Mazda6 GT Diesel 2016 Review

Mazda 6 GT Diesel
Road Test

Sales of mid-sized cars may be waning slightly, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to get excited about. All the big names are well-represented with strong cars at the moment, the Volkswagen Passat and Ford Mondeo from Europe finding loads of new customers in 2016.

Although sales of the Subaru Liberty and indeed Mazda 6 are down, there's still plenty of life left in these vehicles. Indeed, a few months ago motoring.com.au tested the Subaru Liberty and came away refreshed and enlightened. It was an agreeable companion and the Mazda 6 is likewise the same – only better in most respects.

It's not quite the technological Swiss-Army knife that the Subaru is, but all-wheel drive notwithstanding it features six airbags, stability control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), cruise control, anti-lock brakes, front and rear parking sensors, a blind-spot monitoring system and head-up display (HUD).

A push-button operated electric park brake is a nice touch too.

The white Mazda 6 GT on test also comes with adaptive front lighting system (AFS) as standard, which work with the LED headlights to illuminate the road around corners. And for the record, the LED headlights are excellent for night driving, providing a consistent, wide and long illumination of the road.

The headlight cornering/turning gizmos? I can take them or leave them. They help a bit, but they're not magical.

The Subaru gets radar cruise control and a few other doodads not found here but where the Mazda lacks a bit of tech it makes up for this with a ripper diesel engine, good interior comfort levels and better driving dynamics.

The cabin is still presentable, even though it hasn't changed dramatically since 2012. Some of the HVAC controls are looking a bit stale but the steering wheel controls, seat, dash design and 7.0-inch colour infotainment screen add visual appeal. The way the soft leather upholstery expands from the seats to cover the door inserts and central arm rest areas – touch points – is good too.

Mazda's infotainment system or MZD Connect is helpful for the most part. It's sensibly set-up, the satellite navigation is tidy and smart enough that I didn't resort to Google Maps on my phone very often.

Bluetooth pairing with an iPhone 6 worked well but when I plugged said paired device in via USB to charge, Bluetooth streaming stopped working. Would it be wrong to write "grrrr" or use an emoticon here?

Another annoying aspect of new-fangled infotainment systems like this is the lack of a radio presets. Yes I still listen to the radio – the footy on the weekend mainly. This stereo has a separate volume control but to get to the radio presets requires a bit of digging.

The HUD is useful, displaying critical info across your line of sight, but it's not as cleanly integrated as some systems. The stereo is a corker, an 11-speaker jobby, and the big boot – all 474 litres – can swallow a lot of stuff.

Proximity doors and boot work well – just touch the buttons and they unlock if you've got the key on your person. It helps streamline the car arrivals and departures in a most pleasing way.

Ergonomics are good for the most part and the leather seats front and rear are comfortable. I can vouch for the driver's seat in particular because back in 2013 I drove from Brisbane to Perth in five days, and only started to get a lower back ache after about 4000km, day five if memory serves.

In terms of the driver experience, the Mazda 6 is still a class-leader.

It's a delight to drive in almost any scenario, from a mundane cruise down the freeway, a busy trek through the hustle-bustle suburbs or a spirited dash through the mountains.

Light steering makes urban driving a breeze; this is engaging and fun to punt around in and the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine has a lusty, muscular feel when you gas it, contributing much to the car's charm.

Hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission that's smooth at slow speeds and responsive when you need to get a hurry on, the Mazda 6 GT diesel has a split personality of sorts. You can't wring its neck and fly around like Danger Mouse or just tickle the throttle and achieve very respectable fuel economy. That said, rev it over about 3000rpm and the engine gets a bit loud and rattly.

Mazda has dialled in a pleasing blend of ride comfort and dynamic handling here. And although it feels a bit bumpier when sat in the back seat (just call shotgun) it's a smooth, quiet cruise for the most part.

For a car that's getting into its grandpa years in car terms, it still looks great – especially in white with dark-silver 19-inch alloy wheels. That said, the latter tend to dwarf the disc brakes which looks a bit funny.

After-sales care is covered by a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which isn't class-leading but it can be extended by one extra year for a cost. Capped-priced servicing lasts for the life of the Mazda 6, with service intervals at 12-months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.

Mazda's decision-makers often talk about getting their bread and butter models right before introducing crazy sports cars and rotary coupes, and the Mazda 6 is a brilliant example. It's essentially four-years old yet is still one of the benchmark cars in its class.

2016 Make Model Type pricing and specifications:
Price: $45,540 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 129kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 141g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Ford Mondeo (from $33,190 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Passat (from $34,990 plus ORCs)
>> Subaru Liberty (from $29,990 plus ORCs)