2014 Mazda6

[regfootball]

Checked one out!

Obviously, can't drive it. But here is what I thought about it.

Strong looking, has presence. Sort of predatory in the front. Large car. Very much cabin rear.

Inside, very well done. If you have been in a CX-5, and have seen the pictures of the new interior, then you have a very accurate idea of what it is like. It is like a combination of a BMW interior and an Accord or other similar Japanese car. I would say the interior is better than the new Accord and pretty much all the others, despite some hard plastic that manages to avoid looking cheap. Ergonomics appear to be spot on across the board, especially the memory seat locations, the steering wheel controls, and the media interface knob by the shifter. That is why the screen is not so big. The screen should be bigger to keep up with the Jones' though. Climate controls might be too low for some. All touch points are excellent. Except the seat feels like the padding is thin and inadequate. The shapes of all the seats are very good, even if the padding seems lacking.

There are packaging issues though. The rear bias cabin, while making for a drivers cabin, does short some room in the back. There is seemingly less space in the back then you would think for such a big car. The front seat back if not far enough forward will whack your knees. The big difference between this and say, a Malibu is that the floor pan is perfectly shaped and the seat base is high enough to get your feet as far forward as possible.

The trunk is compromised also. The floor is high and the deck is low. It's somewhat deep, but not as much as you would think. Overall the cargo space seems like it may be limited in what and how much it can hold.

The girth of this car is impressive though. Lots of satisfying cabin width, front and rear.

Side by side the new and old 6 do not seem much different at first glance. So the family resemblence is good. It might take awhile for some to see the new details and the differences between new and old.....is it enough change?

Wish I could drive it! Mazda really needs to advertise this car. It deserves promotion, the market needs this car to stop people from buying so many of the other milquetoast competitors! It will be interesting to see if people decide they can get something more than ordinary as an alternative to the 'mainstream'. This car will answer the questions of whether a) Mazda con convince the public it will survive in numbers and b) that people can fulfill a basic car need and go outside the bland vanilla and still get that....or are we forever stuck with Camry's?

Edited February 11, 2013 by regfootball

[ocnblu]

It looks good in pictures. I'm sure I'll be seeing one soon as I now work at a Hyundai/Mazda dealership.

[caddycruiser]

Awesome car.

I've seen and want to drive. Fit, trim, crisp and aggressive, without excess bulk and a seemingly very strong SkyActive engine. I liked the smaller version in a Mazda 3 I tried before, and assume the same here. Marketing marketing and more marketing, Mazda needs. I never knew a thing about Mazda until working for the Mazda dealer for a short time, and love them. So well done and engineered, they are "special" where competitors are nice but blah.

Want to drive one too, just to see.

[regfootball]

Now I gotta write up my review

[regfootball]

DRIVEN

2014 Mazda6, GT? MSRP 31 and change

HIGHS

Snazzy design inside and out

EPA MPG

Plenty of cabin size

Nice forward view

Interior laid out quite nicely and is upper tier for the class. Nice touch points.

Radio with small screen actually is just fine

Stable and secure on the road

Some steering feel.....

Feel of the vehicle is entirely similar to it's CX5 cousin

Pricing

Powertrain overall seems decently sorted out

Console mounted knob control for screen

Some aura of 'Japanese BMW'

Feels like a grand touring car

LOWS

Tire and road noise is excessive (not by any means the worst offender in the class but enough that you notice it)

Feels a bit light

Not distinctive enough? From the previous gen (hard to notice they are different side by side to the casual observer in the showroom or on the lot).

Power is average at best...needs another engine option. Tranny is a bit pokey.

Seats seem thin and inadequate, and do not seem up to the task of holding up girthy AMURCHANS

trunk's a bit compromised

Not a huge improvement overall over the existing car, really makes you appreciate the existing model

Traditional automatic may actually seem not as responsive as some of it's CVT competition

An excellent car, but it does not really live up to some of the hype

Near the top but not a defacto class leader like some may have suggested

Car actually has the character such that a diesel would really make it a better car

Well, let me just be brief. The new Mazda6 is a pretty good car. It seems to hit just about every market button for introducing a new entry in the midsize segment.

It's got the style, it's got value and Mazda's quality rep. It has powertrain innovations and the promise of some legacy zoom zoom that the brand connotes.

The current Mazda6 has not been a sales godsend. A shame really, because it's a pretty good car. Very good in fact. But it lacks some styling sizzle and gets lost in the competition. And it does not peg the meter on mpg or hp (with a 4).

At first glance, you wouldn't likely be able to tell the 14 apart from a 13 parked next to it. That is both good and bad. Word from the salesperson was that this car stops people and makes their head turn where the last one does not. Perhaps that is credit to the new front end language and the aggressive grille motif.

The drive lives up to the theme established by the styling. Somewhat more interesting than the milquetoast mainstream, yet not niche extreme. The ride is firm not hard. The steering is sharper, but not fast. The seats cradle you a bit more, but are not restrictive. (they are thin and unsupportive for us fatties unfortunately).

Most of the promise of all the hype is delivered upon to an acceptable degree. The interior in leather is quite wonderful, and touch points including the dash top are all well done. Yet there is still enough of interior trim that is done consistent to the current midsize standard. I.e., you will stop short of comparing this car to luxury cars. this is ok.

You're excited because the car is just enough different to feel unique compared to an Accord and Altima. And I would even (without having driven) say this car is a nicer place to be than the seemingly garden variety new 13 Fusion.

The drive is not a breakthough though. It's still a family sedan. Just done nicely. Steering is very good, but not awesome. Powertrain has a pretty good level of refinement, but shifts are sorta slow, the engine is compliant but not eager, the transmission can be slow to execute its shifts. The 13 and previous model I think is actually quieter, and despite it's bland interior layout, maybe feels a little more cushy. In fact, the new 6 reminded me of my old 99 SHO Taurus. A half step above the mainstream, comfortable competence, but with a little residual deficiency that you noticed that kept it within the ranks of the ordinary (even if it purported itself to be on the next level).

Given the nature of the typical midsize sedan buyer these days, I am certain this car will make an impact on many of those who test drive it. Will they ante up?

Where does this car fall in the midsize pecking order? I'll sort of fill that in in a bit. I will say this right now. The size, ride and drive, and powertrain lack of urgency sort of remind me of the current Passat (2.5). It seems weird to suggest, but to some degree these cars feel similar to me.

I do think that the character of this new Mazda6 would actually entirely fit the personality of a diesel extremely well and I can see how it would by many be seen as a better car with one. So with that in mind I cannot wait to see how the M6 diesel turns out. I just don't think the skyactiv gas powertrain makes this car memorable or what it could be. It good, just not really much above average.

This might be the most balanced mid sizer in terms of lacking glaring weaknesses though. I'd like to say any of these midsizers are an A at some point, but like all the others, even this highly touted new Mazda6 is just not there yet. The diesel and some minor tweaking on road noise, seats, and handling and powertrain could very easily get it there.

Despite my comments I would pretty much endorse this car to anyone though. B+

[frogger]

Very nice review. This is a car I'd love to try out.

Have to wonder at low 30's, how a car likethe TSX (probably well discounted at this point) would compare to the loaded 4 banger midsizes. Haven't driven the current gen either.

I think the engine in this car will be a VERY welcome addition to the CX-5.

Edited January 28, 2013 by frogger