KJ Laser

The rounded, reduced KJ series 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback marked the end of the Australian-built Laser, as well as the 3rd-generation model.

Now built in Japan alongside its Mazda 323 cousin, the two shared no body panels but were powered by the same and 80kW 1.6 (Liata hatch, LXi sedan) and 92kW 1.8L (GLXi, replacing the Ghia tag) twin-cam 4-cylinder engines. A 4-speed auto supplemented the standard 5-speed manual gearbox.

The rare, Australian-designed Lynx three-door “coupe” also appeared at this time, but its polarising design proved unpopular.