Designed to compete against Japanese mid-size stalwarts such as the Honda Accord, Toyota Corona, and Nissan Bluebird, the Capella was succeeded by the Mazda6 (Atenza) in 2002.

The car was named after Capella, the brightest star in the constellation Auriga, the sixth-brightest in the night sky and the third-brightest in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus and Vega.

The American Capella was updated and renamed the next year: the 1972 Mazda 618 had a larger 1.8-litre (1796 cc) VB engine which was only used in the US and not related to the similarly sized "VC" used in the rest of the world.

[5] A bolder front and rear facelift, though similar in appearance, was carried out in September 1980 but this model was not sold in the UK, where the Montrose's styling remained unchanged.

[4] The coupé and sedan were mechanically identical, with front MacPherson struts and a coil sprung solid axle at the back mounted on four links with a transverse Panhard rod providing addition location.

In the United States, the facelift appeared for the 1981 model year and meant more black trim (including the bumpers) and a new grille and headlights.

The Super Deluxe added halogen headlamps, window tint, FM radio, bumper overriders, and electronic safety check panel.

A SOHC non-turbo diesel 2.0-litre RF 66 PS (49 kW) engine was made available; twenty examples were imported officially into Australia from 1983 to 1987.

The diesel also benefitted from ventilated brakes up front and a variable ratio steering rack, to minimize the effects of the (slight) additional weight.

The new 2.0-litre FE engine was up to 83 hp (62 kW) for the North American market, where the car received larger bumpers and sealed-beam headlights as per federal regulations.

The rest of the line got a new front clip with dual (rather than quad) headlights and an entirely new interior, and fuel injection on the base engine meant 93 hp (69 kW).

[28] The GD was not sold in South Africa, although it was assembled in neighbouring Zimbabwe by Willowvale Motor Industries in both sedan and wagon versions.

Some models were available with a new 2.0 diesel RF-CX engine, notable for its use of a pressure wave supercharger (Comprex), that previously could be found in the Mazda Bongo commercial.

Standard equipment included velour upholstery with front bucket seats, Mazda's Twin Trapezoidal Link independent rear suspension, and a fuel injected 2.2-litre SOHC 4-cylinder motor.

The LX trim offered power door locks, mirrors and windows, cruise control, oscillating vents, and an upgraded sound system with a subwoofer among other things.

The Turbo was equipped in similar fashion to the LX, adding an intercooler turbocharger system, adjustable dampening, and 15-inch alloy wheels.

The station wagon version, intended as a true load carrier, was introduced in the northern-hemisphere spring of 1988 on a slightly modified platform (called the GV).

The MX-6 was built in Michigan alongside its platform-mate, the Ford Probe at AutoAlliance International, while North American market 626s were still imported from Japan.

After the introduction of the next generation 626 (a rebadged Mazda Cronos), the station wagon continued to be assembled (alongside its slightly lower priced sister, the Telstar GL).

Built on the GE platform, the hatchback-only MS-6 was launched under the ɛ̃fini brand, as a separate car from the sedan-only Cronos, as Mazda was at the beginning of an ambitious five-brand expansion plan of doubling sales.

Moving in accord with early-1990s zeitgeist, Mazda considered width a key factor in the Cronos' sales failure, and proceeded to create a narrower stopgap model from the CG platform.

These include: raised turn signal side markers vs the A-Spec flush mounted side markers, small fog lights with silver bezels vs the A-Spec full fitting fog lights, different interior cloth patterns, projector headlamps (glass lenses), a 1.8-litre FP engine, and a hatchback model.

Europe also received a diesel-engined version, using the "Comprex" pressure-wave supercharged RF engine seen in the previous generation JDM Capella.

[citation needed] It is widely known to transmission specialists that the CD4E overheats due to a poorly designed valve body and torque converter.

[citation needed] Mazda issued relevant Technical Service Bulletins (0400502, 01598, 003/97K, 006/95) regarding the transmission and torque converter.

In 1994, a passenger side airbag was added, whilst some models of the 1994 and 1995 Mazda 626 2.0L automatics were outfitted with Ford's EEC-IV diagnostic system.

Ford's variants (since 1987 all built in the same Ford-Mazda joint venture Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand (VANZ) factory in Wiri, South Auckland) had minor styling and equipment differences (the top Telstar hatchback had an electric sunroof) and anti-lock brakes were now standard on some models, for which factory engineers had to build a special test rig at the end of the assembly line.

Another factor was that Japan was entering an economic recession due to the effects of the "bubble economy", and all Japanese industries were experiencing a decline in manufactured products.

The Capella was lightly updated in 1999 with a new interior and exterior, cabin air filtration, an available turbo-diesel engine, a new Activematic manually operated automatic transmission, and available EBD and DSC.

"[43] Along with a nearly invisible facelift, front side airbags were new options for 2000, as were larger wheels, four-wheel discs, and rear heat ducts.