The compact cars of Mazda that were traditionally named the Familia, was newly reborn under the name of Axela. The major difference with the previous cars, was that the body width was enlarged from the class-5 body size of Japanese regulations, to a world standard size for this class of cars, at around 68.8 inches. Stepping out of the framework of a Japan-specific body size, they have turned their sight towards a global market.
The body incorporating Mazda's focus on a sporty drive feel comes in a 4 door sedan and a 5 door hatchback. The two have very different designs, the 4 door model being a short deck style sporty sedan, while the 5 door is a sporty mini wagon with expanded utility.
The interior is a black-based sporty design, in Mazda tradition. The tachometer is positioned in the center of the 3 large circular meters, and shares its design concept with the RX-8.
The platform is shared with the Ford Focus and Volvo S40, but the suspension introduces Mazda's character, being the sportiest of the three. The 23S is powered by a 2.3L NA engine, and the torqueful 4 cylinder engine and chassis technology which Mazda is renowned for provides a high level of driving performance. Until the turbocharged Mazdaspeed Axela made its appearance, this model was popular as the highest performance model of the Axela series.