Mazda 626 or Toyota Camry

So my DH is buying a car for him, so we have a second car to make life easier for both of us.

He has his eye on a 1999 Toyota Camry Csi, 4 cyl, done 208000 or so kms

and

a 1997 Mazda 626, also 4 cyl and has done 166000 or so kms, comes with a complete full service history, one owner (I think).

He's fallen in love with the Mazda a little and I said to him it's his car so his decision to make.

I'm just curious as to whether you would choose one over the other? Which would you say is more reliable?

Pretty sure mum had a 626 before she bought her camry. Her camry would be around a 99 model and it's still going strong, she has it serviced every year and hasn't really had to have anything major done to it, few things replaced over the years but no more than a few $k's at a time.

Her mazda before that was cr@p! Always something wrong with it, she was pretty glad to see it go!

I had a camry before I got the territory. My camry was a 2001 model & I'm pretty sure it was a 6 cyl, Csi conquest? I loved my camry, only changed to a territory because thats what XH wanted. In the property settlement I'm going to try & give him the territory & he can sell it & give me the money to buy a camry again.

I have never had a mazda, only owned 2 cars in my life which was the camry & now territory so I cant give any experience on the mazda but Camrys are great ;) & I LOVE the boot space on the camry... HUGE!

I had a 96 camry. Best car I've ever owned. Never let me down, only reason we got rid of it was because it was a sedan and carrying two dogs and kids around in the back seat wasn't ideal! Beautiful and smooth to drive, fuel efficient (was a 4 cylinder), and an all round great car. Even DH loved it. My grandparents had an older one, I think a 94 or 95 model, same thing, same great report. Good luck with your decision.