1998 Mazda Millenia Review
1998 Mazda Millenia Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Elegant styling. Reasonable price. Fun to drive.
Cons
- Lacks luxury image buyers in this market crave. "What do you own?" -- "A Mazda."
What’s new
Millenia carries over into 1998 with no changes.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1998 Mazda Millenia 4dr Sedan and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$217/mo for Millenia Base
Millenia Base
vs
$181/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Vehicle overview
By 1990, Honda, Toyota and Nissan all had luxury divisions that offered superbly engineered cars at prices that rivaled American and European brands. Mazda was a bit slow to react, but soon had its own luxury channel planned. To be called Amati, Mazda began developing two sedans to sell through the division when it debuted in the mid-nineties.
The rising yen and softening sales in the luxury car segment made it clear to Mazda that Amati would be nothing more than a money pit. The project was canceled, but one of the sedans in development was nearly ready for production. Rather than consign that model to a future of write-ups in "Cars Japan Never Built" books, they decided to sell it as a Mazda. They named it Millenia and priced it, in base trim, to compete with entry-level BMWs, the Nissan Maxima and even top-of-the-line Toyota Camrys.
Times have changed. The Millenia now competes on a fiercely scarred near-luxury battleground bordered by the excellent Audi A4 on the low-end and the BMW 328i on the high end. Since its introduction, prices of the Millenia have steadily risen, while competitors have slashed prices. The Millenia isn't the deal it used to be.
The Millenia is an interesting looking car, though some styling cues can be chalked up as derivative. The S version is powered by the only Miller-cycle engine in production, a 2.3-liter unit equipped with a supercharger and good for 210 horsepower. Base models make do with a 2.5-liter V6 good for 170 horsepower, which simply isn't enough in this class. The interior is quite distinctive, in the Mazda tradition of providing excellent controls wrapped in interestingly flowing shapes.
If only the Millenia had something other than the Miller-cycle engine to distinguish it, like the personality most other Mazdas exhibit and a lower sticker price, we could wholeheartedly recommend it. Unfortunately for Mazda, there are three new and very competent players on the field, and their names are Cadillac Catera, Lexus ES300 and Mitsubishi Diamante.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1998 Mazda Millenia.
5 star(60%)
4 star(27%)
3 star(13%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
30 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
3.5 out of 5 stars
Worst Car Ever
John, 04/25/2009
1998 Mazda Millenia S 4dr Sedan
Contrary to the other positive reviews, this is by far the worst car I have ever owned. I have never put so much money into a car just to keep it running. Literally, every 3 months since I have owned this car, something goes wrong. I have put several thousand dollars into this car just in repairs, and that is in the three years I have owned it. I hate this car, and I will never ever … purchase a Mazda again. If you decide to invest in a Mazda Millenia, I wish you the best of luck, because luck is something I did not have with this car.
5 out of 5 stars
I Love My Car!
spongebobluvr, 08/02/2004
1998 Mazda Millenia 4dr Sedan
I bought this car from my dad who was
the first & only prior owner so it was
well taken care of. I love my car. It
has never failed me, & I bought it at
79K miles, now it has 107K miles, after
only 15 months of my owning it. It
drives as good as it did the day I
bought it. I have taken it on no less
than FOUR cross-country road trips in
that time, about to be five next … week,
and it hasn't missed a beat. It is the
most well-built reliable car, drives
like a dream, esp on the highway,
economical, and looks great. LOVE it.
Highly recommend it!
4.75 out of 5 stars
Good Car
Drive_Millenia, 02/03/2003
1997 Mazda Millenia L 4dr Sedan
I bought a 2nd hand millenia. The car
is excellent when it comes to all the
luxury features. The interior is great.
The car is 6 yrs old but still most of
the things seem to be working perfectly
fine. The pick-up is bit of a problem
at low speeds.. may coz of the heavy
weight. The car drives really smooth
and once above 50mph, the pickup
improves a lot. Its very easy … to get a
speeding ticket if you are not watching
the speedometer!!!
4 out of 5 stars
A fine car but ...
Tl, 05/08/2002
1997 Mazda Millenia L 4dr Sedan
My 5 year old Millenia still drives
like a luxury car. I bought it for its
reliability and gorgeous exterior. The
leather grade is rather cheap. The
interior is tight and front seats are
not comfortable for tall adults. The
workmanship and fitting are flimsy. My
moon roof stops working (not fuse-
related). If you live in the
DC/Virginia area, I would not recommend …
buying your car from Brown's Mazda.
They drop you like a ball once your car
leaves their lot. The acceleration on
this car sucks. I would get the S
version if you love the shape and the
supple ride. My next car would likely
be a Lexus, Volvo, Mercedes, or a BMW -
definitely not sold by Brown's car
dealers.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 1998 Mazda Millenia, so we've included reviews for other years of the Millenia since its last redesign.
1998 Millenia Highlights
Base
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 20 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $217/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.3 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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