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Mazda's 626 is a plain Jane, but looks can be deceiving

Be warned. Leave your new Mazda 626 in a big car park and it could take some time to find it again.

The problem is it looks just like the rest and is anonymous too.

The first car I tried to get into was the old 626. Realising my mistake I then tried a Toyota Carina and finally a Nissan Primera.

My face was fast becoming as red as the paintwork when I stumbled across the right car. I knew it was mine because the remote control actually opened the doors this time.

Slip inside and you could be in any of the aforementioned. It's plain and functional in the extreme. There's nothing wrong with it and it works, it's just a tad uninspiring to look at.

So guess how the new 626 drives. I'll give you a clue - dull exterior, plain interior. Well you'd be wrong if you thought it was mediocre on the road because it's actually brilliant. It's hard to believe that something which looks so ordinary can go so well.

The 2.0 litre twin cam is a stonker with heaps of power making the car an absolute flier.

It's also supremely smooth and quiet, uncannily so in fact. And despite the excellent performance it's amazingly frugal.

If the engine is good, the steering and handling are even better. It can change direction in the blink of an eye and it hangs on around every bend.

Brakes, gearbox, clutch and throttle are a delight and the 626 is immensely practical with a gargantuan boot and large cabin. It's comfortable and thrives on long distances.

Mazda's 626 won't win too many prizes for aesthetics but dynamically there are few which can better it.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.