Mazda Updates the 6 With A Turbo Engine Option

We're big fans of the Mazda6 here at Cheers & Gears. It offers a breath of fresh air in the midsize sedan class with sharp looks and excellent driving dynamics. One complaint we do have with the 6 is the lack of a more powerful engine. The 2.5L SkyActiv four-cylinder is an okay engine, but we found at times that we wanted a bit more oomph. Mazda seems to agree as they will be dropping the turbocharged 2.5 SkyActive four from the CX-9.

This is part of "a thoroughly re-engineered and refined" 6 that will be debuting later this month at the LA Auto Show. Mazda isn't saying how much power the turbo engine will be on tap for the 6. The engine in the CX-9 produces 227 horsepower (250 hp when running on premium fuel) and 310 pound-feet of torque. We learned last year that the turbo 2.5L could fit into a number of Mazdas, including the 6.

Other changes for the "thoroughly re-engineered and refined" 6 include a new front end similar to the CX-5 (new grille and headlight design), higher-quality materials for the interior, and new active safety features.

Source: Mazda
Press Release is on Page 2

RE-ENGINEERED, REFINED MAZDA6 TO DEBUT AT LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW

November 15, 2017, HIROSHIMA, Japan — Mazda Motor Corporation announced today it will unveil a thoroughly re-engineered and refined Mazda6 sedan (known as Mazda Atenza in Japan) at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The company will hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. (local time) on Nov. 29, the first of two press days. The show is open to the public from Dec. 1-10.

The Mazda6 is the flagship of Mazda’s passenger car lineup. The development team’s goal for this round of updates, the third since the model was fully redesigned in 2012, was to enhance the daily lives of people who love cars, incorporating premium details and new engineering concepts and technologies based on Mazda’s human-centered design philosophy.

The powertrain lineup adopts new technologies, including a cylinder deactivation system for the SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine, to offer superior fuel efficiency and a performance feel crafted to match human sensibilities. In addition, the SKYACTIV-G 2.5T direct-injection turbocharged gasoline engine that debuted in the Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV has been added to the engine lineup in North America and some other markets. Producing torque on par with 4-liter V8, this engine offers an effortless performance feel that is equal parts composure and excitement.

The concept behind the styling improvements is “Mature Elegance,” and the design team worked to raise the quality feel of both the interior and exterior, resulting in a look of greater maturity and composure. A new high-grade interior features Japanese Sen Wood, often used in traditional Japanese instruments and furniture, and other exclusive trim elements for an enhanced premium feel that is authentic to the brand. Overall the design is more distinctive, premium, beautiful and dignified, as befits the flagship of Mazda’s passenger car lineup.

The updated Mazda6 offers a wider range of advanced i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies which help the driver identify potential risks and reduce the likelihood of damage or injury. Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) can now bring the car to a standing stop and take off again when the car in front moves away, and the model also adopts Mazda’s latest 360° View Monitor. In combination with previously introduced safety features, these technologies allow drivers to enjoy superior safety and worry-free driving under an even wider variety of conditions.