The sleeker, larger new Mazda 6 sedan has been redesigned for 2009 to compete better with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, perennial top sellers in the mid-size sedan class.
But the new "6" has lost some of its old "zoom-zoom" personality and is far more of a mainstream model.
2009 Mazda6
Price: $18,550-$28,260
Likes: Sleeker. Larger. Roomier. Very fast with V-6. Solid four-cylinder. Roadability. OK fuel economy. Well-equipped.
Dislikes: Keyless-start button set too low. Firm ride with V-6 and 18-inch tires. Superfluous manual transmission.
The Mazda 6 hatchback sedan and wagon have been dropped, leaving only the redesigned front-drive four-door sedan, which has the size, power and nearly all the quality of its main rivals.
The more sophisticated car looks bolder. It has a much stronger unit body with more high-strength steel and is about 7 inches longer than the 2008 model with a wheelbase stretched about 4 inches for a smoother ride and roomier interior. The old Mazda 6 suffered from being too small.
The interior easily seats five 6-footers. The trunk is huge, and rear seatbacks flip forward for more cargo room, although the pass-through from the trunk is only moderately large. The trunk lid's strut-like hinges won't damage cargo, although the lid has no interior pull-down feature to help close it without getting hands dirty on outside sheet metal. Rear windows lower all the way, but there are no rear-door storage pockets.
The interior is beguiling, with supportive bucket seats, easily read gauges and large climate controls, although the available 18-inch tires are noisy. There's a fair amount of textured plastic, but it doesn't look cheap. The optional $350 remote engine start/stop button is set too low on the dashboard for those with shorter arms. And some might dislike the fact that the optional navigation system's dashboard screen absorbs nearly all audio functions.
Prices range from $18,550 for the i SV manual-transmission sedan to the top-line $28,260 s Grand Touring model with an automatic transmission, which I tested. This model's standard goodies include dual-zone automatic climate controls, leather upholstery and heated front seats.
Models with a four-cylinder engine get an "i" designation, while those with a V-6 have an "s" suffix.
A larger 2.5-liter, 170-horsepower four-cylinder replaces a smaller 156 horsepower "four," and is expected to be the most popular engine. A ferocious 3.7-liter V-6 with 272 horsepower succeeds a smaller 212-horsepower V-6.
Even the i SV is pretty well-equipped, with comfort and convenience items. They include air conditioning, tilt/telescopic wheel with radio controls, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, split-folding rear seat and power mirrors, windows and door locks.
Safety items for all include lots of air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control and an anti-skid system.
In the middle of the Mazda 6 range are the i Sport, which starts at $20,250, and i Touring at $21,705. The base i Grand Touring is $24,910.
Costly options are the $1,760 power sunroof and Bose sound system upgrade for the Touring and Grand Touring, $2,000 navigation system for the Grand Touring and $1,610 convenience package for the Touring.
Estimated fuel economy remains about the same, thanks to improved engine designs and responsive automatic transmissions, which have an easily used manual-shift feature. The four-cylinder provides 20 mpg city and 29 highway with a six-speed manual and 21 and 30 with a five-speed automatic. The V-6 comes with a superior six-speed automatic and delivers 17 and 25. Only regular-grade gasoline is needed.
Top four-cylinder performance is with the slick manual gearbox, but the Mazda 6 is best suited to an automatic because it's mainly a family sedan. Car enthusiasts who like shifting gears can opt for Mazda's sportier models.
Not that the Mazda 6 is boring to drive. It has quick (but slightly heavy) steering, fairly athletic handling (especially with the 18-inch tires) and an easily modulated brake pedal.
The ride is firm but supple, although prominent bumps can be felt at highway speeds with the s Grand Touring's 18-inch tires.
The new Mazda 6 is expressly designed to attract a larger, more affluent American buyer base.
Attracting folks from mid-size cars made by larger Toyota, Honda, Nissan and even Chevrolet thus might be less of a problem than it has been.
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