Mazda6 Review

ST TROPEZ, France
I fear that I may have done Mazda an injustice. I visited Mazda’s stand at the Frankfurt Car Show in September to get a look at its new Mondeo-threatening “6” saloon, and I declared it derivative and dull.

Given that Mazda of Japan regularly induces positive surprises (think of the gorgeous little MX-5 roadster, the magnificent technological achievement that is the radical, rotary-engined RX-8 sports coupe, and the cute little Mazda2) I marched onto the Mazda stand with high hopes. But the Mazda6, didn’t seem to look all that much different from the worthy current model, and I went away unimpressed.

But now that I’ve seen the new car on the road, and driven it on the highways and byways around St Tropez, I’m feeling rather differently about it. Yes, it certainly looks a lot like the old one, but there are many subtle details that set it apart. Firstly, it’s bigger in every way than the previous one. And there are lots of nifty styling enhancements that add a more sophisticated aura to the car. The bulging wheel arches for instance are borrowed from the RX-8. A crease from the rear to above the front wheels makes the car look solid and muscular, while the front grille treatment gives the 6 a smile, exaggerated by the teardrop front lights which take up the theme.

Quality, precision
Inside the impression is of quality and precision. The dials and switches look and feel premium. Turn on the engine, and it is surprisingly quiet. At close to legal speeds on the highway, the lack of wind noise was eerie. I wonder how it will sound on the third-world roads in Britain though. On the byways the car went exactly where you pointed it, with no perceptible roll. The six-speed manual gearbox on the “SL” 2.5 litre petrol model was accurate and slick. Its smooth four-cylinder 170 bhp motor could easily have been mistaken for a five or six cylinder engine. The 2.0 litre 147 bhp engine was impressive too.

Mazda is adding this “SL” category to the top of the range to bring it closer to the premium level that it craves, now owned by Audi, BMW and Mercedes. The “SL” offers leather, heated front seats, a powerful sound system, bigger wheels, Xenon headlights, privacy glass and rear parking sensors.

No SL automatic
Surprisingly, this doesn’t include an automatic gearbox, an absolute must you would have thought for any chance of premium sales. Also, there was no automatic gearbox offered on the 2.0 litre 140 bhp diesel version, which won’t appear until after the petrol models have been launched.

The Mazda6 starts at £15,100 (€21,100) with the S version which has a 1.8 litre 120 bhp petrol engine, and moves through the TS, TS2, and Sport, to the SL, which starts at £20,680 (€29,000). There are hatchbacks too and an estate car.

Mazda is pleased with itself to have produced a car which is better equipped than the old one, and bigger all round, but still lighter by up to 35 kg-77 lbs for the SL 2.5 litre model. It also points to the car’s improved body slipperiness with a claimed best in class 0.27 CD factor. There are “active” head restraints to improve safety. The CF-Net system makes the audio, air-conditioning and Bluetooth phone system easier to operate.

SUV competition may ease
Mazda admits that this large family saloon sector has been declining, but it hopes that the clamour to cut fuel consumption will lead to a revival against the pretenders from the SUV sector, which have siphoned off sales. SUV’s lack of fuel efficiency could end up being a fatal flaw.

The Mazda6 is more than just a worthy car, with a reputation for rock-solid reliability. It has style and quality which belies its current status as an also-run brand. But when you look at the competition (see below) you can see that the company will have a tough time differentiating itself and emerging from the pack as the car to buy. The Ford Mondeo has transformed itself from a cheap clunker into a formidable rival. The Honda Accord is a fantastic machine.

Hubris
Suitable cases could be made for most of the other competitors. I’d only ditch the Skoda Superb for its silly, hubris-infected name.

Neil Winton – November 25, 2007