Mazda6 RANGE
Its Been Some Time Since
Mazda Had a Class Competitive Offering In The Mid Range Sector, But The Mazda6 Seems To Hit The Spot. Andy Enright Checks It Out...
Think Mazda and you think MX-5. Although the Mazda3 and the RX8 try hard, theyve yet to weasel their way into the collective affections of British buyers in quite the same way as the little roadster has. In fact, if any vehicle is to save the company from the one-trick pony stigma, the Mazda6 could be it. When it arrived this medium range car was taken as a hugely encouraging sign and the more you examine it, the more it seems that the perpetual nearly-men from Hiroshima have rallied back to form.
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Mazdas current lack of brand identity is a problem. We can easily tie down the brand values of
BMW,
Ford,
Citroen or
Volkswagen, but what defines Mazdaness? Faced with the same problem, Ford dispatched some of their finest brains to thoroughly pep up the Japanese company. Mark Fields was installed as the president of the
Mazda Motor Company, briefed with turning the company into a truly global player. The Mazda6 mid range car is key in those plans.
Following a design philosophy laid down by product planning supremo Martin Leach, elements of Ford DNA have inevitably seeped into the Mazda, although seated in the cabin of the Mazda6, this is no bad thing. The neatly sculpted aluminium-look centre console, the big-button stereo and the sharp hooded look of the fascia all resemble Mondeo, but instead of the remainder being a watered down version of Fords class leader, its refreshing to note that Mazda have pitched in with some genuinely pleasant touches of their own. The steering wheel could have cribbed from the standard Passat/Mondeo mould, but instead its a neat three-spoke item. Likewise, the controls on the centre console dont ape the Euro mainstream.
This could only ever be a Japanese car, but akin to the
Nissan Primera, it revels in its origins instead of trying to be something its not.
"It makes you want to just get out there and drive"
The same could be said for the exterior. The tail lights might shout
Lexus to some, but the shape is neat, sleek and ineffably Oriental. Three body shapes are being offered; a four door saloon, a five-door hatchback and an estate version. A twin-turbo all-wheel drive 276bhp MPS sports version of the Mazda6 is also in the offing.
The shape will capture more than a few orders, eschewing the current trend for huge headlights in favour of the sharkiest front end to come out of Japan since the
Mitsubishi Galant. Although in S, TS and TS2 trims, its
smart, the 17-inch wheels offered on the Sport model give the car genuine presence. Its just a shame that they also punch up the severity of the ride so firmly. Five engines are available all four-cylinder units.
Petrol-wise, theres a 1.8-litre that makes 119bhp, a 2.0-litre that generates 140bhp and a 2.3-litre with sequential valve timing thats good for 165bhp.
Corporate users may, however baulk at the emissions showings. There are two common rail diesel engines, putting out 121bhp and 136bhp respectively. Mazda identified three key requirements in the development of the Mazda6, one of which was to exceed the quietness and refinement of the best Japanese midsized vehicles. Youd have to say that of the three petrol powerplants, only the largest could be thus described, doing a passable imitation of a lazy V6.
The other two petrol engines both fall victim to another of Mazdas aims, namely to meet or beat the driving dynamics and performance of the best European midsized vehicles. You see, the Mazda6 is fun to drive. You will feel inclined to occasionally acquaint throttle pedal with carpet, to wind on extravagant licks of steering, to palm the gear selector about the gate with smug deftness. Its that sort of car.
Driven in this manner, the 1.8 and 2.0-litre engines can get a touch raucous, but its a small price to pay. Although the steering could use a little more heft and a meatier wheel, its certainly accurate enough and the chassis feels well up the task of handling all three engines.
Unlike in many sports saloons, the extra weight in the nose of the 2.3-litre car seems to suit the Mazda6 best, the 2.0-litre certainly feeling a touch dartier. Unlike the 2.
0-litre powerplant, however, the larger engine is something of a gin-sling, preferring to surf languidly along on a rising swell of torque. Equipment levels are strong across the range, the entry-level S specification being fitted with twin front, side, and front and rear roof airbags, should anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution prove insufficient. Manual air conditioning, electric heated door mirrors, a Thatcham category 1 alarm and an inoffensive set of 16-inch alloys are also included in the price which starts at an eye-opening £13,900 for 1.8-litre petrol power or £14,600 for the entry-level diesel.
The TS adds, amongst other features, a CD player, a trip computer, climate control, cruise control and a leather-rimmed steering wheel with stereo controls and the range opens at £14,900 in 1.8-litre petrol guise. The awkwardly titled TS2 ups the ante with stability and traction control systems plus emergency brake assist and a powerful BOSE audio system linked to a six-disc CD multichanger. Theres also a sunroof and the option of leather seats and sat-nav.
The Mazda6 Sport is available either with the 2.3-litre petrol engine or the 136bhp diesel and sells from £18,400. Featuring a rear spoiler, Xenon headlights, 17" alloy wheels and metallic paint, it retails at around the same price point as a mid-range 2.0-litre Nissan Primera. The Sport4 estate topping the range at £20,400 offering the security of all wheel drive. It doesnt take too much chin stroking to realise that with a styling, engineering and finance package as good as this, Mazda has a winner on its hands.
The problem is getting others to realise it. Unlike the 626, its a car that can safely be recommended to people who know cars. Its still difficult to see the British public warming to it, but thats certainly no fault of the product development team. Mazdas Zoom-Zoom promotion is meant to rekindle those heady days of speed-obsessed childhood.
Perhaps the Six will rekindle the days when Mazda was a manufacturer of genuine innovation.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Mazda6 range
PRICES: £13,900-£20,400 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 7-13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 176-257g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.3] 0-60mph 8.7s / Max Speed 136mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.3] (combined) 31.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Dual and Side, front and rear roof airbags ABS, EBD
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height {saloon] , 4670/1780/1435mm
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