In the 1950s and 1960s the getaway car of choice was a Jaguar. But today I reckon what a villain needs is a Mazda 626. It may not have the pace of a Jaguar, and certainly has none of the style, but it does have something useful: complete anonymity. Park a Mazda 626 on a corner for three hours and even the traffic wardens will miss it.

The first 626s arrived in Britain as far back as 1979. Since then the car has undergone a series of facelifts, new models and relaunches before finally being replaced in 2002 by the Mazda6.

In 1999 Mazda launched the last and arguably most attractive of the 626s. Available as saloon, hatch and estate it offered buyers a choice of both petrol and diesel engines.

Petrol power came in the form of a 99bhp 1.8 litre unit and a 2 litre unit producing either 114bhp or 134bhp. The 1.8 was always the biggest seller and the engine is eager, if a little coarse when pushed hard. The 114bhp 2 litre feels only marginally quicker and offers few advantages, reflected in the small £150 premium it fetches over the 1.8 litre.

To gain any real performance benefits you’ll need to consider the 134bhp engine, which comes in the GSi and Sport models. While the Sport still isn’t hugely rapid it comes with a good level of trim that includes air-conditioning, electric sunroof, traction control, electric windows, ABS and front foglamps. Ride and handling on the Sport model are also a little sharper, thanks to its lower-profile tyres, 16in alloys and stiffer suspension.

Diesel power comes from a 2 litre unit producing 99bhp, identical to the output of the 1.8 litre petrol. Good levels of torque and bottom-end grunt combined with reasonable economy make it a sensible if unexciting purchase. For the same money a diesel from one of its French rivals, like the Renault Laguna or Peugeot 406, would still be my choice.

The vast majority of used Mazda 626s come with the standard five-speed manual gearbox, but on 2 litre petrol models a four-speed auto was an option. Be warned, this is the car’s Achilles heel. The change quality is poor, with up-shifts and down-shifts neither as smooth nor as quick as many would expect. More worryingly many owners have reported the need to replace the entire unit at a cost of about £1,200. So the manual gearbox cars are definitely your best bet.

Externally the Mazda 626 looks a fairly large car. Front-seat occupants get plenty of head and legroom but rear passengers don’t fair quite so well — estate variants have a slightly longer wheelbase to improve rear space. If the car’s exterior styling doesn’t inspire you then it’s unlikely the interior will either. The dashboard is functional rather than funky and even wood-effect trim fails to give the car an upmarket feel.

But Mazda build quality is good, trim and upholstery wear well and high-mileage examples can still look fresh. With no radical design features the 626 tends to age gracefully.

On-road manners are pleasant enough and at cruising speeds the cabin is relatively quiet and relaxed. Only under hard acceleration does the engine noise become intrusive. The car’s compliant suspension soaks up bumps well, although the steering is a little on the light side — okay if you are in town but not so nice if you are pushing through the bends at speed.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Mazda 626 Sport hatchback
Engine: 1991cc 4-cylinder 16V DOHC
Power: 134bhp
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Fuel: 34.9mpg (combined)
Acceleration: 0-62mph: 9.6sec
Top speed: 129mph

Air-conditioning: Standard on all models since 1999

Passenger seat: Gap between backrest and seat means objects slip through onto floor

Misfire and poor running: Poor fit of the rubber cap over the spark plugs can let in water, leading to shorting, but is easily fixed by drying and applying WD-40

Radiator: Prone to minor leaks, so check for cracks

Auto gearbox: An optional extra to be avoided as quality of the gearchange is poor and some owners report faults leading to a hefty £1,200 replacement bill

Previous owners: Most new 626s were sold as company cars and should come with good service history even if the mileage is high

Sport version: Standard equipment includes alloys, white dials and leather steering wheel

Estate: As well as larger boot, it has a longer wheelbase giving improved rear legroom

Total sold in Britain: 140,000

Oxygen sensor: Mounted on exhaust near catalytic converter, is prone to false readings and can cause warning light on dash

ABS: Standard on all models since 1999

Traction control: Standard on all models since 1999

THE ONE TO BUY

Mazda 626 2.0 Sport hatchback 5-speed manual 2000 W-reg with 40,000 miles. Pay £5,195 at a dealer with 12-month warranty, £4,250 privately.

OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY...

2000 W-reg Ford Mondeo 2.0i Ghia X
2000 V-reg Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 CDX
2000 V-reg Honda Accord 2.0i VTEC SE
2001 Y-reg Renault Laguna 2.0 16V RXE
2001 Y-reg Citroën C5 1.8i LVALUES: Mazda 626 2.0 Sport hatchback



Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. ‘Trade’ is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; ‘Retail’ is what you would pay a dealer.