In Japan, the Mazda RX 4 was known as the Luce Rotary. Despite different names, though, the Mazda RX 4 and the Luce Rotary was still the very same vehicle from the Mazda Motor Corporation which has its headquarters mainly located in Hiroshima, Japan.

The Mazda RX 4 has had other contemporaries, equals, and peers that also are under the Mazda brand's line up of vehicles. Each of its peers are rotary powered. Contemporaries for the Mazda RX 4 include the Mazda RX 2 and the Mazda RX 3. The former was based actually on the Mazda Capella, as with the latter, it was actually based on the Mazda Familia.

Comparing the Mazda RX 4 with the two vehicles, the Mazda RX4 2 and the Mazda RX 3, the Mazda RX 4 is still larger than both. Despite that, the Luce/929 chassis that the latter holds is the very same one that both of the other two vehicles use. The Luce/929 chassis actually replaced the R130. This replacement was done in October of 1972. Originally, the Mazda RX 4 was made available as a hardtop coupe and also as a sedan. Come the year 1972, this vehicle make was then made available as a station wagon. The station wagon was introduced so as to replace the Savanna Wagon.

When it was first introduced, the Mazda RX 4 held a 120 horsepower 12A engine. However, later on in 1974, this was replaced by the larger 13B engine. This was made for export purposes. This new engine gave the Mazda RX 4 the chance to be environment friendly for it was what Mazda called the "AP" version. "AP" stood for "anti pollution". The vehicle also used a strut type independent suspension in the front part as with a solid axle in the rear. The brake discs were mounted in the front and the drum brakes were installed in the rear. The vehicle held a curb weight that could get as low as 2620 pounds.