At the time of its release, it was the first and only production car in the world to employ a Miller cycle engine,[3][4] a design which Mazda would not use again for six more years until the second generation Mazda2.

The recession caused by the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble led to the cancellation of Amati by October 1992,[9] and by November 1993 it was decided to sell the Millenia as a Mazda instead.

Yaw-sensitive four-wheel steering was available as an option in Japan; Mazda claimed that with this feature, the Millenia was capable of passing the elk test at speeds comparable to the BMW 850i and Nissan 300ZX.

Mazda Motorsport Australia released a limited edition Eunos 800M SP with improved suspension and larger alloy wheel and tire combination, but with no modifications to the engine.

Reception was generally positive, with reviewers praising the vehicle's combination of interior quality, engine performance, and overall value as superior to contemporary competitors like the BMW 3-series, Infiniti i30, Acura TL, Lexus ES300, and Mercedes C280.