(first posted 10/5/2017) So, I’m led to believe that older people in North America typically drive big Buicks, or beige Camrys, or maybe a Mercury Grand Marquis with a vinyl roof. Well, let me show you what I consider to be the archetypal old person car here in Australia: the 1990-97 Mazda 121.
Older people tend to gravitate towards smaller cars here, and I have a good feeling this little 121 is owned by an older person. I base that on a few things. The RACQ (auto club) sticker stuck to the back. The steering wheel lock (remember those?). The excellent condition overall for a car of this age. And, most importantly, the car itself. All that’s missing is a dashboard mat and a wool steering wheel cover.
Parked next to its successor’s successor, the Mazda2
These 121s – sold in Japan as the Autozam Revue – are a quirky mix of Japanese cute and K.T. Keller hat-wearin’ practicality. Perhaps they might have had a more youthful image in North America as, after all, sometimes things are flipped in different markets. Just look at Honda’s more senior citizen-friendly image in the UK and Australia, for example. Then again, I could also see these becoming the butt of some ugly car jokes in North America. I guess we’ll never know.
What we do know is these cars were affectionately referred to as “bubble cars”, “jellybeans” and even “top hats on wheels”. Fun fact: the 121’s design drew its inspiration from the female derriere. Yes, I’m serious.
Here, B-segment sedans are always slower sellers than their equivalent hatchbacks, if manufacturers offer them at all. This 121 did buck the trend more than most and enjoyed a decent amount of popularity. Despite this, Mazda went in an entirely different direction with its successor, the 121 Metro, shifting to a still upright but two-box design much like that of the first-generation 121 subcompact. While even more practical, it was less distinctive and less popular.
I can’t help but associate the 121 “bubble car” with older buyers. Maybe that’s because of a teacher I had in primary school, a retired principal who came back as a substitute and who I recall drove a white 121 just like this.
Mr. B always wore an Akubra hat, a button-up shirt, tan shorts with a belt, and white tube socks pulled almost to his knees. A consummate professional, he was a pretty old-school teacher and therefore not the most entertaining of the substitutes. Given his age and serious disposition, seeing him in a 121 made more sense than, say, a Suzuki Swift.
The 121 was ending production as I was entering primary (elementary) school. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it seemed like 20-somethings gravitated towards B-segment offerings like the Hyundai Excel (Accent) and Ford Festiva (Aspire).
When I was in high school in the early/mid 2000s, some of us were getting our first cars and they were almost entirely B- and C-segment cars from the 1990s. Cars like the Mitsubishi Mirage and Hyundai Excel were the most popular in the high school parking lot and I never met a young person who had a 121.
Note how much taller it appears than its rival, the Holden Barina (Opel Corsa).
Perhaps this fact, and my memory of Mr. B’s 121, clouded my memories of the little bubble car. Young 121 buyers did exist and I dare say one of them owns this example, judging by the more youthful wheels and decals on it. And these were among the more engaging cars to drive in their class, handling confidently and without the level of body roll you might expect from its tall-boy styling. Well, we are talking about a Mazda, after all.
The 121, like many Japanese cars in the 1990s, was crippled by the rising Yen. Initially available in Australia only with color-keyed bumpers, 14-inch wheels and good feature content – even, briefly, an optional folding canvas roof – a decontented model arrived in 1994 with prices slashed by $2k. This new poverty-spec model was manual only, with optional power steering, 13-inch wheels with no wheel covers (not the only Japanese model to suffer this indignity at the time), gray bumpers, cheaper interior trim, and no tachometer. You could still get all the nice trim and features of the older model, however, and up-spec models also came with a bigger DOHC 1.5 16v four-cylinder engine (with 87 hp) in place of the DOHC 1.3 16v (72 hp). With its cheeky styling and comfortable interior, a top-spec 121 made a compelling alternative to a poverty-spec car from the next class up.
Solid Mazda mechanicals and build quality means there are still a decent number of these around. More than I had realized, in fact, as I’ve spotted a few since I started writing this. While I’ve been writing this, I’ve also realized just how adorable these cars are and why they ended up being popular, even with young folk.
And yes, even with Mr. B. He had a well-built, reliable, economical car. The best part? He didn’t even have to take off his hat.
121s photographed in and around Indooroopilly, QLD.
Related Reading:
Vintage Road Test: Ford Festiva L
Curbside Capsule: 1996-2004 Mitsubishi Mirage – A Gremlin Without The Gremlins
Curbside Classic: 1995-99 Hyundai Accent/Excel – A Strong Foundation
Around here (Maryland) I have started seeing a lot of older folks buying/driving Kia Souls. They are small enough to easily park anywhere but still roomy.
Old folks preference for small cars must be a rest of the world thing. A Canadian friend in Halifax, recently traded his Volvo sedan for a Nissan Micra, a model so small Nissan doesn’t offer it across the border in the US. He recently turned 70 and he says he doesn’t take long road trips any more, just putz around town.
When I saw the first pic, first thing I thought of was the Suzuki sourced Chevy Metro. Guess there isn’t much you can do with the styling, while keeping with the currently popular rounded contours and keeping room inside for adult sized people. A coworker had a Metro sedan. Big guy with a stocky build, but he fit.
The strong resemblance to the Metro was the first thing I noticed too!
Me, too!
On the other hand, I see resemblance to. Toyota Echo of early 2000’s.
The rear seems to have inspired the first generation Subaru Impreza as well:
Always thought the Chevy Metro was a cute-as-a-button bubble car but beware! BIL had one a few short years ago and it was pretty late model – just 3-4 years old. He was making a low-speed turn thru an intersection when the lower control arm separated from the front sub-frame. With help from other motorists he was able to push the car into a nearby gas station. Turns out the entire front subframe had rusted thru to a dangerous level from our winter road salt in just that short of time.
I suppose cars like these that are built very lightweight would not suffer such catastrophic failure in a drier country like Australia.
I think I’d love the poverty spec model. A car that small wouldn’t really need power steering. I have 13″ wheels on two of my cars and have driven a non power boosted steering 63 Valiant for years. I’m certain the turns lock to lock and effort would be far easier to handle ! Really not an issue if one has driven a car without. Granny’s 70 Maverick Grabber didn’t have it either.
Grey bumpers: if not painted, would be a plus: no scratches, parking lot rash or chipped paint.
Hubcaps one can always get via the internet. No tach, no problem.
I can only hope that rubber flooring was available ?
This appeals to me the way the Mitsubishi Mirage does. Or the Geo Metro.
You think I kid !
Thanks for this. I had never even heard of this car until today. And would have liked it way back then.
Autozam Revue: so much better than “121”. Probably the only mod I would make.
I don’t think you kid. I see the appeal, even if I wouldn’t make the same purchase. And I absolutely agree with you on the name change!
Looks a bit like a GEO Metro sedan but I like it, especially with the sliding roof.
Used to be older folks here in the US gravitated strictly towards big domestic sedans but that phenomenon is rapidly fading. CUVs seem to be getting more and more popular for that demographic, maybe because they’re easier to get in and out of?
I don’t know that the Camry was ever an old person car here. Seems to me to be more a middle-aged mom car.
I would drive one. I love small cars for commuting and errands
I think older drivers were often sold large cars here in the U. S. because salesmen were able to convince these customers that they were safer driving a bigger/heavier car. Another selling point was (probably) that with more disposable income older drivers should “treat” themselves with the nicer car they could not have afforded when they were younger and had a family. And as bigger cars usually had bigger door openings and larger front seats, it was easier to get into a large car.
Interesting that while Mazda sold this car in Europe and some Asian countries, here in the U. S. we got Mazda’s Festiva and Aspire via Kia/Ford.
Also, in the US smaller cars are often marketed to people who are looking for better fuel economy. If you’re looking for good fuel economy, it’s probably because you drive a lot, likely because you have a long commute or otherwise have to drive long distances for your job. In the US small cars are sometimes colloquially called “commuter cars”, even. If you’re retired, you probably don’t need to drive as much, so fuel economy doesn’t matter as much to you.
Folks my parent’s age, WWII participants, often prized a buttery smooth ride above all else. That’s what Cadillacs, Buicks, and LTDs gave them. The floatier, the better. Now that group is mostly gone, small SUVs, including the Soul, seem to be hitting the spot. Practical, roomy, fairly economical, lots of features, and easy to get in and out of.
Kind of reminds me of a Japanese Neon. I’d defitinitely take one of the poverty spec models- perfect for street parking in Chicago.
That was my thought as well. An alternate universe version of the Neon where Chrysler paired up with Mazda instead of Mitsubishi.
The Ford Escort in that universe is seriously weird.
But wait ’till you see the RX7-Viper collaboration.
With a 6-rotor Wankel up front.
I saw some Neon in that too.
In the UK this cute 121 only ran for 4 years before being replaced with a badge engineered Fiesta in 1995. Never that common, but now you’ve run this, I fully expect to see one!
I can see why it was withdrawn. Y’all are even more hatchback hungry than we are… Off the top of your head, can you think of any B-segment “saloons” that sold well?
Offhand I can’t think of any that were even available by the mid-’90s; I think the only small saloon left was the original Mini. The Vauxhall Nova (Corsa A) did include 2 and 4 door saloons but the replacement Corsa of 1993 was hatchback only in the UK.
Mazdas seen to have a considerable large market share in Australia, overall. What would account for this? Saw lots more of them in my visit to Sydney a couple of years ago compared with Hondas.
Hondas were realatively expensive in Aussie and offer no advantages over cheaper brands for the buyer, the car with the smoking tailpipe in traffic was usually a Honda.
Same here in Austria. Mazda’s success is most likely explained by the fact it makes the most “European” Japanese cars. The other Japanese (with the exception of Suzuki and Nissan with its CUVs perhaps) are seen as worthy, reliable yet utterly boring; Subaru may be an exception but unless you live up in the mountains in Tirol the added complexity of all wheel drive is not something you’d need.
The Koreans have realized long ago they had to make some compromises in order to sell in the EU and it worked for them; the Japanese have not, perhaps because they see their home market, the Far East/Australasia and the US as their main market.
I like it a lot. I’d love one for around town. I’m shopping as we speak for a second car for “The Other One”, and find myself getting very bored. Corollas and Civics in our immediate price range (we need it on the road within 30 days but are executing a long-distance move this month, so we’ll likely spend less than $2k on something) are too clapped out to be trusted. Neons seem to be well represented, Cavaliers and Cobalts fit well into the parameters, but overall the search has been uninspiring for me. Something this cute and plucky would be a welcome addition to the sea of appliances I’ve been pouring over on Craigslist lately.
Try a Ford Focus.
They don’t have squat for resale value but they seem to be pretty inexpensive with low miles. The two I have had haven’t given me any real problems.
one alternator and front stabilizer bars that were just noisy but still functional.
Try looking for a Prizm, GM’s NUMMI version of the Corolla, built on the same production line as the Toyota. I was looking for a Corolla in this price range and they were junk, found a very nice ’95 Prizm for $750. It did need a distributor, which was an easy fix. Many people don’t know this so the Prizm’s tend to sell for less.
Very interesting to see what senior drivers have gravitated to down under. This is the first I have heard of one of these, but I find some real appeal here. I would have to skip the refrigerator-white paint and the automatic transmission, but I could see being quite fond of a simple little car like this.
In my part of the midwest the Buicks and Grand Marquis’ are aging out of the seniors fleets. The Camry is very popular with the AARP set as is the Honda CR-V. I will agree with Leon that the Kia Soul has done well in this market too.
As the person stationed where your Mid-Western grandparents now live, let me confirm that the big sedan is aging out with the retiree set and is being taken over more and more by CUVs and Souls. One sees less and less the larger sedan, especially an American luxury brand one, as the aspirational choice for the newly minted retiree. My dad, for example, wanted a Cadillac late in life. That was his “reward” car. He didn’t travel much, and had no hobby, so that is how he wanted to spend his money. More modern retirees are choosing lifestyle over possessions, so we see less luxury brands being driven, but the owners are spending more on travel and conveniences instead. As such, smaller, more economical vehicles are the main choice. And while the Camry may be popular, the Avalon was more popular with the AARP set. Slightly bigger, and wider, more like the American cars than the Camry ever was.
Also, in my experience many of those “I’ve always wanted a Cadillac” buyers got one at some point and were underwhelmed by the experience, replacing it with something else, usually Japanese.
This happened to my uncle. He gradually worked his way up the ladder with GM cars, started with Chevrolet, had a couple of Oldsmobiles, then the Buick and finally bought a new Cadillac in the late seventies. Of course this was right after GM started downsizing their full size cars so the Cadillac seemed small, especially compared to the Electra it replaced. He never came out and said so but I’m sure my uncle was disappointed with his Sedan de Ville; I know that he didn’t keep it all that long. He did stay with GM for some time after that, purchasing one of the FWD Buicks. After he retired and moved to Florida he decided he no longer needed the front wheel drive and purchased, drum roll, a Grand Marquis. For various reasons the Mercury didn’t get driven all that much; my aunt finally traded it in on a new Malibu a couple of years ago. IIRC the Grand Marquis only had 33K miles, not many at all for a car thirty years old.
If I remember correctly the Ford Festiva was based on the Mazda 121. Well, an earlier generation of it, obviously.
The little old lady up the street from me still has her late-1980s Grand Marquis, although it seems to spend much more time in her garage than on the road these days. But this is California where cars never rust.
An earlier generation Festiva/121 who also soldiered a couple more years as a Kia Pride from 1987 to 2000 and got also interesting variants like a ute/bakkie/pick-up truck in Iran. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Festiva
There was once some Festiva tv ads aired in Quebec, Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-yDPa8dhPM
So was the US market Ford Aspire related to the generation of 121 seen in this article? I’m not clear on that from the Wikipedia article.
I guess the Aspire might be related to a later generation.
The Aspire kept the previous Festiva platform, and just added a new wardrobe, so to speak. This car’s platform was substantially updated from that generation. It then in turn wasn’t changed much underneath for the following Demio that replaced this car.
Bowler hats is what these were called in the Netherlands back then. Haven’t seen one in years. Its distant successors, the 121 and the first Mazda 2 (the rebadged Demio) was and still is quite popular with the elderly crowd.
Small hatchbacks and their tallboy siblings generally are their cars of choice, no matter how modern they look. Too bad: Opel put a lot of effort in modernising the Corsa, but a wool steering wheel cover instantly undoes it all.
The Mazda 2 still wears a Demio badge we have thousands of them imported from japan they are quite popular as city ruabouts like these 121s of yore which have become quite rare theyve all been worn out and thrown away and their elderly drivers moved on to later models.
Cute car – also saw “Metro” in pics.
Maybe SoCal is a little different as my “older” friends and relatives (I’m 67) drive all kinds of cars – my Infiniti G37 sedan, good friend’s Audi A4 (she’s 80), two Porsche 911s (Carrera 4S cabriolet belongs to 75 year old), Kia Sorento and Niro, several Lexus RX and ES (more to type), new Jaguar XE, several BMW 3-series, Honda Civics, Prius, etc. Not a single large car or American car among my friends and family that I can think of.
The US is increasingly an urban country and older folks are choosing to remain in the city to enjoy its assets in retirement. Hence, I think, an interest in smaller cars more suited to urban driving/parking. SUV/CUV/crossovers are definitely discussed as options for later on when mobility issues make it harder to get in and out of the car. CUVs and Camrys are popular among the older set here. As the RX has gotten bigger, I see some folks switching to the NX as a more maneuverable option.
I don’t know if I’d take one of these over my Grand Marquis. There is something truly special about driving something so pointlessly large. It has a presence that something small like this simply can’t match. Then again, I really only own my Grand Marquis because it is a rolling joke. So I’m thinking the 121’s basic competence is why I wouldn’t own one. The damn thing is just too good.
I haven’t seen one of these Mazda 121s in a long time; I do recall they shared parts with the original 121 (aka Kia Pride) and the later Kia Avella (what you guys in the US called the Ford Aspire). There was also a British comedy along the lines of “Mr. Bean” named “The Baldy Man”, featuring a fat bald-headed man who drove one of these. Most of the ones I saw around here were either red or white, but the Kia equivalents and the bigger cars in Mazda’s stable always outsold them.
I remember reading about 20 -25 years ago that the Honda Civic was considered an old person’s car in the U.K., and finding that odd as the US (at least California) was already well into the tuner Honda era. I think the perception that old folks in the US drive big cars is based on the folks who reached middle age in the late 1970’s; they had ridden in full size American sedans as kids and then bought them when they had families of their own, and stuck with them as they aged. But two things have happened since: at least on the two coasts, many 60 year olds have had no experience with these cars, either as children or adults; and secondly imports are so prevalent now, especially CUV’s that are easy to get in and out of, that you really have to work to find a larger affordable car. One older couple in our neighborhood has not one but two Kia Souls. I know couples that have two Priuses or two Subarus.
The comparison of archetypal “old people cars” between Australia where they are small and the U.S. where they are large reminds me of this Seinfeld sketch:
One thing no one mentioned that makes an old person’s car in the U.S. is Value. The Soul, optioned the way a luxury car was optioned in the ’80s and ’90s with air, electric windows, locks, tilt, and cruise, comes in around $17k. The Marquis in its fading years also went for around 15-16 very comfortably equipped. The Ciera and Century could be had for the price of a not-very-lavishly equipped Civic. I’m betting the Caravan AVP which went out the door for around 18 was also popular with the seniors. They bought these cars when they were first new as empty nesters and then liked them and saw no reason to stop.
Some of the senior appeal is it’s cheap, it’s comfortable, it’s not complicated, and who cares about impressing anyone anymore? How many people are buying a $60K BMW to impress co-workers and dates and neighbours and after 70, who cares any more?
“Fun fact, the 121 drew it’s inspiration from the female derriere.” I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from it as well.
I’d agree that there is a change going on in the US regarding the stereotypical older person’s car. In the Midwest, it is certainly not difficult to travel during the day on weekdays and find older people getting about in a good condition Grand Marquis or LeSabre. But, even those people are starting to outlive their cars, and they tend to replace them with smaller CUV / SUVs; CRV, RAV4, Subarus, etc. It’s kind of odd to see folks downgrade their brand as that was more rare in the past, but as others have pointed out, these are all equipped like luxury cars from 30 years ago. And, Mercury is dead.
I’m a bit surprised to see so many references to the Kia Soul and none regarding the Buick Encore. The Soul is a bit thin on the ground here, and rarely elderly owned. The Buick does not really surprise me – its a fairly logical step for the more tradition bound older buyer, and is not sold by hamsters.
When I was a kid, lots of older couples were in Chryslers, Buicks, and other big iron, but for those with two cars, the second was frequently smaller and driven by the lady. There was also a trend where if there was one car, and the man died, the big car was sold off and replaced by something a bit easier to navigate and park.
For the wealthier and more rural, pickups and large SUVs have definitely become the vehicle of choice.
There are exceptions to everything though. I had a great aunt that was used to Lincolns and Cadillacs when her husband was alive. After he passed in the mid ’60s, she lived modestly and grew her investments into considerable wealth. But, no practical compacts for her, a new Continental was in the garage every few years.
Where are you in the Midwest out of curiosity? I’ve lived in the Twin Cities, Chicago, and now the Tuscon area since the introduction of the Soul. The Soul was moderately popular in the TC’s in general, with both demographics (my younger sister actually bought one of the first ones). Chicago had more, but I didn’t notice many older drivers. Here in Tuscon, it’s crawling with Souls, especially the newer ones, and most are older drivers. Encores; barely saw them in MN (new at the time). They are around in Tuscon, definitely older owned, but I can’t even recall an Encore in Chicago.
Nebraska in the suburbs of Omaha where income skews higher and we crossover with rural. I still get corn husks in my yard in strong winter storms. Kia sell here, but its mostly with loud ads with talking cars pushing low, low payments. I live in one of the more modest neighborhoods, and even here, Kia borders on non-existent as a brand, let alone a specific model. Even Hyundai is poorly represented. (FCA does amazingly well here, for whatever that is worth.)
With the death or near death of traditional “mid price” brands like Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Mercury, and Buick it seems like Ford, Jeep, Honda, Subaru, and Toyota CUV/SUV models have filled that gap. I literally have older neighbors trading Grand Marquis and LeSabres for said vehicles.
Soul has been around since 2009 and a strong seller with well over 100K a year since 2011, so there have to be a bunch around somewhere. Encore is hardly its only competition, but if they both appeal to an older demographic, Buick is on to something. The Encore has been around since 2013, has become Buick’s best selling model, and has set sales records every year. It topped 78K last year, about 53% of Soul volume. Soul appears to be down this year and Encore is on pace for another record, probably around 90k. That might be good for about 65% of Soul volume.
Thanks! Regional differences are strange sometimes, aren’t they?
On the topic of what older folks are buying these days: my midwestern-bred, now retired-down-south, WWII-generation grandparents just last year decided to buy a brand new 2017-model Subaru Legacy. Apparently my grandmother in particular insisted on this car, after much research. Having driven a Subaru myself for a few years, I can’t say I disagree with the choice – great value for money, with an emphasis on safety features like EyeSight that may be crucial for those concerned about slowing reflexes. Also of note, their previous car was one I did not usually associate with drivers in their age bracket: a Prius!
Yep, just what I’ve been saying in my other comments. Subaru. I live in cold weather country and I think the four wheel drive along with Subaru’s emphasis on safety, longevity and value in their ads is working well with the 65 + demographic. I’m not even sure what model they are pushing, but I’ve seen the grandfather / grandson wetsuit surfing ad multiple times. A lot of Subaru advertising seems to focus on generations buying Subarus.
Heck, I’m 52 and just bought my first wetsuit for colder weather water skiing. Is a Subaru in my future?
Huh, in this case it’s not that Baby Got Back…, Baby IS Back! Very interesting.
William, you’re like the MoleMan, You dig out more interesting cars from underground parking structures and the like than all of the rest of us put together. Good work, man!
Ugh I wish they were out on the street though. I hate underground parking lot photos but I can’t pass up an interesting car if I see one while I’m at the shops…
I prefer to give y’all a little background scenery though. With these photos, you’ll just have to amuse yourself with all the cars in the background you can’t buy in North America.
I always thought these were cute, but the (lack of) performance and handling stopped me buying.
Very interesting and I am also interested (not sarc) in what you youngsters think an old guy should (or does) drive. At 74, short, and rather fat with Parkinson’s I can give you one thing you missed. What car is easy to enter and exit.
I have a Nissan cube that we bought because the wife loved the looks. Also have a Toyota 4Runner that can do most things truck-like when trailer is added. Guess which one gets all the miles. I’ve put about 20k on the Toyota over the past four years and we have 129k on the 2013 cube. The Toyota seems taller every time I get in and the cube becomes more functional every time I eye the climb.
The soul, cube,and Xbox are high on the geezer list with the soul being the last one standing. Minivans are also very easy. Mileage is important because gas will go back up again. The small cars are good for retirees for the same reason they were for commuters (above). Most of us don’t care for traffic in a land barge.
You can sell an old guy a youngsters car but a youngster won’t buy an old guys car. One thing is for sure, no matter what you or I think it’s a really personal choice. I don’t know what is next for us, maybe a soul or most likely a fit. If they keep running and passing the smog inspections I think we will be driving the same ones for several years. Paid for is another attribute.
I’m pretty sure that wordpress won’t feed me the comments. Hasn’t for a while but this is interesting so will check back for the rest of the thread in a couple days. Thanks for letting me submit my $.02.
Yes entering and exiting a car is very important for most folks. my folks( 69 and 67) have a 2009 Taurus (aka the ford five hundred with more fake chrome and wood) and they prize the ability to get in and out with ease
The guy i bought my 1997 Pontiac trans sport from in June is the 88 year old father in law of the salesman at the dealership I hang out at. He bought a Kia Soul from them. He bought the van new in 1997. The van allows the driver to get in and out quickly and so does the Soul. I drive the van(was to be my winter beater) most of the time now
Seeing this and the cars an Aussie friend of mine and his wife drive makes me so happy I don’t live over there. Too small, too slow, and too ugly. Kia Souls are becoming common old folks cars around here now. I wouldn’t be happy with one of those either, but it would be a huge step up from the car the article is about.
Sheesh. I mean, I don’t want a 25-year old subcompact either, but we do have more cars than just this 121 you know. Don’t let some old subcompacts turn you off of Australia…
Great writeup. Love the 5dr Barina/Corsa-B/Chevy that is on its side.
There are 2 things that in my view that conspire to car’s longevitiy down here:
1) The climate
2) The incredibly high speed limits… which make cars run pretty relaxed
Hehe!
Now, young William, come over ‘ere and let me tell me tell you a thing or two about what Used To Be. No, put that damn phone away.
No, AWAY. That’s it. Good lad.
Y’see, in their day – my day – these bubblebutt Mazdas were the province of you young-uns. Certainly, the odd retiree with a bit of the old va-va voom about her might’ve purchased a bright red one to get to the ballroom dance classes (“Widows Discount Avail”), but elsewise, they were for, and purchased by, youngies. Not oldies.
And of those young, a majority were of the female persuasion. (Fair ironic, considering the intention of the designers of that rear end). The male purchasers were usually considered to be of an, er, alternative persuasion, y’know, the ones who’re now allowed to marry.
What d’you mean, they’re not? I’m sure I voted…Goodness me, how dumb are our politicians, I ask you. Now, stop interrupting me.
And what is more, as a machine, for handling and so on, the local magazines (which you don’t remember), thought highly of them in their day. As it so happens, I drove one quite a bit then, and I’ll be blowed if it wasn’t a very decent car.
But you’re right on one thing, sonny Jim. The retired Aussies who can’t afford the twinset of the Landcruiser and the Jayco, not to mention the attached round Australia trip in them, do indeed buy small cars.
Now it’s late, son, and time for you to get some shut-eye, orrf you go.
Well you are right, it is time for some shut-eye.
It’s funny, since writing this I have spotted a handful more 121s and they have all been driven by younger people. How curious. As I said, my perception was probably clouded by Mr. B. Who most certainly didn’t have any va-va-voom.
I remember the car magazines vividly, however. I just dug up my prized collection, my absolute most cherished items from my childhood: every issue (well, I hope they’re all there!) of Which Car magazine. Used to get every issue as soon as it came out! And I remember the 121 being regarded as one of the more fun-to-drive littlies.
Now off I trot!
LOL. Beautifully put Justy.
I remember in the day, Wheels or Modern Motor comparing the styling to upright Austins or Morrisses of the 50s. So easy to get in and out of, you know.
They had electric blue and emerald green patterned upholstery that literally spelled “ME ME ME”. (Have a look some time); and stylish blue faced instruments. How 90s can you get! The povvo spec one had plain old grey. Boring.
I still see a lot of these around Brisbane. Must be that legendary Mazda reliability.
I reckon a pair of big WRX style driving lights would butch up the front bumper no end. Well, maybe.
Cannot escape the impression this Mazda 121 / Autozam Revue was originally intended to feature more bodystyles beyond the 4-door saloon, like the previous model which spawned the Ford Festiva and included 3/5-door hatchback and 5-door estate variants.
Do quite like the look of it, aside from the fact it is missing 105-130 hp 1.6-1.8 versions of the Mazda B engine to slot above the existing 88 hp 1.5 B engine.
Mazdas sell well down under and an advantage in NZ now is Mazda build the same car for all markets `so your shiny cheap used import does drive the same and has the same safety features as the export model we get new, Kids stealing Demios for ram raiding will be disappointed but plenty of security system free Nissan Tiidas are still out there,
These older 121s have all but vanished they are simply too old and much nicer town runabouts are much more popular and cheaper better more reliable and fitted with every extra you can think of, such is the allure of ex JDM junkers
Part of the appeal of the old-folks’-big-sedan in America, among those in their golden years in the ’80s through early 2010s is that it was “the kind that used to be the only kind”.
I suspect in Australia where small cars have always been in the mainstream market (even if before the VW Beetle most had been of British origin) things would be different.
But yeah, for the most part the originally elderly-owned Grand Marquis and LeSabres’ reputation had pivoted more to being a last-car-turned-first-car inherited or bought cheap by a young person.
In its own way, as cute as the much heralded ’90s cute champion Dodge Neon.