- Refined 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine
- Comfortable ride
- Four-wheel steering (4WS) aids manoeuvreability
- Engine lacks torque
- Small boot
- Poor rear seat comfort
Overview
Released in July 1991, the Mazda HD 929 was a large, premium sedan. Manufactured in Hiroshima, Japan, the rear-wheel drive Mazda HD 929 was powered by a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine that was mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The HD 929 range consisted of standard and better-equipped SL variants, though the former was discontinued from 1994. As pictured, the HD 929 was sold in Japan as the Mazda Sentia and Efini MS-9.
JE-ZE V6 engine
The 3.0-litre JE-ZE V6 engine had a cast iron block, an alloy cylinder head, double overhead camshafts (per cylinder bank), four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 9.5:1. Furthermore, the four-speed automatic transmission provided selectable Hold, Power and Economy modes.
Dimensions and suspension
The Mazda 929 was 4920 mm long, 1792 mm wide, 1395 mm tall and had a 2850 mm long wheelbase; kerb weight was 1676 kg. The HD 929 had MacPherson strut front suspension and independent, multi-link rear suspension.
Four-wheel steering (4WS)
For Australia, the 929 had four-wheel steering (Mazda’s ‘4WS’) whereby the rear wheels would turn by up to five degrees at the same time as the front wheels. At low speeds (up to 35 km/h), the rear wheels would turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels to reduce the turning radius. At higher speeds, however, the wheels would turn in the same direction to reduce yaw for greater stability. In the event of a fault with the 4WS system, the rear wheels would lock into the straight-ahead position so that the vehicle could be driven normally.
| Variant | Engine | Trans. | Years | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 3.0-litre petrol V6 | 4sp auto | 1991-94 | 140 kW at 6000 rpm | 270 Nm at 3500 rpm |
| SL | 3.0-litre petrol V6 | 4sp auto | 1991-94 | 140 kW at 6000 rpm | 270 Nm at 3500 rpm |
| 1994-96 | 138 kW at 6000 rpm | 270 Nm at 3500 rpm |
Safety equipment
Initially, standard safety equipment for the Mazda 929 did not include airbags or ABS. The SL variants were, however, fitted with ABS.
In January 1994, safety equipment for the 929 SL was extended to include a driver’s airbag.
Features: 929 and 929 SL
Standard features for the Mazda 929 included 15-inch alloy wheels with 205/65 R15 94H Bridgestone tyres, six speaker sound system with a CD player, air conditioning, cruise control, central locking, power windows and mirrors, a height adjustable steering wheel, sunroof and an alarm.
The Mazda 929 SL was further equipped with a twelve speaker sound system, full leather trim, power adjustable front seats, remote central locking and the glass sunroof had in-built solar panels. When the vehicle was parked, these solar panels powered two boot-mounted ventilation fans which could extract hot air from the cabin to keep the vehicle cooler. When not used for cooling, the energy generated was used to keep the battery charged.
January 1994: 929 update
In January 1994, the Mazda 929 underwent a minor update as the standard variants were discontinued. Furthermore, SL variants were fitted with 16-inch alloy wheels with 215/55 R16 91V tyres, the steering wheel featured audio controls and the solar sunroof became a ‘delete option’ that could be omitted for a reduction in the purchase price.
Related links
