Good morning, Autopians! I hope you all had a good weekend. Today we’re looking at two cars that look nothing alike, but share the same platform. And one of them is the spitting image of a car I used to own and love.
On Friday, we had some silliness involving song lyrics, and it seems it’s official: John McCrea’s dream girl made a mistake. Nothing at all wrong with a LeBaron convertible, at least in my opinion, but to sacrifice an MG to get one seems like a bad move.
Some of you thought that particular MG was a bit overpriced, and it is at the high end, but if it’s mechanically as good as the seller says it is, it’s a fair deal. All MGBs have some rust somewhere; I think they rusted on the trip from Abingdon to the cargo ship, and that one isn’t really bad at all. Sure, you could probably find a nicer-looking rubber-bumper MGB for this price, but this will be a whole lot more fun to drive.
All right, let’s move on. Platform-sharing is a time-honored way for an automaker to provide a variety of cars for lower development costs. Tool up some new sheetmetal for an existing structure, and voila, you have a sports coupe based on your four-door sedan. And if you have another automaker to partner with, your options open way up. Ford and Mazda shared platforms for years, from pickup trucks to economy cars to compact SUVs. Today, we’re looking at a classic Mazda sedan, and the sporty coupe that Ford made from it that almost ruined a legendary name.
1986 Mazda 626 – $3,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Vancouver, WA
Odometer reading: 153,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
I am a huge fan of Mazda’s front-wheel-drive cars. They’re tough, good-handling, and easy to live with. The second-generation 626 (or third-generation Capella, if you prefer) may look like any other Japanese sedan from the same era, but it has a liveliness that some others lack. Mazda didn’t adopt the “Zoom-Zoom” marketing campaign until the year 2000, but the spirit was there well before then. This is a fun car to drive.
The 626 received some upgrades halfway through this generation, including a new dashboard, composite headlights, and – most importantly – a fuel-injected engine. A turbocharged version was available, but this one isn’t so equipped. It is, however, equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, and Mazda’s FWD gearboxes and shifters are, and were, excellent.
This one runs and drives great, and has new brakes and a new radiator. Inside, it almost looks like a new car, and I really like this red-brown color. It works well with the gray exterior, too. I know some of us are starting to sound like a broken record, but I really miss colors when it comes to cars.
I get the feeling that this car isn’t perfect, however; there’s a board behind one rear wheel in one photo. Usually when someone does this, it means the emergency/parking brake is inoperative. It does the trick, but do remember to remove it before you try to back out – and yes, I do speak from experience. Of course, you could just fix the parking brake…
1989 Ford Probe LX – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Mattoon, IL
Odometer reading: 140,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
I did a serious double-take when I saw this car. For the first year or so that I lived in Oregon, I owned one almost exactly like it: same year, same color combination, same trim level. The only difference is that mine had a digital dash. It served me very well, and I put a lot of miles on it, including two trips down to LA and back. I only sold it because I found a cheap Miata and needed the driveway space, and even then I thought twice about it. The guy who bought it from me flew up from Florida and drove it home; it was exactly like the car he had in high school. To know a black-over-red Probe LX manual is to love it, apparently.
The Probe’s main claim to fame, of course, is that it was almost a Mustang. The Fox-body Mustang was supposed to be gradually phased out, and be replaced by this car. When AutoWeek broke the news in April of 1987 of Ford’s plans, the response was immediate and overwhelmingly negative. We all know what happened: The Mustang soldiered on unchanged, and the new car was sold alongside it as the Probe. But having had plenty of seat time in various Fox-body Mustangs, and having put 20,000 miles on a Probe just like this, I can unequivocally say that the Probe was the better car.
This Probe has had only two owners, and has covered only 140,000 miles. It looks like it’s in great shape, and the seller says it runs and drives well. That’s all the information we get, though. I can tell you that mine was rock-solid reliable with quite a few more miles on it than this one, for whatever that’s worth.
It looks great, both inside and out, but it is a rust-belt car, so a careful inspection is a good idea. If it really is as clean as it looks, this could make a great classic for someone. It’s probably a good thing that the Mustang lived on as a rear-wheel-drive muscle car, but show up to a car meet in yet another Fox-body Mustang and nobody bats an eye. Show up in a pristine first-year Probe, and you’ll get their attention.
Like it or not, these are now classic cars. And the great thing about classics of this era is how usable they are; these cars were excellent everyday drivers when they were new, and they still could be. Of course, it would be a shame to subject either of them to road salt, but for summertime cruising they’d be just the ticket. Which one is more your style?
(Image credits: 626 – Craigslist seller; Probe – Facebook Marketplace seller)
There was a Probe with a Testarossa kit locally a few years back. Took me way to long to figure out what it was because the front is pretty anonymous.
So, 626 because I’m a sucker for the boxy 80s look
I had a 1991 Probe, my first new car. Drive it to 189K miles, and foolishly sold it for something with less miles to be more reliable. Should have kept it.
If it was an MX-6, I’d have voted for it but since we have the 626, I’m going with the Probe. My first car was an 89 MX-6 LX and I still dream of that car from time to time.
Driven both of these (albeit long ago). The 626 comes as advertised – zippy, fun car that won’t disappoint – but there’s also not a lot there when it comes to insulation/road noise. The Probe was designed for a domestic crowd. It’s a little heavier than the 626, and probably not as tossable, but it’s also a little easier on the ears inside.
….and pop-up headlights, of course.
Almost voted for the Maztang because I prefer coupes, but I just never really liked their looks, so 626 it is, because if you add 40, it’s a beast.
This was a tough one. I immediately thought Probe but then I saw the fantastic Mazda interior. The 626 almost won BUT, as with anything, I can’t not vote for pop-up headlights.
Probe for me. It was tough to decide but the Probe has a brighter interior so that takes the win for me.
Wife had an ’87 626 so I’ll go with the Mazda for nostalgia.
My brain says 626, but my body says Probe. Err…maybe not the best choice of words.
Lol. That car writes the jokes for us. Cotd nomination!
Wow, one of the first of these I’ve struggled too pick a choice in a long time.
Went for the 626 but frankly either is a great choice
A participant on the Ecomodder.com forum had modded his Probe into an aerodynamically optimized and heavily styled thing he called “The Anal Probe” because why wouldn’t you, and gave it the appearance of a government vehicle investigating UFO encounters.
As I recall he was getting MPGs in the mid-40s, and of course plenty of laughs.
Please tell me he preferred cheap black suits and ties.
The Probe is cool, but it would’ve been cooler if it had the digital dash. So I voted for the 626 for the extra doors.
You know what? The Probe actually was a better car than the Fox body, which was already old 10 years ago at that point, mediocre even by late 70s standards. The Probe actually had real engineering behind it. Here’s how the Mustang’s timeline should’ve been:
64-68 original Mustang
69-86 Euro Capri
87-97 Probe
98-04 Cougar
04+ S550 and up
Intriguing. I think the ’69-’70 Mustangs were still decent, I’d have started the Mustang II in ’71, done it right (better engine choices at the beginning before worse ones were forced on it), and then have the Fox be a shared Mazda platform.
A Probe is better than a Fox body but is it better than an SN95, aka the jellybean?
The SN95 looks cool, but it’s just a Fox body with a different body, so yes, the Probe is better than the SN95 😛
I must see 1000 New Edge stangs for each Contouger. I loved the brutishness of my 99 GT
I prefer the 626. The Probe is overpriced and is a candidate for a bugatti rebody.
If you squint enough that front side pic of the probe looks like a 3rd gen Supra.
I liked both these cars when new. I would take both easily, but given the fact that I no longer need 4 doors, I voted Probe.
Probe is a little pricey, but I can’t say no b/c they’ll never make something like this again. It really does scream sport couple sibling of the then-futuristic Taurus – what a cool moment in time, for this Gen-Xer at least.
Popups, 2-door liftback, and a more or less purely analog driving experience all in a package you could drive all the time.
Plus, while you still occasionally see the second gen in the wild, I can’t remember the last time I saw a first gen one, much less in this good of condition, no hood paint peeling, all its original wheels, etc.
The next Probe will probably be a compact BEV SUV styled to look like a slightly smaller Mach-E.
Honestly if they called it a Probe instead of a Mustang, I’d been happier. Totally would have bought one too. Then got arrested for asking people to ride my battery powered probe.
Gotta go with the coupe with pop-ups.
Oscillating air vents or pop up headlights? Tough choice – I went Probe, but aside from being pricey can’t really go wrong with either.
Usually the tough choice in a Shitbox Showdown is which one I’d be forced to take at gunpoint. I’d happily rock either or both of these. 626 wins by a nose, just because that crisp 80s Japanese sedan styling is so damn appealing.
I’ll take the Probe, partly because it’s not really in “Salt Hell”. Matt-ttoon (yup, that’s how they say it) is waaay south of 80, and as you get farther south in Illinois the salt use drops like a rock. At this location it’s possible to keep a car out of the worst of it.
Late ’80’s whorehouse-red interiors are THE BEST.
It’s almost hard to remember those colors at this point. I also recall dark blue toned as another.
And it frankly wasn’t a C4 Corvette unless it had that lurid red interior. Did they even come in any other color?
Well, the first C4s had wood panels all over the place like a conversion van. I’m glad they stopped that.
Blue interiors were almost universal on Japanese cars back in the day. My kid’s ’92 Camry has the medium blue, mouse-fur interior, and it’s still in great shape mostly.
Car and Driver referred to it as “bordello red” – it’s perfect.
I like cars with colorful interiors, but that Probe is making my eyes bleed. And exterior is kinda blobby and shapeless. The 2nd gen is MUCH better looking.
Voted 626. Nice interior, and that exterior looks sharp!
Very tough choice. Mazda is about 500$ too much and the Probe about 2000$ to much. I guess I will take the 626.
Tucker, I almost sent you that 626 after discovering it on my semi-regular check of PNW Craigslist. It’s a beaut. We’ll take the Mazda-brand Mazda.
The Probe is no slouch either (though it technically shares its platform with the 626 built *after the one in today’s SBSD), and the interior is gorgeous — but we’ll stick with the sedan.
I really like both at these prices, but I think that the Mazda 626 design has aged much better. The Probe never looked sporty, and these days, it looks pretty anonymous.