| 1989–1996 (Japan) | 1989–1997 (Indonesia) | 1994–2004 (China) }} | Japan:
Hofu | Philippines:
Parañaque (Columbian Autocar Corporation) | Thailand:
Rayong (
AutoAlliance Thailand) | China:
Hainan and
Beihai (
Haima) | Indonesia:
Jakarta (PT National Motors) | New Zealand:
Wiri (
Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand) }} | 3-door
hatchback | 4-door
sedan | 5-door
liftback }} |
Front-engine, front-wheel-drive |
Front-engine, all-wheel-drive }} |
Ford Laser |
Ford Escort |
Mercury Tracer }} |
Petrol: | 1.3 L
B3 SOHC I4 | 1.3 L
8A-FE DOHC I4 (China) | 1.5 L
B5 DOHC/SOHC I4 | 1.6 L
B6 DOHC/SOHC I4 | 1.8 L
B8 SOHC I4 | 1.8 L
BP-ZE DOHC I4 | 1.8 L
BPT DOHC
turbo I4 (GT-X) | 1.8 L
BPD DOHC turbo I4 (GT-R) |
Diesel: | 1.7 L
PN SOHC I4 }} | 3-speed
automatic | 4-speed automatic | 4-speed
manual | 5-speed manual }} |
Hatchback: |
Sedan/liftback: }} |
Hatchback: | | (GT/GT-X) | (GT-R) | (North America) |
Liftback: |
Sedan: | | (GT/GT-X) | (Supreme/Protegé) }} |
Hatchback: | FWD: | AWD: |
Liftback: |
Sedan: | FWD: | AWD: }} |
Hatchback: | FWD: | AWD: |
Liftback: |
Sedan: | FWD: | AWD: }} }} The seventh generation Familia (BG) included three-door hatchback, five-door liftback, and four-door sedan variants, none of which share any body panels. The new five-door liftback version was called the Familia Astina in Japan and was sold as the 323F or 323 Astina elsewhere. The BF wagon (originally introduced in 1985) was carried over in facelifted form, although Ford marketed a wagon on the new platform as part of the North American
Escort line. The BG Familia was available with front- or
all-wheel drive and 1.3–1.8 L petrol engines or a 1.7 L
diesel engine. Later, a turbocharged engine was added, especially developed for homologation purposes for the
World Rally Championship (WRC),
Group A category. The all-wheel drive models (including the turbocharged GT-X) were introduced in August 1989. In Japan, the 1.6 L SOHC was only available coupled to all-wheel drive. With a carburettor, it offered , the same as the lower-spec 1.5 L SOHC, but with a somewhat larger torque curve. In Europe, only the 1.8 L SOHC (in naturally aspirated, form or either of the turbocharged variants) was offered with four-wheel-drive. Trim lines in Japan included "Clair", "Pepper", "Interplay", "Supreme", "GT", "GT-X" and "GT-R". The Supreme model was only available in sedan form and features the larger bumpers and trunklid-mounted number plate recess of the American market Protegé. Carburetted models were mostly dropped in the 1991 facelift, replaced by
single-point fuel injection. In North America, the 323 sedan became the Protegé, while the 323 hatchback kept its name. There, and in the Philippines, base (SE/DX), 4WD and top-line LX models were available. The 1990 base model has the SE name and uses the B8 1.8 L SOHC engine that has 16 valves and hydraulic lifters. In 1991, the base model name was changed to "DX". 4WD models existed for the 1990 and 1991 model years, with the SOHC engine and rear disc brakes. The LX version of the Protegé included a 1.8 L DOHC 16-valve BP engine producing . LX models also have power windows and door locks and 14-inch wheels. Vented front and solid rear disc brakes, larger front brakes, larger clutch, equal-length driveshafts, dual outlet muffler, body-color door handles and mirrors, fold-down rear center armrest, driver's vanity mirror, and larger stabilizer bars. A sunroof and 14-inch aluminum alloy wheels were options on LX models. The Protegé nameplate was also applied for 323 sedan in Brazil, which was really similar to the Canadian market specification. However, only a fuel injected 1.8 L SOHC engine was offered there. BG models that were assembled in New Zealand came with glass headlights instead of plastic, and a 240 km/h speedometer. In Thailand, the 323 sedan was initially offered in a single unnamed trim with a carbureted 1.6 L SOHC engine as the sole option. The facelifted model was divided into two levels: the 1.3i and 1.6i LX, and the better-equipped 1.6i GLX. All engines featured fuel injection, and the latter came with a 4-speed automatic transmission as an option. Production of the BG Familia mostly ended on 24 May 1994, although the 1.3 L hatchback was kept in production until October 1996 as there was originally no 1.3 L option in the following generation. In Australia and South America, the BG sedan continued to be sold until 1996 as a more affordable alternative to the newer BH model. The Indonesian market 323 was assembled locally starting in 1989 and was available only as a sedan. It was sold in a single trim called Interplay, powered by a carbureted 1.6 L SOHC engine mated to a 5-speed manual or a rare 4-speed automatic transmission. Unique to this market, the 323 came standard with a digital speedometer from the Eunos 100, a feature that was optional in Japan. Around late 1994, a special edition called Interplay Executive was introduced featuring the facelifted bumpers and bigger 14-inch steel wheels with hubcaps, but it also loses the digital speedometer. Also a few months later in this year when the newer BH model was introduced, BG model production was extended until 1997, primarily for the taxi fleet market. This fleet version had its premium features removed and an optional 1.3 L engine. In 2000, the Mazda 1.3–1.6 L B-series engines were replaced by a fuel injected 1.3 L DOHC
8A-FE engine sourced from
FAW Toyota. Production ended in 2004 when it was replaced by the BJ Familia-based
Haima Family, which had been introduced a year earlier.
Familia Infini The Japan only special model Familia Infini was introduced in February 1990 to celebrate Mazda's 70th anniversary. Based on the GT sedan, the 1.6 L DOHC B6-ZE engine was swapped to a bigger 1.8 L DOHC BP-ZE engine from the Protegé LX and international market 323 GT (it later became the standard engine for Familia GT in 1991), and teamed with a close ratio LSD 5-speed manual transmission. The Infini was upgraded with a viscous limited-slip differential, stiffer suspension package, and hood/headlight from the 323 hatchbacks (in 1991, these were adopted on all Familia sedan models). The Infini came only in dark green color with unique Infini aerodynamic grille, rear spoiler with third stop lamp, "lightweight" carpet, without sound deadener, and with Infini (∞) logos on horn button, front grille, wheel caps, and trunklid. There were also unique factory front clear indicators, a
Momo Cobra II steering wheel,
BBS 15-inch rims, faux suede interior with GT-X style seat trim, leather gearknob and shift trunk, front and rear strut braces, 22-mm sway bars front and rear, rear tie bar, a quick-ratio steering and a 7,250 rpm redline tachometer, as well as four-wheel disc brakes. Around 1,000 Infinis were produced, and preceded Mazda's
ɛ̃fini Japanese dealership network.
Familia GT-X, GT-A, GT-R, GT-Ae For
Group A rallying, Mazda made two main
homologation models. The
JDM GT-X model was released in 1990 and featured
four-wheel drive, viscous
limited-slip differentials and a
turbocharged 1.8 L
BPT engine which produced . Mazda also Produced 300 GT-A variants to celebrate the launch of the BG Familia GT-X and its rally debut. These were stripped of most luxuries and delivered with Mazdaspeed Torsen rear differential, short ratio gearbox, roll cage, harnesses, grill mounted fog lights. A graphics pack was also available. In Europe, the engine of the GT-X model was detuned to produce . The GT-R model was released in 1992, produced for around 5,000 units. The GT-R featuring a number of enhancements over the GT-X model: an aggressive front bumper, grill and hood vents, updated rear bumper, wheel flares, stiffer suspension and anti-roll bars with thicker cross members, and homologated five-stud wheel hubs with larger brakes. The interior was fitted with leather and faux suede seats, and had the option of replacing the cupholder with a 3-gauge cluster. In addition, the GT-R has stronger connecting rods and pistons, larger oil squirters, larger nose crank, larger oil cooler, sodium filled valves, a baffled inlet manifold, larger injectors, removed boost cut, front-mounted intercooler, and an IHI VJ-23 ball bearing water-cooled turbocharger. Power was increased to . Just like the GT-X, the engine power of the European market GT-R was also lowered to produce . As per the first GT-X, 300 units special version of GT-R were produced known as GT-Ae. In the UK the 323F was launched with 1.6 L 16-valve in either LX, GLX or GLXi trim or as 1.8i 16v GT. In Indonesia it is called Astina GT and RX3 (a special model featured aero kits), it came standard with a 1.8 L DOHC BP engine and a digital speedometer from the JDM Eunos 100. The 323 Astina GLX was sold in South America as well, specifically in Colombia, Chile and Argentina, with 1.6 L SOHC engine, in carbureted version. ;Engines: • 1989–1991 –
B3, 1 barrel, 8-valve, / • 1991–1994 –
B3,
EGI-S, 8-valve, / • 1989–1991 –
B5-M, carburetor, 16-valve, / • 1990–1994 –
B5-MI, EGI-S, 16-valve / • 1989–1991 –
B5-DE, EFi, 16-valve DOHC, / • 1991–1994 –
B5-DE, EFi, 16-valve DOHC, / (lower power for AT cars) • 1989–1991 –
B6, 1 barrel, 8-valve, / • 1989–1994 –
B6, carburetor, 16-valve, SOHC, / • 1989–1994 –
BP, FI, 16-valve DOHC, / • 1989–1994 –
BPT, FI, 16-valve DOHC,
turbo, / (Familia GT-X) • 1991–1994 –
B8, FI, 16-valve SOHC, • 1992–1993 –
BPD, FI, 16-valve DOHC, turbo, / (Familia GT-R & GT-Ae) • 1989–1994 –
PN, Diesel, 8-valve, / (European specs) == Eighth generation (BH/BA; 1994) ==