The Mazda Bongo Van has been in production by Mazda of Japan since 1966. In 1978 the company began to export this vehicle to the United States as the Mazda E-Series and as the Ford Econovan, and the Bongo was the van that eventually replaced the Nissan Vanette in the production and exporting industry.
When the Bongo was introduced to the world in 1966 it included a 782cc water cooled four stroke engine and rear wheel drive. It came in two versions, and the Bongo remained exactly the same over the first ten years of production. They were able to carry one ton of weight thanks to the full chassis and low gearing. These original Bongos, dated between 1968 and 1978, are very hard to find today thanks to poor maintenance and rust issues.
The second generation of the MAZDA BONGO VAN was released in 1978 and it was a mid-engine rear wheel drive version that Ford sold as the Ford Econovan. It was reengineered in 1983 to include new engines and a second version, the Bongo Brawny, was introduced with a longer wheelbase. The Mazda Bongo Van went through numerous other changes, with the final version being released in 1999 when it was taken over by Mitsubishi motors. The name changed to the Mazda Access in certain markets.