Mazda6 2013 Review

However, underneath its stylish new sedan and wagon exteriors (significantly, there’s no hatch variant this time), there’s a lighter yet stiffer new chassis, significantly more efficient new petrol and diesel engines and a range of new advanced technologies.

The Mazda6 has always stood out from the mainstream midsize crowd for its dynamic capabilities and the new model continues that tradition. Now, however, apart from offering class-leading efficiency, it also delivers more cabin space and a quieter interior.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

The outgoing Mazda6 2.5 Touring sedan manual starts at $31,450, while the hatch version – which won’t be replaced – costs $32,450. The cheapest Mazda6 Touring wagon auto is currently priced from $34.750.

Expect the new model to be even more generously equipped and, although Mazda remains coy about how many variants will be offered with what equipment, in other markets Touring, Sport and Luxury grades will be available. Echoing the CX-5, GT is likely to be a new Mazda6 grade name.

New Mazda6 equipment will include headlight-integrated LEDs, an 11-speaker BOSE surround sound audio system, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 3.5-inch trip computer display in the instrument cluster and a 5.8-inch touch-screen infotainment system.

Eight body colours will be available, including four new colours – led by the Soul Red Metallic hero colour, which will cost extra. So will Blue Reflex Mica, Meteor Grey Mica and Jet Black Mica.

MECHANICAL

Expect also an extensive range of fuel-saving and safety technologies. The suite will include idle-stop and Mazda’s ground-breaking new capacitor-based i-ELOOP regenerative braking system as standard on all models. This is a combination that reduces fuel consumption by 10 per cent and will see the Mazda6 diesel deliver class-leading and Toyota Prius hybrid-matching fuel consumption in Europe -- just 3.9L/100km, along with CO2 emissions of only 104g/km.

Be aware that figure applies to a low-output diesel engine matched with a manual transmission – a combination that won’t be available in Australia. Here also fuel consumption figures are calculated based on the heaviest variant – not the lightest, as in Europe.

Australia’s most fuel-efficient Mazda6 will be the diesel automatic, which in Europe consumes 4.8L/100km as a sedan and 4.9L/100km as a wagon. Mazda is yet to reveal the new model’s fuel consumption figures in Australia, but given the significantly heavier CX-5 consumes 5.7L/100km with the same SKYACTIV-D powertrain, expect the 1420kg Mazda6 diesel auto sedan (wagon: 1430kg) to consume around 5.0L/100km – less than the Camry Hybrid (5.2L/100km).

Australia’s Mazda6 diesel will produce 129kW at 4500rpm and 420Nm at 2000rpm, while the SKYACTIV-G 2.5-litre direct-injection petrol engine will develop 138kW and 250Nm. That’s 10 per cent more power and 11 per cent more torque than the outgoing Mazda6 2.5 petrol, but slightly less than Europe’s 141kW at 5700rpm and 256Nm at 3250rpm (due to our lower-octane 91 RON standard unleaded).

The 60kg-lighter petrol model’s fuel consumption will also be slightly higher than in Europe (6.3L/100km for the sedan, 6.4L/100km for the wagon), but 0-100km/h acceleration and top speed will be similar at a respective 7.8 seconds and 223km/h for the sedan (wagon: 7.9 seconds, 220km/h).

The Mazda6 diesel sedan, meantime, will hit 100km/h in 8.4 seconds on its way to a 216km/h top speed (wagon: 8.6 seconds, 215km/h).

The Mazda6 is based on the same new SKYACTIV platform as the CX-5 and comes with an electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering system, with a quicker 15.2:1 steering ratio than the CX-5 (15.7:1).

Suspension is via MacPherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear. Braking comprises 297mm ventilated front discs and 278mm solid rears and standard wheel size is 17-inch with 225/55 tyres (19-inch alloys with 225/45 tyres will be optional).

PACKAGING

Mazda says the result is class-leading body length for the sedan and class-leading rear leg/knee room. The latter is certainly generous -- even in the shorter wagon -- and while the wagon offers more rear headroom, both body styles deliver plenty of head space for rear passengers (even in the raised centre position).

The sedan’s aerodynamic drag coefficient is a class-leading 0.26Cd (wagon: 0.28Cd) and its boot capacity is 489 litres (wagon: 522 litres, extending to 1664 litres with the rear seats folded), while the wagon’s load length is about 80mm shorter at 1113mm (1873mm with the rear seats folded).

SAFETY

At least likely to be on the options list in Australia is a host of advanced safety technologies grouped under the banner ‘i-ACTIVSENSE’. The systems include Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC), Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Rear Vehicle Monitoring (RVM), High-Beam Control System (HBC), Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), Smart Brake Support (SBS) and Smart City Brake Support (SCBS).

COMPETITORS

Unlike the sedan-only Camry and Accord Euro, the new 6 will continue to be available as a wagon, as is Subaru’s Liberty and Hyundai’s i40.

However, it will not be available as a hatchback, which currently comprises a dominant 40 per cent of 6 sales, nor with a manual transmission. The latter is less of an issue -- manuals accounts for less than five per cent of the current Mazda6 sales mix.

ON THE ROAD
>> US-style sedan or Euro-chic wagon
No, the new 6 isn’t the revelation the CX-5 was, because the CX-5 was an all-new model with no direct predecessor. The 6 replaces a highly accomplished model now into its third generation.

Instead, Mazda’s flagship model and largest passenger vehicle improves on its predecessor in all key areas. This is largely thanks to its lighter yet stronger new platform that combines with more efficient yet more powerful petrol and diesel engines to deliver improved performance, dynamics and efficiency.

There’s also the issue of style, which the new Mazda6 has in spades – both in sedan and wagon guise. While the latter is aimed primarily at the American market, the shorter yet more commodious wagon is more Euro-centric, offering slightly sharper dynamics thanks to a shorter wheelbase and suspension tune (at the expense of ride quality).

Mazda claims improvements in cabin quietness, but neither model is plush on optional 19-inch wheels, when tyre noise increases appreciably compared to the standard 17-inch alloys on coarse-chip road surfaces.

Steering was the subject of heated debate at the global launch held on tediously straight roads outside Paris, with some scribes saying the new 6 has lost some of the old model’s trademark steering feel and agility.

There’s no doubt Mazda has built more straight-line stability into the new 6’s tiller (which is once again electrically assisted) and perhaps it therefore feels slower to turn in initially, but the 6 still steers with poise and precision, and remains refreshingly free of steering kick or rack rattle.

Moreover, given it’s still among the best-steering mainstream midsize models available we doubt most buyers in this segment will notice or care. No, it doesn’t offer BMW 3 Series levels of response or communication, but we think the 6 steers as well as the best front-drive European midsizers, including the Audi A4.

Perhaps more importantly in this segment, the new 6 makes noticeable strides in refinement and quality.

Some of the pre-production models we drove produced surprising – and varying - levels of wind noise on the driver’s side, but overall the new 6 interior impressed with its classy, Euro-style design, soft-touch dash and door materials and high level of refinement.

There’s also a nice, damped glovebox and grab-handles, a reasonably intuitive centre console controller for the central touch-screen and a BMW 7 Series black panel that displays only the vehicle functions in use.

Top-spec models offer dual-zone climate-control, super-comfy heated leather seats and a cracking BOSE sound system that synthesises an enhanced engine note. Also fitted is a host of high-tech safety gadgets, including lane-departure warning, radar-operated active cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and automatic high-beam Xenon headlights with washers.

A flimsy centre console, which flexes sideways when you press your knee against it, and a too-small colour touch-screen were the only obvious shortcomings we could find – although the bootlid remains hinged by cheap, space-robbing goosenecks, even if they’re concealed inside the cargo hold.

That said, the sedan’s boot is cavernous, offering a surprisingly deep load space even without folding down the 60/40-split rear seats (that can be operated from the rear in both the sedan and wagon, which also gains a clever retracting rear blind attached to the tailgate), and the somewhat high load floor will house a full-size spare wheel in Australia.

Performance of both the new 2.2-litre diesel and 2.5-litre petrol engines is a highlight, even if the oil-burner doesn’t improve much on the outgoing engine’s already-satisfying torque deliver. Simply, the twin-turbo diesel is outstandingly efficient, offers effortless overtaking from any speed and presents a new level of refinement and sophistication.

Matched for the first time with an automatic transmission (a new six-speed with steering wheel gearshift paddles, what’s more) the best-of-both-worlds diesel should now be attractive to a whole new range of customers seeking performance and efficiency.

Keen drivers, however, might still want to opt for the 2.5 petrol. Coming matched exclusively with the new automatic (which also offers a racy throttle blip during downchanges via the paddles) it revs freely to its 6500rpm redline. Top stuff!

Make no mistake, Mazda’s top-shelf sedan is classier and more accomplished than ever. Its newness and standout design should be reasons enough for many to upgrade from the discontinued hatch to the upmarket new sedan. Meantime, the Euro-chic wagon has the credentials to continue to be Australia’s most popular midsize load-lugger.

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