More is better when it comes to the drivetrain. Mazda's 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine features twin-cams and 16 valves. It produces 125 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 127 foot-pounds of torque at 3000 rpm. It provides good performance and is rated by the EPA at 26 mpg City, 33 mpg Highway.

For an additional $1,400, however, you can move out of the LX and into the LX-V6. It comes with a smooth and gutsy 2.5-liter V6 that produces 170 horsepower and 163 foot-pounds of torque.

Those numbers may not sound like much compared to the new Accord V6, which delivers a full 200 horsepower, but as we've wisely learned over the years, raw numbers can be misleading. Our informal test suggests an impressive 0-to-60 mph acceleration time of around 7.5 seconds. That's fairly quick and more than enough to keep up with your friends in their Camrys and Accords. What they won't have is the 626's sweet exhaust note, which encourages you to keep your foot to the floor.

The suspension employs MacPherson struts up front and twin-trapezoidal links in the rear, plus big stabilizer bars at both ends. Steering is variable rate power-assisted rack-and-pinion. What you wind up with is the type of package that can absorb the little bumps on the everyday commute route, yet it just might make you wander the back roads looking for some tight corners to challenge.

Completing the performance picture is Mazda's crisp-shifting 5-speed manual transmission. In contrast to most other vehicles in this segment, Mazda makes the stick a standard feature on all 626 models. And with the V6, you'll find that traction control also comes standard. It's a useful compliment to the 626's front-wheel-drive powertrain, especially if you live in wet or snowy climes.

For those who'd prefer an automatic, Mazda has re-tuned its four-speed automatic to make it smoother and to reduce hunting between gears on uneven terrain.