The Millenia S is one of those ambitious vehicles that aspires to compete in the luxury class without the benefit of a luxury name, and you gotta respect that...we guess. With its flagship sedan, Mazda operates under the possibly misguided notion that people care more about content than brand cache. We can't help but admire the company's ingenuousness. Of course, our test car came in at $32,885, so let's not give the automaker too much credit. The question remains: If not a luxury nameplate, what exactly does upwards of $30K buy these days?
We last tested the Millenia S in 1999 and, like most of Ben Affleck's movies, found it to be a forgettable experience. For 2001, Mazda made some changes to the script. Number one on the list was freshened exterior styling that included more shapely fenders and bumpers, a new hood and grille and updated headlights and taillights. In addition to the more aggressive exterior design, the Millenia got a 35 percent increase in structural rigidity for better handling and ride quality. Minor changes to the interior include a power lumbar support driver seat, leather-wrapped shift knob and slick red and white Optitron gauges.
The purported 35 percent increase in torsional rigidity proved adequate under normal driving conditions, when Millenia's four-wheel multi-link independent suspension hit a nice balance between taut and absorbent. On twisty canyon roads the Millenia stuck to the road and exhibited minimal body roll, however, undulating pavement produced excessive vertical body motion and rough roads weren't adequately quelled considering that this sedan is intended to compete in the entry-level luxury market. One editor summed it up thusly, "Millenia's suspension manages to ride roughly over pockmarked surfaces and wallow like a Buick over larger bumps and dips." It was almost as if Millenia couldn't decide whether to direct its efforts toward being a luxury or a sport sedan, so it ended up performing competently as neither. Millenia's braking ability, on the other hand, was confidence inspiring. The vehicle always felt to be reined in with authority and alacrity, and stopping from 60 mph was accomplished in a reasonably short 122 feet.
The 2001 Millenia S still has a 2.3-liter supercharged V6 engine that produces 210 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 210 foot-pounds of torque at 3,500 rpm. Mazda says this engine's Miller-cycle design features a Lysholm compressor and delayed intake valve timing to deliver ample power while maintaining the fuel economy of a smaller engine.
An EPA rating of 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the freeway seems to back up Mazda's claim of fuel efficiency, but our editors found power delivery to be somewhat lacking. Zero to 60 came at a leisurely 8.2 seconds, and the quarter mile was covered in 16.3 seconds. While low-end oomph was decidedly lacking, Millenia's V6 supplied sufficient passing power once up to speed. Our test vehicle's automatic transmission (Millenia isn't available with a manual gearbox) likewise behaved sluggishly; whenever we hit the gas for a spurt of speed, there was a disheartening lag as the tranny struggled with the moral dilemma of whether or not to downshift. While neither the insufficient low-end torque nor the tardy transmission were glaring enough to induce a panic attack when attempting to weave through traffic, they certainly detracted from Millenia S' claim to be a sport sedan. Furthermore, the supercharged V6 was whiny, and it sent an annoying vibration up through the steering column during part-throttle acceleration.
Steering in the Millenia, while communicative, was lighter than we'd like, which — while convenient when meandering through parking lots — became a liability in the twisties. Likewise for the sizable on center dead spot. We'd also appreciate a thicker, meatier steering wheel rim — the existing wheel feels cheap and insubstantial. We were pleased, however, at the lack of noticeable torque steer in the front-wheel-drive sedan.
Inside the cleanly styled, conservatively upscale sedan you'll find...more clean and conservative styling cues. Millenia boasts just enough leather and wood trim to qualify in the entry-luxury class, but its blandly colored interior materials don't invoke the loving strokes or warm sentiments as do other near-luxury sedans. The interior is thoughtfully littered with felt-lined storage space — the two-tiered center console holds 10 CDs and is topped with a cushioned armrest, and the front door armrests also house trick storage bins. One of our editors who likes to move her seat fairly close to the steering wheel liked the usable position of the center console/armrest; she often can't take advantage of armrests because they're located too far back.
Several other accoutrements in Millenia captured our fancy, as well. The mini sun-visor that folds down over the rearview mirror was a unique and appreciated touch, and the in-dash six-CD changer (a $500 option) and steering wheel stereo controls just about made our day. Mazda's odd placement of its climate and stereo controls is perplexing, though — the climate controls are set way up near the top of the dashboard, whereas stereo controls are too low in the center stack. We liked the big, easy-to-read buttons on the climate controls and the temperature dial with digital display, but every time we hit the "Auto" button to turn on the air, the fans came on full blast — regardless of what we had set the system on previously — which was irritating.
We found it easy to get comfy in the front seats, which were nicely contoured and had articulating headrests. The driver seat lumbar adjustment button is counter-intuitively located on the front of the center console. Rear seat passengers don't have it so good, with no thigh support and very little foot room. Two cupholders fold down in the rear center armrest (two more reside up front).
Build quality in this Mazda wasn't as good as we would expect for a more than $30,000 vehicle; creaks and rattles were evident in the cabin, and one driver noticed that the door panel groaned under the weight of his arm. Sound deadening also seemed to be lacking in the wheel-wells, as the battery of small rocks and gravel was transmitted right into the cabin.
Ultimately, the $32,885 price tag of our test car was disappointing, especially considering that it lacked such luxury class features as a navigation system, auto-manual transmission, one-touch open sunroof, seat heaters, telescoping steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror and dual-zone climate controls. And so, despite our inclination to "root for the underdog," as one editor put it, we came to the conclusion that the Millenia just doesn't live up to its upscale promise. While performance is adequate and the interior is comfortable, there is nothing especially enthralling or coddling about this Mazda.
We last tested the Millenia S in 1999 and, like most of Ben Affleck's movies, found it to be a forgettable experience. For 2001, Mazda made some changes to the script. Number one on the list was freshened exterior styling that included more shapely fenders and bumpers, a new hood and grille and updated headlights and taillights. In addition to the more aggressive exterior design, the Millenia got a 35 percent increase in structural rigidity for better handling and ride quality. Minor changes to the interior include a power lumbar support driver seat, leather-wrapped shift knob and slick red and white Optitron gauges.
The purported 35 percent increase in torsional rigidity proved adequate under normal driving conditions, when Millenia's four-wheel multi-link independent suspension hit a nice balance between taut and absorbent. On twisty canyon roads the Millenia stuck to the road and exhibited minimal body roll, however, undulating pavement produced excessive vertical body motion and rough roads weren't adequately quelled considering that this sedan is intended to compete in the entry-level luxury market. One editor summed it up thusly, "Millenia's suspension manages to ride roughly over pockmarked surfaces and wallow like a Buick over larger bumps and dips." It was almost as if Millenia couldn't decide whether to direct its efforts toward being a luxury or a sport sedan, so it ended up performing competently as neither. Millenia's braking ability, on the other hand, was confidence inspiring. The vehicle always felt to be reined in with authority and alacrity, and stopping from 60 mph was accomplished in a reasonably short 122 feet.
The 2001 Millenia S still has a 2.3-liter supercharged V6 engine that produces 210 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 210 foot-pounds of torque at 3,500 rpm. Mazda says this engine's Miller-cycle design features a Lysholm compressor and delayed intake valve timing to deliver ample power while maintaining the fuel economy of a smaller engine.
An EPA rating of 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the freeway seems to back up Mazda's claim of fuel efficiency, but our editors found power delivery to be somewhat lacking. Zero to 60 came at a leisurely 8.2 seconds, and the quarter mile was covered in 16.3 seconds. While low-end oomph was decidedly lacking, Millenia's V6 supplied sufficient passing power once up to speed. Our test vehicle's automatic transmission (Millenia isn't available with a manual gearbox) likewise behaved sluggishly; whenever we hit the gas for a spurt of speed, there was a disheartening lag as the tranny struggled with the moral dilemma of whether or not to downshift. While neither the insufficient low-end torque nor the tardy transmission were glaring enough to induce a panic attack when attempting to weave through traffic, they certainly detracted from Millenia S' claim to be a sport sedan. Furthermore, the supercharged V6 was whiny, and it sent an annoying vibration up through the steering column during part-throttle acceleration.
Steering in the Millenia, while communicative, was lighter than we'd like, which — while convenient when meandering through parking lots — became a liability in the twisties. Likewise for the sizable on center dead spot. We'd also appreciate a thicker, meatier steering wheel rim — the existing wheel feels cheap and insubstantial. We were pleased, however, at the lack of noticeable torque steer in the front-wheel-drive sedan.
Inside the cleanly styled, conservatively upscale sedan you'll find...more clean and conservative styling cues. Millenia boasts just enough leather and wood trim to qualify in the entry-luxury class, but its blandly colored interior materials don't invoke the loving strokes or warm sentiments as do other near-luxury sedans. The interior is thoughtfully littered with felt-lined storage space — the two-tiered center console holds 10 CDs and is topped with a cushioned armrest, and the front door armrests also house trick storage bins. One of our editors who likes to move her seat fairly close to the steering wheel liked the usable position of the center console/armrest; she often can't take advantage of armrests because they're located too far back.
Several other accoutrements in Millenia captured our fancy, as well. The mini sun-visor that folds down over the rearview mirror was a unique and appreciated touch, and the in-dash six-CD changer (a $500 option) and steering wheel stereo controls just about made our day. Mazda's odd placement of its climate and stereo controls is perplexing, though — the climate controls are set way up near the top of the dashboard, whereas stereo controls are too low in the center stack. We liked the big, easy-to-read buttons on the climate controls and the temperature dial with digital display, but every time we hit the "Auto" button to turn on the air, the fans came on full blast — regardless of what we had set the system on previously — which was irritating.
We found it easy to get comfy in the front seats, which were nicely contoured and had articulating headrests. The driver seat lumbar adjustment button is counter-intuitively located on the front of the center console. Rear seat passengers don't have it so good, with no thigh support and very little foot room. Two cupholders fold down in the rear center armrest (two more reside up front).
Build quality in this Mazda wasn't as good as we would expect for a more than $30,000 vehicle; creaks and rattles were evident in the cabin, and one driver noticed that the door panel groaned under the weight of his arm. Sound deadening also seemed to be lacking in the wheel-wells, as the battery of small rocks and gravel was transmitted right into the cabin.
Ultimately, the $32,885 price tag of our test car was disappointing, especially considering that it lacked such luxury class features as a navigation system, auto-manual transmission, one-touch open sunroof, seat heaters, telescoping steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror and dual-zone climate controls. And so, despite our inclination to "root for the underdog," as one editor put it, we came to the conclusion that the Millenia just doesn't live up to its upscale promise. While performance is adequate and the interior is comfortable, there is nothing especially enthralling or coddling about this Mazda.
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