MM Static-Review: 2014 Mazda6 Grand Touring
01-24-13, 09:15 AM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
MM Static-Review: 2014 Mazda6 Grand Touring
A Static-Review of the 2014 Mazda6 Grand-Touring.
IN A NUTSHELL: A nicely-done mid-size sedan, but with some marketing/design goofs.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger.
(KPH speedometer shown)
OVERVIEW:
I owned and drove Mazda sedans years ago, starting back in the early-mid-80s when I just got sick and tired of the unreliable and poorly-made cars that Detroit was turning out at the time, although the Big Three did sell some fairly reliable re-badged Japanese imports under their own nameplates. My first Mazda, a GLC, was reliable (except for the typical lean-running carburators that many vehicles had back then), once the initial teething problems were solved...even Japanese imports back then sometines had defects in them right on the showroom floor. Although today's new cars aren't always perfect, it makes us appreciate how much progress has been made over the years in quality-control at the factory. back then, Mazda had what was called "Kansai" engineering, which was basically a marketing-term for engineering that made their products feel and drive like poor man's BMWs. And there was at least some truth to that.....Mazda sedans DID feel more like BMWs than most of their Japanese-designed competition.
What was eventually to become the Mazda6 started out, in the early 1980s, as the compact-to-mid-sized Mazda 626, with rear-drive. The next-generation model switched to front-drive and replaced the balky, smog-choked carburators with electronic fuel-injection. It was a good, well-made sedan (though typcally not quite as popular or reliable as the competing Honda Accord or Toyota Camry), and was considered a good alternative deal when Honda and Toyota dealerships were unwilling to bargain and usually took advantage of the huge Accord and Camry demand. A couple more generations of the front-drive 626 followed in the American market, mostly sedans, though a few coupes and 5-door hatchbacks were also sold. One thing I fondly remember about the late-80s and early 90s 626s was the beautiful Exceed Green color they offered, whch was a stunning medium Teal Blue-Green metallic , with a slightly more green tint than blue. That color, sadly, went by the wayside......along with other stunning colors of the period like Subaru's medium Amythist purple, Ford'slight Coral Pinkish-Orange, and the Toyota Tercel/Paseo's Coral Rose Pearl).
Mazda then decided to redesign and reclassify the 626 series as the Mazda6 (just as they had done with the 323/Protege compact sedan to the Mazda3 sedan/hatchback), and, in the American market, also added 5-door hatchback and wagon body-styles...at a time shortly after Toyota and Honda had dropped the Camry wagons. Sure enough, the Mazda 6 wagons and hatchbacks didn't sell in significant numbers, and they were dropped in the American market....but it should be noted that Mazda never offered an AWD wagon to compete with the AWD Subaru Legacy and Outback wagons....had they done so, the story might (?) have been different.....a subject I mention again just below. Mazda DID, however, offer AWD in the turbocharged MazdaSpeed6 version, but then blew it by making it a limited-production car, with only a few thousand of them built each year. It was, essentially, a more mature, less boy-racer-ish Subaru STi/Mitsubishi Evo for adults....but it, too, was dropped. The next-generation Mazda6 was offered only in conventional non-turbo sedan form, and did not sell in particularly good numbers, playing second-fiddle not only to the always-popular Accord and camry, but also to the increasing popularity of the Nissan Altima.
For 2014, the new Mazda6, like some other Mazda products, comes in three trim levels....Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. All come with the same engine...a Skyactiv 2.5L in-line four of 184 HP and 185 ft-lbs. of torque (I looked in vain for a turbo-four or V6 option....there isn't any). Sport and Touring models get a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed Sport-Shift automatic....Grand Touring models get the automatic. Base prices (as of today) are $20,880 on the Sport model, $24,495 for the Touring, and $29,495 for the Grand Touring. Unlike some past American-market generations of the Mazda6, no 5-door hatchback, wagon, or AWD MazdaSpeed versons will be offered at first (though that could change if demand rises). I'd like to see an AWD wagon version for the American market that would compete with Subaru's Outback, but one has never been offered here (a FWD wagon is offered overseas, and was once offered here). Nor will Mazda offer the Skyactiv diesels here in America they they do overseas.......another marketing-goof, IMO (I will be attending the D.C. Auto Show in early February and will try and get some explanations for this from the Mazda reps).
I was on my way home at the time in my Verano, passed by a local Mazda shop, decided to stop and see if they had any free D.C.-show-passes yet (most local dealerships, if they have any, will give out a reasonable number of them right up at the front desk)...the new Mazda6, of course, was one of the things I wanted to see at the show. The tickets hadn't come in yet, but there was a red Grand Touring model parked right out in front of the showroom, all nicely cleaned up and detailed (it hadn't been sold yet). Problem was......it was 20 degrees out in the cold (even in mid-afternoon) and an icy breeze was blowing. Nevertheless, even in the cold, I decided to do a static-review while I was there and had the chance (they didn't mind)...it was one of the first new Mazda6's to reach the D.C,. area. Given the dense stop-and-go traffic in the area at the time, the fact that (by retirement standards) I had had a long day and was tired, and the fact that, in that kind of traffic, I probably couldn't have gotten a good or acccurate sample of the car's true road-manners, I decided to forgo the test-drive for now (they didn't freely offer me one, and I didn't ask). I'll (maybe) do a test-drive later...after I look at some other versions at the D.C. show)
Some things about the car were quite nice.....other things, I wasn't terribly impressed with, and, though I'll wait for a formal test-drive to form a complete opinion of the car, I didn't find the static-review quite as impressive as that of the new Honda Accord (one of the Mazda6's prime-competitors) that I tried-out a few weeks ago. I thought that the new Accord (in the Accord tradition) was more solidly-built inside (and used some better trim-materials). But, outside, the workmanship on both cars was impressive.
MODEL STATIC-REVIEWED: 2014 Mazda6 1 Grand-Touring Sedan
BASE PRICE: $29,445
OPTIONS:
Soul Red Paint: $300
Radar Cruise Control/ Forward Obstruction Warning: $900
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $795
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $31,490
EXTERIOR COLOR: Soul Red
INTERIOR: Black Leather (with red stitching)
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 2.5L DOHC Skyactiv in-line four, 184 HP @ 5700 RPM, Torque 185 Ft-lbs. @ 3250 RPM, 6-speed Sport-shift Skyactiv-Drive (that's what Mazda calls it) automatic-transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 26 City / 38 Highway / 30 Combined (not bad for a non-hybrid/non-diesel car this size)
PLUSSES:
Nice, subdued (IMO) body-styling.
Good underhood layout despite the plastic engine-cover.
Well-done extra-cost Soul red paint job.
Nicely done/nicely-applied exterior trim.
Easy snap/swivel side-mirrors.
Excellent-feeling interior seat leather.
Nicely-done red seat-stitching.
Well-padded rear seat.
Relatively simple, easy-to-use dash buttons/controls.
Relatively nice steering wheel to hold.
Adequate headroom despite low roofline.
Roomy trunk front-to-back (but height is somewhat short).
Relatively good repair record of past versions.
MINUSES:
No engine-options in the American market.
Hatchback/Wagon versions not offered here, either (although sales might be questionable)
Annoying (IMO) zig-zag shift-lever.
Manual hood prop-rod.
Relatively heavy hood to lift.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Almost all-black monotone interior a little too dark for my tastes.
Cheap, unpleasant-feeling sun-visors.
Cheap, somewhat loose-feeling center-dash *****.
Trunk height rather shallow...and could be better-finished.
Temporary spare tire.
Only six exterior colors...and (IMO) some poor choices.
Silly Mazda "Zoom-Zoom" marketing-slogan (but that's not necesarily the car's fault).
EXTERIOR:
The first impression of the new Mazda6, as you walk up to it, is that of a rather subdued mid-sized sedan whose new styling could probably be called evolutionary rather than revolutionary. It is not a great deal different from that of the last-generation model, and can easily be identified as a member of the Mazda family. The new front-end and grille, fortunately, is more-or-less taken from some other recent Mazda SUVs, and avoids that (IMO) silly circus-clown look of the Mazda3 and Miata. The front fenders have a slight RX-8 type bulge to them, which gives them a somewhat aggressive look, but not too pronounced (that's one reason why I said the overall styling was muted enough not to be too overly-macho). One obvious concession to style, though, is the classic low humpback-whale roof line that looks more like a coupe than a sedan (which may have been the designer's goal). Fortunately, the low roofline doesn't impede much on head room like on some others (more on that later). The twin side-mirrors are both mounted on outward-leaning pods away from the body, and swivel/snap/lock almost with the precision found on Hondas. The body sheet metal seemed solid enough (especially the heavy hood), but the doors, conversely, don't close with much of a solid thunk. All of the exterior chrome and trim seemed well-done, sold, and well-attached....I liked the solid chrome bar that ran across the whole width of the trunk-lid. The new exterior paint-color choice, with only six colors, in general, didn't impress me much...but my specific car was done in the extra-cost ($300) Soul Red color, which is a nice Candy-Apple-Red similiar to that of the Lexus Matador Red, Chrysler's Inferno red, and Buick's Crystal Red Metallic (also extra cost at Buick and Chrysler). The White pearl was also nice (a color I've always liked)....but you can have the other shades. The Soul Red paint on my test-car was very well-done, with an almost mirrorlike finish (at least, with the extra-cost, you get what you pay for). Touring and Grand Touring versions come with enormous 19" silver-finsh alloy wheels (which, IMO, are larger than necessary), and shod with 45-series all-season tires (I'm going to predict at least a moderately stiff ride on this puppy, even though I didn't actually sample it). Sport models get more ride-friendly 17" wheels and 55-series tires....that would probably be my choice.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the heavy solid hood, and you must hold up that heavy hood with one hand while fumbling with an ubiquitous manual prop-rod with the other (the bean-counter's gift to those with arthritis and other arm/hand/shoulder problems). under the hood is a nice sound-insulation pad. The actual engine compartment itself is quite well-done, despite the big plastic (Skyactiv) cover on the engine. The transversely-mounted 2.5L four fits in underhood quite well, with significant space around most of the engine block (even the back) to reach components. The engine cover, of course, blocks access to some upper-engine components, but not as badly as with some other covers of this type. The battery is off to the right, slightly reaward, and easily accessable with no cover on it. All of the dipsticks are well-marked and easily accessable, as the filler-caps and fluid-reserviors.
INTERIOR:
It wasn't the worst interior I've seen by any means, but there were several things inside I didn't care for. The sun-visors were hard, cheap-feeling, and unpleasant to hold. The transmission shift-lever had the (IMO) annoying zig-zag pattern instead of the simpler fore/aft motion. The shiny black plastic on the console had cheap look and feel to it. The video dash ***** had a somewhat loose feel/operation to them. My particular car, a Grand-Touring model, had a BMW I-Drive-type controller-**** on the console...those things have never been my cup of tea. The almost all-black monotone interior was too much like the inside of a coal mine for my tastes, and would likely get hot sitting in the sun. There wasn't exactly a ton of legroom in the rear seat when I had the driver's seat adjusted where I would want it. And the shape/location of the front door-pulls was somewhat awkward-feeling.
But other things inside, IMO, were better-designed...and there were a couple of pleasant surprises. The biggest surprise was something I hadn't expected....the humpback-whale roofline didn't cut into head room or impede entry/exit that much. With the seat-cushion adjusted down, there was adequate headroom up front for guys my size, even under the sunroof housing, and adequate headroom (but just barely) in back. The black leather seats had smart-looking and well-done red-stitching, though it didn't do much to break up the funeral-black monotone. The front seat was comfortable and had adequate support, and the rear seats, instead of the usual park-bench-slab padding that is often an insult to passengers, were flat but well-padded, and were reasonably comfortable. The seat leather, IMO, was nice, and felt both supple and durable at the same time. The primary gauges were clear and easy to read; the steering wheel well-shaped and comfortable to hold, and most of the *****/buttons solid-feeling and easy to use, except for the aforementioned video-screen *****. And, for those like me who don't care for all-black interiors, a nice two-tone is available with light-colored seats.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Overall, not very impressive. Open the trunklid, and the cargo-compartment stretches away quite a distance from you to the back of the rear seats, so it is quite roomy fore-and-aft. However, perhaps because of the car's rather low-stance for a sedan, the cargo-room height is rather short, so taller grocery-bags and packages may have a problem fitting in without getting whacked by the trunk-lid when you close it. The trunk itself could also use some nicer materials to finish it, particularly at the Grand Touring model's 30K price. The dark gray fabric liner on the floor and walls is better then bare plastic or metal, but not by a whole lot...it had a somewhat thin cheap feel. The fabric piece that covered the floor was not well-attached.....it slid around like a figure-skater on ice (and presumably would allow cargo to slide around as well). Under the trunk floor was (yep, as usual) a temporary spare-tire/wheel instead of a real one.
ON THE ROAD:
Test-drive pending.
THE VERDICT:
Again, I'll wait for the formal test drive before pronouncing final judgement, but, based on some things in the cabin and some of the car's marketing, it wouldn't necessarily be my first-choice among mid-sized family sedans. And I'm not impressed by the lack of a V6 option....though the ever-tightening government gas-mileage requirements are at least partly to blame for that. Still, it's fairly well-built, is reasonably reliable (at least with past-versions), and may sell with better deals than on the competing Accord, Camry, and Altima.
And, as always, Happy car-shopping.
MM
IN A NUTSHELL: A nicely-done mid-size sedan, but with some marketing/design goofs.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger.
(KPH speedometer shown)
OVERVIEW:
I owned and drove Mazda sedans years ago, starting back in the early-mid-80s when I just got sick and tired of the unreliable and poorly-made cars that Detroit was turning out at the time, although the Big Three did sell some fairly reliable re-badged Japanese imports under their own nameplates. My first Mazda, a GLC, was reliable (except for the typical lean-running carburators that many vehicles had back then), once the initial teething problems were solved...even Japanese imports back then sometines had defects in them right on the showroom floor. Although today's new cars aren't always perfect, it makes us appreciate how much progress has been made over the years in quality-control at the factory. back then, Mazda had what was called "Kansai" engineering, which was basically a marketing-term for engineering that made their products feel and drive like poor man's BMWs. And there was at least some truth to that.....Mazda sedans DID feel more like BMWs than most of their Japanese-designed competition.
What was eventually to become the Mazda6 started out, in the early 1980s, as the compact-to-mid-sized Mazda 626, with rear-drive. The next-generation model switched to front-drive and replaced the balky, smog-choked carburators with electronic fuel-injection. It was a good, well-made sedan (though typcally not quite as popular or reliable as the competing Honda Accord or Toyota Camry), and was considered a good alternative deal when Honda and Toyota dealerships were unwilling to bargain and usually took advantage of the huge Accord and Camry demand. A couple more generations of the front-drive 626 followed in the American market, mostly sedans, though a few coupes and 5-door hatchbacks were also sold. One thing I fondly remember about the late-80s and early 90s 626s was the beautiful Exceed Green color they offered, whch was a stunning medium Teal Blue-Green metallic , with a slightly more green tint than blue. That color, sadly, went by the wayside......along with other stunning colors of the period like Subaru's medium Amythist purple, Ford'slight Coral Pinkish-Orange, and the Toyota Tercel/Paseo's Coral Rose Pearl).
Mazda then decided to redesign and reclassify the 626 series as the Mazda6 (just as they had done with the 323/Protege compact sedan to the Mazda3 sedan/hatchback), and, in the American market, also added 5-door hatchback and wagon body-styles...at a time shortly after Toyota and Honda had dropped the Camry wagons. Sure enough, the Mazda 6 wagons and hatchbacks didn't sell in significant numbers, and they were dropped in the American market....but it should be noted that Mazda never offered an AWD wagon to compete with the AWD Subaru Legacy and Outback wagons....had they done so, the story might (?) have been different.....a subject I mention again just below. Mazda DID, however, offer AWD in the turbocharged MazdaSpeed6 version, but then blew it by making it a limited-production car, with only a few thousand of them built each year. It was, essentially, a more mature, less boy-racer-ish Subaru STi/Mitsubishi Evo for adults....but it, too, was dropped. The next-generation Mazda6 was offered only in conventional non-turbo sedan form, and did not sell in particularly good numbers, playing second-fiddle not only to the always-popular Accord and camry, but also to the increasing popularity of the Nissan Altima.
For 2014, the new Mazda6, like some other Mazda products, comes in three trim levels....Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. All come with the same engine...a Skyactiv 2.5L in-line four of 184 HP and 185 ft-lbs. of torque (I looked in vain for a turbo-four or V6 option....there isn't any). Sport and Touring models get a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed Sport-Shift automatic....Grand Touring models get the automatic. Base prices (as of today) are $20,880 on the Sport model, $24,495 for the Touring, and $29,495 for the Grand Touring. Unlike some past American-market generations of the Mazda6, no 5-door hatchback, wagon, or AWD MazdaSpeed versons will be offered at first (though that could change if demand rises). I'd like to see an AWD wagon version for the American market that would compete with Subaru's Outback, but one has never been offered here (a FWD wagon is offered overseas, and was once offered here). Nor will Mazda offer the Skyactiv diesels here in America they they do overseas.......another marketing-goof, IMO (I will be attending the D.C. Auto Show in early February and will try and get some explanations for this from the Mazda reps).
I was on my way home at the time in my Verano, passed by a local Mazda shop, decided to stop and see if they had any free D.C.-show-passes yet (most local dealerships, if they have any, will give out a reasonable number of them right up at the front desk)...the new Mazda6, of course, was one of the things I wanted to see at the show. The tickets hadn't come in yet, but there was a red Grand Touring model parked right out in front of the showroom, all nicely cleaned up and detailed (it hadn't been sold yet). Problem was......it was 20 degrees out in the cold (even in mid-afternoon) and an icy breeze was blowing. Nevertheless, even in the cold, I decided to do a static-review while I was there and had the chance (they didn't mind)...it was one of the first new Mazda6's to reach the D.C,. area. Given the dense stop-and-go traffic in the area at the time, the fact that (by retirement standards) I had had a long day and was tired, and the fact that, in that kind of traffic, I probably couldn't have gotten a good or acccurate sample of the car's true road-manners, I decided to forgo the test-drive for now (they didn't freely offer me one, and I didn't ask). I'll (maybe) do a test-drive later...after I look at some other versions at the D.C. show)
Some things about the car were quite nice.....other things, I wasn't terribly impressed with, and, though I'll wait for a formal test-drive to form a complete opinion of the car, I didn't find the static-review quite as impressive as that of the new Honda Accord (one of the Mazda6's prime-competitors) that I tried-out a few weeks ago. I thought that the new Accord (in the Accord tradition) was more solidly-built inside (and used some better trim-materials). But, outside, the workmanship on both cars was impressive.
MODEL STATIC-REVIEWED: 2014 Mazda6 1 Grand-Touring Sedan
BASE PRICE: $29,445
OPTIONS:
Soul Red Paint: $300
Radar Cruise Control/ Forward Obstruction Warning: $900
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $795
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $31,490
EXTERIOR COLOR: Soul Red
INTERIOR: Black Leather (with red stitching)
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 2.5L DOHC Skyactiv in-line four, 184 HP @ 5700 RPM, Torque 185 Ft-lbs. @ 3250 RPM, 6-speed Sport-shift Skyactiv-Drive (that's what Mazda calls it) automatic-transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 26 City / 38 Highway / 30 Combined (not bad for a non-hybrid/non-diesel car this size)
PLUSSES:
Nice, subdued (IMO) body-styling.
Good underhood layout despite the plastic engine-cover.
Well-done extra-cost Soul red paint job.
Nicely done/nicely-applied exterior trim.
Easy snap/swivel side-mirrors.
Excellent-feeling interior seat leather.
Nicely-done red seat-stitching.
Well-padded rear seat.
Relatively simple, easy-to-use dash buttons/controls.
Relatively nice steering wheel to hold.
Adequate headroom despite low roofline.
Roomy trunk front-to-back (but height is somewhat short).
Relatively good repair record of past versions.
MINUSES:
No engine-options in the American market.
Hatchback/Wagon versions not offered here, either (although sales might be questionable)
Annoying (IMO) zig-zag shift-lever.
Manual hood prop-rod.
Relatively heavy hood to lift.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Almost all-black monotone interior a little too dark for my tastes.
Cheap, unpleasant-feeling sun-visors.
Cheap, somewhat loose-feeling center-dash *****.
Trunk height rather shallow...and could be better-finished.
Temporary spare tire.
Only six exterior colors...and (IMO) some poor choices.
Silly Mazda "Zoom-Zoom" marketing-slogan (but that's not necesarily the car's fault).
EXTERIOR:
The first impression of the new Mazda6, as you walk up to it, is that of a rather subdued mid-sized sedan whose new styling could probably be called evolutionary rather than revolutionary. It is not a great deal different from that of the last-generation model, and can easily be identified as a member of the Mazda family. The new front-end and grille, fortunately, is more-or-less taken from some other recent Mazda SUVs, and avoids that (IMO) silly circus-clown look of the Mazda3 and Miata. The front fenders have a slight RX-8 type bulge to them, which gives them a somewhat aggressive look, but not too pronounced (that's one reason why I said the overall styling was muted enough not to be too overly-macho). One obvious concession to style, though, is the classic low humpback-whale roof line that looks more like a coupe than a sedan (which may have been the designer's goal). Fortunately, the low roofline doesn't impede much on head room like on some others (more on that later). The twin side-mirrors are both mounted on outward-leaning pods away from the body, and swivel/snap/lock almost with the precision found on Hondas. The body sheet metal seemed solid enough (especially the heavy hood), but the doors, conversely, don't close with much of a solid thunk. All of the exterior chrome and trim seemed well-done, sold, and well-attached....I liked the solid chrome bar that ran across the whole width of the trunk-lid. The new exterior paint-color choice, with only six colors, in general, didn't impress me much...but my specific car was done in the extra-cost ($300) Soul Red color, which is a nice Candy-Apple-Red similiar to that of the Lexus Matador Red, Chrysler's Inferno red, and Buick's Crystal Red Metallic (also extra cost at Buick and Chrysler). The White pearl was also nice (a color I've always liked)....but you can have the other shades. The Soul Red paint on my test-car was very well-done, with an almost mirrorlike finish (at least, with the extra-cost, you get what you pay for). Touring and Grand Touring versions come with enormous 19" silver-finsh alloy wheels (which, IMO, are larger than necessary), and shod with 45-series all-season tires (I'm going to predict at least a moderately stiff ride on this puppy, even though I didn't actually sample it). Sport models get more ride-friendly 17" wheels and 55-series tires....that would probably be my choice.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the heavy solid hood, and you must hold up that heavy hood with one hand while fumbling with an ubiquitous manual prop-rod with the other (the bean-counter's gift to those with arthritis and other arm/hand/shoulder problems). under the hood is a nice sound-insulation pad. The actual engine compartment itself is quite well-done, despite the big plastic (Skyactiv) cover on the engine. The transversely-mounted 2.5L four fits in underhood quite well, with significant space around most of the engine block (even the back) to reach components. The engine cover, of course, blocks access to some upper-engine components, but not as badly as with some other covers of this type. The battery is off to the right, slightly reaward, and easily accessable with no cover on it. All of the dipsticks are well-marked and easily accessable, as the filler-caps and fluid-reserviors.
INTERIOR:
It wasn't the worst interior I've seen by any means, but there were several things inside I didn't care for. The sun-visors were hard, cheap-feeling, and unpleasant to hold. The transmission shift-lever had the (IMO) annoying zig-zag pattern instead of the simpler fore/aft motion. The shiny black plastic on the console had cheap look and feel to it. The video dash ***** had a somewhat loose feel/operation to them. My particular car, a Grand-Touring model, had a BMW I-Drive-type controller-**** on the console...those things have never been my cup of tea. The almost all-black monotone interior was too much like the inside of a coal mine for my tastes, and would likely get hot sitting in the sun. There wasn't exactly a ton of legroom in the rear seat when I had the driver's seat adjusted where I would want it. And the shape/location of the front door-pulls was somewhat awkward-feeling.
But other things inside, IMO, were better-designed...and there were a couple of pleasant surprises. The biggest surprise was something I hadn't expected....the humpback-whale roofline didn't cut into head room or impede entry/exit that much. With the seat-cushion adjusted down, there was adequate headroom up front for guys my size, even under the sunroof housing, and adequate headroom (but just barely) in back. The black leather seats had smart-looking and well-done red-stitching, though it didn't do much to break up the funeral-black monotone. The front seat was comfortable and had adequate support, and the rear seats, instead of the usual park-bench-slab padding that is often an insult to passengers, were flat but well-padded, and were reasonably comfortable. The seat leather, IMO, was nice, and felt both supple and durable at the same time. The primary gauges were clear and easy to read; the steering wheel well-shaped and comfortable to hold, and most of the *****/buttons solid-feeling and easy to use, except for the aforementioned video-screen *****. And, for those like me who don't care for all-black interiors, a nice two-tone is available with light-colored seats.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Overall, not very impressive. Open the trunklid, and the cargo-compartment stretches away quite a distance from you to the back of the rear seats, so it is quite roomy fore-and-aft. However, perhaps because of the car's rather low-stance for a sedan, the cargo-room height is rather short, so taller grocery-bags and packages may have a problem fitting in without getting whacked by the trunk-lid when you close it. The trunk itself could also use some nicer materials to finish it, particularly at the Grand Touring model's 30K price. The dark gray fabric liner on the floor and walls is better then bare plastic or metal, but not by a whole lot...it had a somewhat thin cheap feel. The fabric piece that covered the floor was not well-attached.....it slid around like a figure-skater on ice (and presumably would allow cargo to slide around as well). Under the trunk floor was (yep, as usual) a temporary spare-tire/wheel instead of a real one.
ON THE ROAD:
Test-drive pending.
THE VERDICT:
Again, I'll wait for the formal test drive before pronouncing final judgement, but, based on some things in the cabin and some of the car's marketing, it wouldn't necessarily be my first-choice among mid-sized family sedans. And I'm not impressed by the lack of a V6 option....though the ever-tightening government gas-mileage requirements are at least partly to blame for that. Still, it's fairly well-built, is reasonably reliable (at least with past-versions), and may sell with better deals than on the competing Accord, Camry, and Altima.
And, as always, Happy car-shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-24-13 at 09:18 AM.
01-24-13, 09:42 AM
#2
Lexus Champion
I don't care about a "V6" option per se, but for $32K you need to have some type of 250hp optional engine choice IMO.
It looks like mazda shot their wad on exterior styling -only-, with nothing leftover for powertrains.
It looks like mazda shot their wad on exterior styling -only-, with nothing leftover for powertrains.
01-24-13, 10:00 AM
#4
Speaks French in Russian
Ive seen one out on the road last weekend and this car is incredibly attractive in person. Had I no idea they were already on sale. However, 32k+ with a little 4cylinder is a big NO for me.
01-24-13, 10:05 AM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
I believe there will be engine choices coming, they're just not available yet.
I think during the latest auto show circuits it was brought to light that there will be a diesel engine if I recall.
I think during the latest auto show circuits it was brought to light that there will be a diesel engine if I recall.
01-24-13, 10:20 AM
#6
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Mazda has a diesel-icon on the 2014 Mazda6 web-site, but no info on it (or seemingly no way into it). It seems unclear if it will actually be offered here or not...but it's not currently listed in the specs. There's definitelty no V6, though.
01-24-13, 10:36 AM
#7
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I checked one of these out in a Mazda showroom. This was before they were permitted on test drives. The model displayed was a bare-bones cheap-o model. I felt the interior was mediocre at best, I found the cost cutting to be fairly noticeable, as it is in most Mazdas. The lack of a proper V6 or turbo I4 option made it a non-starter.
I'm confused by Mazda's strategy. On one hand they claim to cater to enthusiasts but at the same time only offer weaksauce engines in their products. I still believe the lack of up-level engine options is a direct result of cutting most of their ties with Ford. Ford supplied their V6 engines in the last few generations. The Ford Duratec V6 only exists in the CX-9 at this point. Perhaps Mazda should find a new manufacturing partner to offer additional engine choices in their vehicles.
I'm confused by Mazda's strategy. On one hand they claim to cater to enthusiasts but at the same time only offer weaksauce engines in their products. I still believe the lack of up-level engine options is a direct result of cutting most of their ties with Ford. Ford supplied their V6 engines in the last few generations. The Ford Duratec V6 only exists in the CX-9 at this point. Perhaps Mazda should find a new manufacturing partner to offer additional engine choices in their vehicles.
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01-24-13, 10:43 AM
#8
Even the engine is 2.5l with DI and very modern 6AT. Very light at 3220lbs. 38 MPG in top spec trim.
It is excellent car, to bad knee jerk reaction is that it sucks.
01-24-13, 10:46 AM
#9
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I'm confused by Mazda's strategy. On one hand they claim to cater to enthusiasts but at the same time only offer weaksauce engines in their products.
I still believe the lack of up-level engine options is a direct result of cutting most of their ties with Ford. Ford supplied their V6 engines in the last few generations.
I still believe the lack of up-level engine options is a direct result of cutting most of their ties with Ford. Ford supplied their V6 engines in the last few generations.
Mazda, though, with most of their products, does cater to enthusiasts in the driving-manners department. You notice it in the chassis......for years, they weren't (and aren't) known as the "Poor Man's BMW" for nothing. As I stated in the review's opening, that was one of the things that first attracted me to Mazdas in the early 1980s....along with better reliability than most of the the junk Detroit was building then.
01-24-13, 11:03 AM
#11
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If that's the case, Mazda has done a very poor job of updating their U.S. market-website...at least as of yesterday when I actually did this write-up. I plan to talk to the Mazda reps at the D.C. show, though, which starts Feb.1.
01-24-13, 12:33 PM
#12
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A Nissan Altima 2.5 weighs 3,108 lbs. A Honda Accord LX weighs 3,192 lbs. A Hyundai Sonata weighs 3,199 lbs. The Mazda6 is not especially light for the class. It's right around the average. I guess the SkyActiv press releases have been working to create this impression of extreme lightness.
01-24-13, 01:36 PM
#13
Lexus Champion
3220 in top trim is light bud. Top trim levels for those other cars are pushing 3400-3500lbs. Of course they'll have the V6 though. Mazda may offer a turbo in the future to compete with those.
01-24-13, 06:02 PM
#14
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In American dollars, it actually starts under 21K, not including the destination/freight.
Radar/adaptive cruise-control is becoming more widespread now on non-luxury models....it is not rare now to find it on cars that are not top-level. Still, even on the top-line Grand Touring model, it's a $900 option that also includes the foward-obstruction warning (which uses some of the same technology).
You may disagree wth this (and you won't be alone), but, IMO, 19" wheels are just an oversized gimmick, that, with low-profile tires, especially on rough roads, just screw up the ride and bounce you around over bumps. No Thanks.
Yes, 38 MPG in the mid-sized sedan class, for a non-diesel/non-hybrid, is a rather impressive figure....I mentioned that in the review.
Well, I certainly wasn't trying to give that impression, especialy a knee-jerk one. Like all the cars I write up, I list what IMO are good points and bad ones, strong points and weak points. I did mention, though, with some honesty, that the 2014 model wouldn't necessarily be my first choice in this class like it might have been back in the late 1980s, but that doesn't mean that I'm panning the car or that it s**ks. Even the no-V6 option can be explained, at least to some extent, by the government's upcoming CAFE rules....though other manufacturers face the same set of rules and yet still offer turbo and/or V6 options.
it is actually great value. 32k includes radar cruise control and all the stuff you can find in much more expensive cars
19" wheels, Line Departure, pre-colission, etc, etc.
Even the engine is 2.5l with DI and very modern 6AT. Very light at 3220lbs. 38 MPG in top spec trim.
It is excellent car, to bad knee jerk reaction is that it sucks.
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-24-13 at 06:21 PM.
