Mazda6 2010 Review

Name: Mazda6 2010 Review
Brand: Mazda

The second-generation '6' is celebrating its second birthday with a mid-life update, but will a subtle new look, tweaked suspension and improved features be enough to ensure its status as top dog?

Mazda6

Local Launch
Yarra Valley, Australia

What we liked

>> Sporty exterior
>> Improved ride and handling
>> More standard features

Not so much
>> No automatic for diesel models
>> Petrol engine stays the same
>> No MPS halo model

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.0/5.0
Safety: 3.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 2.5/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
-- Second-generation elevation
When the Mazda6 was launched back in 2002, it not only put Mazda back on the map, it helped reinvent the medium car segment. Thanks to its modern design and larger engine size, it did for mid-sized cars what Facebook did for social networking.

The totally new second-generation Mazda6 arrived in Australia in February 2008 bringing with it visual and mechanical updates. Now, two years on, Mazda has introduced a mid-life update for the 6.

On sale from late March 2010 and priced from $27,310 for the entry-level sedan, the refreshed Mazda6 benefits both visually and mechanically, and there's also new things to look at and fiddle with in the cabin.

All models now get the 'sports' body kit with side skirts and deeper front and rear aprons, which help to provide the whole range with a more sporty outlook, and tweaks to the car's suspension and steering improve its manners.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- Lower prices, more features
There are three body styles in the updated Mazda6 range: hatch, sedan and wagon. The entry level Mazda6 Limited sedan kicks off proceedings at $27,310 before government and delivery charges are added.

Pricing on all models has been reduced by between $530 and $935 and standard equipment is par for the course in the medium car segment, with entry level Limited models fitted standard with air conditioning, cruise control, CD stereo with auxiliary input jack for MP3 players, antilock brakes, stability control, front, side and curtain airbags (six in total) and active front head restraints.

The mid-level Mazda6 Classic is available in sedan ($31,750), hatch ($32,750) and wagon ($35,050) body styles and adds things like auto headlights and windscreen wipers, leather steering wheel, dual-zone climate control aircon, a six-disc CD stereo with steering wheel controls, plus trip computer and 17-inch alloy wheels.

As an aside, all models except the Mazda6 Limited can also connect wirelessly to Bluetooth compatible phones and portable audio devices -- a very neat touch. This delivers cordless telephony and music playback via the steering wheel controls or audio system.

Next up in the range is the Mazda6 Touring ($38,120), a new wagon-only model that has the same equipment as the Classic but adds a five-speed auto, leather seats and proximity parking sensors.

The Mazda6 Luxury ($40,905) is a sedan-only model and has the same spec as the Touring but adds a sports front grille, sunroof, xenon headlights, LED brake lights, a 240 Watt premium sound system by BOSE, plus a leather gearknob, steering wheel paddle shifters and an auto-dimming rear vision mirror.

The range-topping model is the Mazda6 Luxury Sports ($41,415), which is offered as a hatch and gets all of the abovementioned features plus a rear spoiler, alloy pedals, active xenon headlights to illuminate round corners, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

All of the above grades are petrol-powered, however there are also two diesel models in the line-up. The Mazda6 Diesel ($36,250) delivers the same equipment levels as the entry-level Limited but is only offered as a wagon, while the up-spec Diesel Sports ($42,815) s offered exclusively as a hatch and gets the same fitout as the Luxury Sports, only without a sunroof.

With metallic paint a no cost option on all models, the only optional extra is a new satellite navigation system ($2800). Located at the top of the centre stack and boasting a seven-inch touch screen it also features a voice control system.

MECHANICAL
-- Making a good car better
There have been minor mechanical changes to the Mazda6 revolving around the chassis, aimed at improving the driving experience. Updates to the front and rear independent suspension systems, said to improve handling stability and ride comfort, are joined by revised electric power assisted steering racks to improve steering feel.

Manual models now get a hill assist function, similar to those offered on luxury Euros (but also Subarus). It uses sensors to measure the hill gradient and then uses the stability control system to gently apply and then release the brakes as the driver engages the clutch.

Power for the updated 2010 model Mazda6 comes predominantly from the company's 2.5-litre four-cylinder powerplants, outputting 125kW at 6000rpm and 226Nm at 4000rpm.

The petrol engine is paired with either a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox and fuel consumption has improved slightly. Mazda claims between 8.3 and 8.9L/100km depending on model.

The engine runs on standard grade 91 RON petrol.

The 2.2-litre MZR-CD turbodiesel engine has been tweaked ever-so-slightly, making use of a more compact turbocharger that spools up more rapidly for improved driveability, better fuel economy (now standing at 5.9L/100km for both hatch and wagon) and acceleration.

Peak power is now 132kW at 3500rpm and 400Nm at 1800rpm. While the power figure is down 4kW, Mazda says that midrange acceleration has been improved.

The oiler is available only with a six-speed manual gearbox and Mazda expects it to account for only five per cent of overall Mazda6 sales. If an auto transmission was offered with the diesel engine, that prediction would be very different...

PACKAGING
-- Par for the course
The Mazda6 is an attractive car, inside and out. The new exterior tweaks give the whole range a more athletic appeal and updated alloy wheels also contribute.

Changes to the interior are largely cosmetic, but interior ergonomics were generally good to begin with, so accessing the car's various controls and features requires precious little effort. The steering wheel controls in particular are intuitive and it's a doddle to adjust the stereo and cruise controls.

The instrument cluster is easily legible thanks to larger fonts, but is not too busy so as to confuse. Those Mazda6 models with trip computers (all but the entry-level Limited) add an extra layer of data, so you can see how much fuel you're using over time or instantly.

Ease of access is good overall, with ingress and egress not providing any issues for the author's six foot frame, and the cabin feels remarkably spacious inside with plenty of shoulder, head and leg room. Rear seat passengers are well looked after, though adults may find leg room lacking over longer journeys.

There's commodious boot space in all models; 510 litres in the hatch and 519 litres in the wagon and sedan models. In all models 60:40 split fold rear seats open up more cargo options. Litreage increases up to 1702 in the hatch and 1751 in the wagon (figures for the sedan were not supplied).

The interior could be criticised for being a bit drab (with a uniformly dark colour scheme and only a few silver accents), but it's a subjective issue: some will like it, others not so much.

SAFETY
-- Star performer
With a five-star safety rating, the Mazda6 has the highest possible safety rating as tested by ANCAP. Front, side, and curtain airbags are standard across all models in the range, as are driving aids such as stability and traction control. The braking system includes all the expected aids: antilock braking, emergency brake assist and distribution.

The hill launch control system for manual models is a safety feature that few will notice but all will benefit from.

Top of the range models Luxury Sports and Diesel Sports get an adaptive front-lighting system (AFS) that can swivel the low and high beams left and right by up to 15 degrees to better illuminate corners at night.

COMPETITORS
-- Top of the table
While the Mazda6 is Australia's best selling imported medium car -- the locally made Toyota Camry being the only midsizer to regularly best it -- the Japanese vehicle faces strong competition in its market segment, even if the sales figures don't agree.

Vehicles like the Ford Mondeo and Honda Accord Euro are very good cars in their own right and provide plenty of interest for informed buyers, but for various reasons neither have recently challenged the popularity of the Mazda6.

ON THE ROAD
-- More fun than videogames
Back in 2002, the first generation Mazda6 launched the 'Zoom-Zoom' catchcry, a slogan which is supposed to translate to a fun-to-drive experience on the road.

After driving the latest cars through not one, but two of Victoria's famous Spurs (Black and Reefton) that wind their way through the south end of the Great Dividing Range, I can report that the Zoom-Zoom ethos is still an integral part of the Mazda6's genetic makeup.

After a gentle cruise from Melbourne airport to the foothills near Healesville, the cars proved to be quieter than the previous version. From here the attending media throng was treated to some of the best roads in Victoria, and the Mazda6 was very much at home being coaxed through corner after corner.

The tweaks made to the suspension, though outwardly minor, seem to give the car slightly better initial turn-in and while the Japanese-built car is not devoid of body roll, once settled into corners it tracks with confidence and a relatively flat attitude.

The seats are also pretty good, with moderate side bolsters keeping bodies from moving around too much under duress.

Exhibiting a neutral feel, with only mild levels of understeer, the Mazda6 was happy to be belted from one corner. The brakes held up with consistent and strong performance.

Though the petrol engine could do with a few extra herbs (especially with the auto gearbox), it's still a willing and eager powerplant.

As a driver's car, the updated Mazda6 is a success. It's rewarding to drive at a sporting clip and better balanced than ever in even quite extreme conditions. At the same token it hasn't lost any of its day-to-day driveability.

Watch Carsales TV's Mazda 6 MY10 update video review here

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi

Mazda6 2010 Review

Tags