5-speed manual (NZ spec). Had it for years, went like the clappers. Thanks Ian for sharing, and the memories.
"Look at my vents.... Be envious of my vents" 😅😅😅
That is the same JATCO automatic transmission fitted to my '97 model Nissan Primera. I no longer own the car but can confirm it's a very pleasant gearbox. I found the gear changes to be much smoother in Sport mode. Economy mode seems to force it up the 'box needlessly early.
The Australian market was very anti front wheel drive until Ford introduced the Mazda based Laser, Meteor and Telstar models. A bad reputation for FWD here due to BMC/BLMC/Leyland local models (Mini, 1100, 1800, 1500, Nomad and Tasman/Kimberley) and how they aged badly quickly to become usually a maintenance nightmare especially compared to Japanese cars.
A brave move in replacing the Escort Mk 2 and last model Cortina with front wheel drive cars. Ford probably knew how much better Mazda sourced cars would be compared to the British or Euro alternatives they had.
The success of these Mazda based cars turned round much of the anti FWD sentiment paving the way for the Mitsubishi Magna, Toyota Camry, FWD Corolla, Nissan Pulsar etc to be major sellers.
Later the Mazda 121 based Festiva gave Ford much better sales than the later Euro Fiesta did.
Ford were soon number one in sales helped by these Mazda based cars and the problems of the first Holden Commodores and even more problematic Holden Camira J car.
Went backwards with the unloved here Mondeo and even Focus and Fiesta still struggle to find buyers here.
The Ford Festiva actually came before the Mazda 121, it was launched in Japan in 1986 as a Ford and only got sold as a Mazda in export markets (markets that didn't get the Kia-built Festiva). It's all a bit confusing...
@@AaronSmart.online I had forgotten how Kia got its start in Australia with a tie in with Ford. Now outselling Ford cars here by a big margin. If they make a ute or even a pick up then they will gain even more ground.
Mazda doing so much better then Ford for cars. Even Fords bet selling Ranger is made in the Mazda factory I believe.
@@johnd8892 It may have been true once upon a time when the Ranger and the BT-50 were siblings, but not any more.
The model before this had the 2.0lt FE engine and the block was cast by ford, as it had FORD moulded on the side of the block and the cast iron was a lot softer than the Mazda block. I can remember us having 3 Telstar's in the workshop at once getting rebores.
The Mazda 626 model after this shape also had the oscillating vents.
My old man always drove Fords and we had a very early Telstar TX5 in NZ (1983 model) followed by an '88 very similar to this (5 speed manuals though). He also had a diesel '88 Mazda Capella wagon that was slow as molasses in winter (non turbo).
Good review as always!
That random belt in the back was for a child restraint. I've managed to pick where you filmed most of the Victorian tests, Heidelberg West this time.
Bit of a late comment. Don't know how I missed this.
I had a 1988 626 turbo version in Melbourne for over 20 years, it was surprisingly frugal if driven lightly, but put your foot down and it would press you back into the seat. It was very frisky, to say the least. You had to be very careful in the wet though, the traction control and anti-lock brakes were not options here. Towards the end spares were getting very hard to come by. The end came when someone stopped very suddenly in front of me for no reason. Even though I was only doing 40km/h it slid on the oily wet surface into the rear of a Commodore wagon with tow bar. The oil on road sign turned out to be 4 lanes to the left. The tow-bar went through the bumper into the radiator and through the turbo gear. If it had not been for the tow-bar it would have been undamaged except for a dented bumper. I guess that's why having a tow-bar on a car when not towing is illegal, and why anti-lock brakes are a mandatory on new cars. The Ford styling was also used in America and Canada. It was replaced by a brand new Ford Territory.
BTW. You should have turned left instead of right out of the Industrial area, you could have hooned around La Trobe University and Plenty Road is 80Km/h.
Keep up the great work
I had a 1991 Telstar GL auto for over 4 years. Never let me down. Drove it all over NZ. Also in 1998 I had a Mazda 626 estate as a company car when working for Coca cola as a rep. To this day, it was the most sensible and practical wagon I ever used. Fond memories of both
My first car (1987 Ford XF Fairmont Ghia) also had the oscilating vent feature. I loved it.
Brilliant video Ian what a lovely looking car
I used to love the previous model 626 as a kid because of the electronic dashboard. They also had oscillating central vents as well, and on some models, electric adjustable dampeners. I still think the first FWD 626 still looks good to this day.
I thought that digital dash was so cool
Quite a handsome looking thing actually
Mazda dressed as a Ford is no bad thing, the other way around not so great.
In the U.S. several Ford products were " badge engineered " as Mazdas: Ford Explorer as a Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger as Mazda B series trucks, Ford Probe sport coupe and Mazda MX6 coupe were the same mechanically...not sure if that qualifies as a Mazda turned into a Ford or a Ford into a Mazda. And there was the Ford Escape that became a Mazda Tribute.
Thanks in part to Mazda's smaller dealer network, these re-badged Fords never outsold the Ford "parent". And of course, Mazda couldn't match Ford's very healthy dealer/cash incentives.
@@howardkerr8174 I had an example of something Ford didn't do as well, the 50/50 committee job of the US 1990s Mercury Villager / Nissan Quest minivan, which had Ford body/interior with Nissan 3.0 V6 4AT running gear. I grew to suspect that the componentry was mostly fine by itself, but insufficient developmental engineering was done putting it together. We had every form of leak possible under the hood - fuel, oil, coolant, exhaust over 11 years and 130,000 miles, and a seized, smoking radiator cooling fan motor while trying to talk to Canadian immigration officers. The happy ending was totaling it in an accident which was completely not my fault, witnessed as it happened by the police, and leaving it still (barely) drivable.
@@howardkerr8174 There was also the Ford Fiesta rebadged as a Mazda 121 in Europe and Southern Africa.
What a wonderful car I would love one of these. Great video.
Reminds me of the ford laser I nearly bought in Melbourne back in 2007. I grew up in England so we new to me.
I think they're quite handsome, albeit they've got that generic Japanese big 80s saloon car look.
And that dash is wonderful.
an interesting thing to note is the name Telstar was also the name of the first satellite to broadcast trans-Atlantic TV signals from america to the UK in the 60s, the signals were received here in Cornwall by a massive dish antenna at Goonhilly downs which was also the first antenna of its kind, which still stands to this day. Because of this there are many local businesses around the area that have the name Telstar in them too. very interesting piece of local history for us down here.
Another magnificent review, amazing condition, makes my 16 year old Mondeo look like a youngster.
Brilliant special feature! car designers take note.
Top work mr hubnut!
I have just bought one of these in beautiful condition in gleaming white with 210000ks on the clock, we had a Brand new 626 back in 90 we loved it! The TX5 I just bought has obviously been incredibly well looked after by its 3 meticulous owners including the young fella who sold it to lucky me! I paid 4 grand it's well worth that! I have a Jag XJ8 but I need a decent size hatchback for my dogs(don't worry it's well protected back there 🤣) and to run large objects around in, do the shopping, etc etc, also nice to have a std by when jaggy under goin maintenance, no pressure as she's no longer my daily! I am stoked with my TX5 Ghia a great stablemate for the JAAAAAG! 💖👍🇳🇿
That head unit brings back some memories. When all car dash's had the DIN sized slot: with the retangular hole, and a circular hole each side for the radio spindles. Or you might install one of those silver Pioneer cassette players under the dash. Auto-reverse and Dolby NR! And maybe a graphic equaliser. And the brands: Pioneer, Sony, Panasonic, Kenwood etc. Alpine if you had the money. In the mid 80's the standard DIN shape with the 2 spindles was being replaced by a flat fascia head unit. I had a head unit, which was not an AWA, which also had the joystick speaker balance/fader control. Can't for the life of me remember what the brand was now. It was marketed as having one button for one control - doing away with volume/push for balance type multiple controls.
I did 120 m.p.h. back in 1991 in a new saloon 626. 5 speed manual, a good road and min wind noise. Very smooth saloon. Have had a few 6`s in recent decades! But back in the early nineties Mazda were putting out cars as good any one, realiable , always great to drive and always with a touch of eye candy in the metal. No mean feat!
Great car back in the day,probably a nice car to drive today, in good condition
Thanks for this latest video which I thoroughly enjoyed. Pete 🇬🇧
Really wasn't expecting a 3v engine from either Ford or Mazda from this time.
I remember the 626 in England back in the 90s. very specious vehicles
Nice car with some great innovations for the time.
Bet that security chappie loved you!
Many thanks Mr HubNut.
I had an '89 Mazda MX6 (626 coupe) that had motorized vents too, plus a turbo, and 4-wheel steer. It was one of my favourite cars - I'd like one now.
Brilliant cars! Still have my 1988 TX5 Ghia 16 years later. Its lived half its life with me lol. Was a full optioned car 2 tone paint black over grey, sunroof, 5 speed manual FE dohc 16 valve. Aiwa/Phillips cassette also had dolby surround which made a difference when I had my rock and metal tapes before tape unit failed. These cars had speed assisted power steering - would aid pressure at lower speeds and decrease pressure at higher. Mine has failed but its not a heavy car so I don't mind throwing elbow grease; she's a beautiful plastic classic beast that have to drive to enjoy no computer assistance. And I love that - also I love the modern stuff too but 2 am on a mountain road I'm taking the TX5! Would be easier with smaller wheels lol. Also fold flat rear seats were a thing I think they are standard on ghia trim - depending on the year. I got a sub and amp and fancy usb head unit long since then. My fancy vents no longer work, the windows roll slow - its has 350,000 kms and drives great considering everything. It is not factory at all, lowered rare aftermarket body kit, I gave it a repaint, big wheels and 2.5" exhaust from my 'silly' days - too much NFS and fast and furious etc. I plan to quieten it a bit. Its even firmer with the gas shocks/springs, thicker sway bars, strut brace and 17" rims ride wise its 25% stiffer than factory but man it corners beautifully though. Second or third through a 4-5 chevron corner no squeal no body roll
I own a “Fazda” of a similar vintage - a 1989 Ford Laser wagon of the KE generation. Basically a Mazda 323/Familia and what I like to call “delightfully adequate”
Looks a very comfortable car,kind of reminds me of a sierra, and once again the owner [ peter] has looked after this well and thanks to him for letting us enjoy via Ian.😊
Ahhhh...brings back sweet memories as we got a Ford laser hatch ghia of coz Which we bought over from our cousin..since she was a devout Christian, we thought that her car would be safe as it’s blessed lol...anyways good 90s motoring and we had the same steering wheel too..:)
In NZ the base 2ltr sold from 1988 until 1998 as a wagon. We were then forced to buy a Mondeo. Nobody did.
I had his cousin mazda 626 2ld glx ,15 years ago I bought 1200 euros rolled 100 000km indestructible (air conditioning, upholstery alcantara ,DA,4VE royal comfort ) sold 350 euros to 300 000km ,10 phone calls in 1 day! thank you Mazda
Most definitely a 1990,s gentleman’s conveyance. Oscillating vents. Just brilliant.
I remember those electric air vents on a friend's brand new gen 1 TX5. He very kindly let me drive it. Definitely a wow factor.
I owned the US version Mazda 626 sedan. Bought new and retired it after 21 years with 300k miles. Bulletproof engine. I hardly used the swivel vent feature though.
Telstars were really nice cars especially in TX5 hatchback driven both the Telstar & 626 always were pleasant cars to drive especially the manual version the auto with no power steering in base GL however was a chore though arms bulked up quickly sadly not many left now were built to a price your Aussie reviews have been brilliant
Another fantastic review Ian.
The front reminds me slightly of the Turkish Otosan Taunus of 90s..
A great car that is.
Velour seats, fan in the air vents itself & spirited engine done it for me.
What a great idea though fan in the vents.
One of those things where you think why did'nt i think of that.
Top video.
my dad had that model of 626, I think it was the 2 Litre version as a company car, I remember he liked it so much when he had to get it replaced he shed a tear.
Always quite liked these! I remember some of the Mazda ones even had electronically adjustable dampers. The turbo ones were quite brisk but suffered torque steer aplenty!
As a teenager, a mate crashed his Mum's brand new Turbo 4WD version of this... it was a write off. He was lucky... another Lady I knew had the 626 'Eclipse' - nice car. Good to see an old Telstar again 😀
Funky vents indeed!
I had a 1984 626 lx it was poverty spec with a 1.6 engine. I was 19 at the time it was slow but no one else i knew had one and it was great for long road trips. I would love to have one again its one of the few cars i miss
The Telstar was the Cortina replacement here. They had the choice of that or the Ford Sierra. Ford Australia and Chrysler Australia found out though that trying to assemble British or European cars was never really successful.
The magic centre console is worth the price of admission
I passed my driving test in a Mazda 626, way back in 1981. It was a pleasure to learn in, as opposed to the Mini Metros that all the other driving schools were using at the time.
Cool air vents (both literally and figuratively)! What a great idea. Perchoooo!
The ZL fairlane ghia and the NL Ltd both had oscillating air vents, they were built from 1984 to 1988
Never heard of these but obviously familiar with the Mazdas. Never seen those dash vents either- brilliant!
These cars were dubbed “Japanese grey porridge” when new. Now they look absolutely fantastic with age. Just lovely inside.
A car with an identity crisis. Wicked. Those air vents are great, why has nobody else adopted this ? Such a great idea. Would love one of these.
Nice review! In the States, these five-door Mazdas were known as "Luxury Touring Sedans" (at least the previous generation, ca. 1983-87 were called this), and could be had w/ electronically adjustable shock absorbers. I owned a 1986 626 DX sedan for a couple of years; very dependable, and in spite of it being a "California car" (meaning only 93BHP, instead of the "49 state" 100, from an eight-valve 2 liter), it was torquey and moved the car along quite smartly, and even returned better mileage than my '84 Accord HB. Mine, even tho a "base spec" model, had nice, deep red velour, too, but no oscillating vents, dang it!
Very interesting Mr HubNut. I struggled to see the mileage but I think it reads 180K.. mmm.. yes what a lovely clean engine.! Time for a cup of tea.
Takes me back to my old 88 plate 626. Enjoyed that ownership but sadly
no oscillating vents! Fondly remember my leaking sunroof & the drip
drip effect! Saw it some years later perched on blocks, minus its wheels, spelling I fear a sad demise! 😯
Still many left in NZ, we did not get the turbo. But did get the 2.0 GT DOHC 16v 'FE3N' engine. Early on they tried to cull the Sierra and replace it with the Telstar, but no s/w Telstar was available yet so the Sierra Wagon was sold along side the Telstar and was NZ top selling wagon for a couple of years.
Wow, the same 2.2 they stick in fork lift trucks! Even the starter motor sounds like a Hyster 3.5 tonne
Waited 8 minutes for oscillating vents, worth every second 😂
Those air vents are brilliant!
I personally had a Ford Laser,( Mazda 323), made at Ford Campbellfield Australia. My brother had the previous Telstar, produced at the same Factory, as well as the Capri. Found they were great cars. Great for their time.
Lasers were made at Fords plant at Homebush in Sydney.
@@davidbayley9588 They were also made at Campbellfield, as well as the Ford Telstar and ford falcon. Grew up in Campbellfield. Went on excursion to the factory while in highschool. Parents owned pizza shop across the road, with fleets of these Ford's on the trucks leaving factory.
@@angelomaiorana2091 Lasers were shipped down to Campbellfield from Sydney for distribution to Melboune dealers. The Homebush plant in Sydney was the only place they were made in Australia. I worked at Ford in Campellfied from 1987-2008. The only laser based vehicle made at Campbellfield was the Capri convertible.
I worked at a couple of Mazda dealers, one in the early 70s, and another for a few years up to '93. I'd forgotten about those vents, but true, the 626 had them as well. Personally, I bought a Protege back then. They were a 4 door sedan 323. It was a fine car.
One of my neighbours had a G-plate 626 of this shape and colour, and that car had the oscillating vents, opposite-facing directional alloys (where the nearside spokes and offside spokes both have to face the rear to aid brake cooling), cruise control, air conditioning, and (apparently) 4 wheel steering. I can't remember but I think theirs was a 2.2i as well, I can't really remember. Nice solid cars in their day. The front-end styling on this car slightly looks like an early inspiration for the 1992 final-facelift mk3 Granada, and the first Mondeo.
Nice review Ian,
I purchased my Mazda 626 GD manual (manufactured in Hiroshima,Japan) new in September 1990 here in Adelaide.
I suppose over 30 years of driving the car I take the oscillating air vents for granted !
I think it is a better looking car than the Telstar with superior details and finish on the grille/headlights/sidelight and rear lights,bumper mouldings and dashboard and steering wheel,believe it or not, they do look different.
It is a very cleverly designed and well styled car of a high standard of manufacture.
The car has travelled 179,000 nearly trouble free kilometres,minor issues early on with throttle control wire and auto radio ariel,nil since.
Warm Grey colour with factory alloy `lace` pattern wheels.
Everything still works e.g. power windows.
Very comfortable seats and lovely velour seat covers,the interior is a nice place to be.
Huge load space ( lift back) with rear seats folded down flat.
Engine in excellent condition (oil and filter changes on average every 5000km, third timing belt),I have fitted new shock absorbers,I think handling is very good and ride comfortable,relaxed cruising on the open road at speed in 5th gear.
Brake calipers,hoses/pipes,4 wheels discs (front vented) are as it left the factory, new master cylinder replaced 15 years ago.
Original steering rack with power steering excellent.
No rust,factory metallic paint finish still very good.
This Mazda is one of the best models they ever produced ( this is prior to the economic downturn of the 1990s).
I am very much attached to this car (and it`s stablemates,my 1969 MGB owned 40 years,1969 Rover P5B Coupe owned 10 years,1977 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow owned 2 years and 2006 Mazda 3 ).
I can understand people thinking it bland without character however I think it a wonderful vehicle and I enjoy being in it and driving it.
I would like to send you images of the car if you are interested and you are welcome to do a review when next in Australia,I don`t think you visited Adelaide ?
Thanks. Didn't make it to Adelaide sadly. I'll have to return!
Interesting you call out the seats, Ian. When sat if a first-generation FWD 626 / Telstar (can't remember which) at the motor show I was surprised how cramped it was, especially when the FWD 323 / Ford Laser was not. I've never driven a Telstar but have covered much distance in KB (first gen) and KE (second gen) Lasers.
That fan feature is epic.
12:45 Ian on a Trolling mission, love it!
Love the looks. Wish Ford sold in America. Neighbors wife owned an 626 coupe that was awesomesauce.
Thanks for a great video(!); love Mazda's and use one as a daily driver.
Bought a 89 Telstra Ghia sedan brand new
Thought I was the bees knees at the time and the oscillating air vents were just ingenious
Had it for 12 years before going back to a proper 626 lol
Nice plush car and just the right size too. It is also in beautiful condition without seemingly any hint of corrosion. That period of time in Aus was so weird for badge engineering. You never knew what would appear :-) Another test to expand everyone's knowledge. Cheers
I miss the Ghia badge on Fords. Much better than Titanium.
I had a Canadian market 626 as a daily driver for several years, and the engine on this one is identical. Mine was a lower trim level, without the fancy vents, etc. It was a great car, and if it hadn't rusted out behind the dash where it was almost impossible to repair I'd still be driving it. The only weak point was the automatic transmissions. Mine died, and when I got it out I discovered it had already been replaced once by the previous owner.
Loved my green 626 2.2L turbo manual hatch bought new in 1989. Build quality was excellent, performance was very good, but torque steer was brutal. Chose the 626 over the Telstar simply because I was a Mazda Rotary fan. The 1989 626 Turbo only came in 3 colours (white, light metallic green and light metallic bronze) whereas the Telstar turbo could be had a full range of colours including red and dark blues expected of a sports version. I wish I still had it along with my 13B Mazda RX-4? In 1989, European Fords, Opels, Renault’s etc were unreliable gutless trash.
lol so top model 626 turbo was a good car. Mazda's top performance 626.. The trash:
Ford: Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth
Opel: Opel Calibra 16v Turbo 4x4
Renault: Renault 21 Turbo
All faster and arguably longer lasting.
Still plenty of Toyota Camry, Mazda 323/626, VN Commodores still driving around today from that era.
So many bells and whistles for a car of this age!
We had this only as the Mazda 626 in the USA. We got the 5 door.... and nobody bought them, because “Merica”! The practicality of a hatchback grafted onto a sedan just wouldn’t do. All in all, I think these were the nicest and most under appreciated of the Japanese family sedans of the time. Curiously, I guess just in the USA, the center vent oscillation button was labeled “swing”. Such a great feature that no one else ever adopted.
Cracking video, I did love the collabs between Mazda and Ford back in the day, got to say I prefer the Mazda 121 to the Fiesta.