Used Mazda 323 Hatchback 1998 - 2004 reliability

There's nothing as depressing as checking what recalls there have been on a car you are interested in only to find the list reads like the flight departures board at Heathrow Airport.

Well, with the Mazda 323, you don't have to worry - there has only been one recall. That was to address the possibility of the fuel tank heat shield working itself loose, and concerns cars built from the start of October 1999 up to the end of June 2000.

That glitch aside, the 323 has managed to keep its nose clean. It always stays at the top end of its class in What Car?'s JD Power and other customer satisfaction studies.

Happily, there is no list of potential problems to work your way through with this model although, as always, take a very thorough test drive and put the electrics, engine, gearbox, clutch, steering and suspension through their paces.