Mazda6 Atenza 2021 Review

Mazda will sell you different flavours of the 2021 Mazda6, ranging in price from $34,590 plus on-road costs up to the range-topping ‘cherry on top’ Mazda6 Atenza wagon at $51,390 plus ORCs.

The vehicle on test is trimmed to Atenza level, but is the more affordable sedan at $50,090 plus ORCs.

To that figure was added $495 for the option of Machine Grey metallic paint and $242.82 for floor mats, taking the total up to $50,827 before the on-road costs.

The infotainment system for this variant is built around an 11-speaker audio unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, digital radio (DAB+), Bluetooth, automatic speed-dependent volume, satellite navigation, separate controls on the multifunction steering wheel and voice recognition.

In addition to all that, the Mazda6 Atenza rides on 19-inch alloy wheels and is fitted as standard with dual-zone climate control, electric driver’s seat with two-position memory, keyless entry/start, Nappa leather upholstery, power fold-in mirrors, a sunroof and a trip computer.

The warranty coverage allows unlimited travel for up to five years and includes roadside assistance for the duration. Servicing is recommended after every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs for first.

It’s rare a car selling for $50,000 comes with powerful LED headlights featuring auto high beam assist and ‘active shadowing’. But the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza does indeed offer that type of system as standard, and it’s very impressive.

The system slowly dips or raises the lights so that the driver’s pupils can adjust to the altered light settings – all the while leaving the left side of the road brightly lit without blinding the driver of the other car.

On multi-lane arterials and freeways, it also dips the lights on the left if you’re overtaking a car on its right. This is sophisticated technology and gets two thumbs up from us.

There’s no shortage of safety equipment in the Mazda6, making it a good buy for safety-conscious types. It starts with front airbags for the driver and front passenger, airbags to protect the heads of all outboard occupants and additional thorax-protecting side-impact airbags for the two front occupants.  

Driver assist technology to reduce the likelihood of a crash in the first place includes cameras covering the front, rear and side view, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, active cruise control, driver fatigue monitoring, lane keep assist/lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert and tyre pressure monitoring.

The lane keep assist works very well, with a constant cheeping noise nagging the driver to replace his or her hands on the wheel, but the car doesn’t relinquish control of the steering if the driver disobeys or ignores the nagging.

Despite the length of time the Mazda6 has been in the Aussie market in its current incarnation, the mid-size sedan has a five-star safety rating from ANCAP that’s dated as recently as 2018, reflecting the last significant update.

Broken down, the ANCAP rating is based on 95 per cent adult occupant protection, 91 per cent for child safety, 66 per cent for vulnerable road users and 73 per cent for safety assist technology.

By the standards of four-cylinder mid-size passenger sedans, the turbocharged engine under the bonnet of the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza is quite muscular and doesn’t take a lot of prodding to deliver a warm exhaust note and brisk acceleration.

It’s sporty in nature, but it’s also a relaxed unit that doesn’t place any great demands on the transmission for kick-down. There’s plenty of torque for effortless cruising and negotiating hills.

The Sport mode doesn’t seem to do much, although it does drop down a gear for more engine braking, but even in that mode – and using the paddles with the transmission in manual mode – the engine won’t ever reach the redline, at around 6300rpm. It doesn’t really need to, of course, such is the spread and abundance of torque available in the mid-range.

The engine is quite noticeable when the idle-stop system restarts it. It’s not noisy as such, just very forceful. The car wants to lurch forward, even with the brake pedal pressed, suggesting that the engine is already producing substantial torque at idle, and the transmission is calibrated for plenty of ‘creep’ to stop the car rolling backwards on hills.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t replicate some of the outstanding fuel economy figures we’ve seen from the Mazda6 in the past. On a test loop the best the Mazda6 Atenza sedan could do was 9.9L/100km, which is not bad all the same, for a car of this size and performance potential.

At 100km/h, the Mazda6 Atenza cruises along with just below 2000rpm reading on the tachometer. There’s moderate road noise and subtle wind noise at that speed, but practically nothing audible from the powertrain.

Rolling on its 19-inch alloys and Bridgestone Turanza 225/45R19 tyres, the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza is no slouch when it comes to cornering. For roadholding it’s in the same ballpark as rivals from Europe, although the rear-drivers from prestige brands take it up another notch for handling.

With all that, one can’t help wondering what the next generation of Mazda6 will be like, dynamically. You know the one? The upmarket rear-wheel drive model with an all-new inline six?

The current Mazda6 with this wheel and tyre combination turned in slower initially than anticipated, and there’s some push apparent with power applied, but the stability control system is finely calibrated to be less intrusive at speed.

While the Mazda’s ride comfort won’t generally draw complaint from passengers, it can be a little sharp over smaller irregularities in the road surface, and it’s tempting to place the blame on the 45 -series tyres for that, although it’s not likely to be a deal breaker for buyers.

Brake pedal feel is soft under foot, but easily modulated for strong, precise braking. Lift the foot slightly and that will trigger the idle-stop system to restart the engine immediately – for those moments when you want to make a quick getaway from the lights.

That level of fine pedal pressure also allows the brakes to bring the Mazda6 to a soft, gentle halt.

Inside, the Mazda6 Atenza looks at first glance to be quite basic for the flagship model in the range. But then you register the upholstery and other materials, plus the soft-damped stalks on the steering column, for the car’s elegant look and feel.

Why the Atenza may feel spartan initially is because Mazda designers have nailed the design for optimal ergonomic efficiency. There’s very little that’s out of place. The single-point controller manages a lot of functions and everything else is where it should be and easy to read and/or operate.

For a conventional analogue set-up, the instrument cluster is excellent. All the data the driver is likely to need is presented in a legible, highly informative combination display. That’s complemented by the head-up display too.

In some cars, the electrically adjustable lumbar support is almost essential for the sake of comfort. Not so in the Mazda. The driver’s seat is well cushioned and snug, without being tight, but it also provides a high degree of adjustment to suit drivers of all shapes and sizes – and also locks in two configurations with the position memory for different drivers.

Rear seat legroom will meet the needs of adults, but headroom in the back is diminished by the standard sunroof, so taller adults may struggle with that.

There are adjustable rear vents for the kids and amenity is further enhanced with heating for the rear seats. Cup holders inside the centre arm rest of the rear seat and USB ports under a flap inside the arm rest will keep the kids hydrated and entertained on longer journeys.

The very large boot has a space-saver spare underneath the floor, and finger pulls in the boot lower the rear seats for extra luggage space and through-loading, with the rear seats folded flush with the boot floor. They don’t quite lie flat, but they do come close to it.

Although the 2021 Mazda6 appears unchanged from the model that launched here at the end of 2012, it has been fettled over that entire time.

Its G-Vectoring Control (GVC) system has proved its worth, as has the turbocharged engine. And these days you do get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto too.

So the Mazda6 remains relevant today, and the timeless quality of its Kodo design has stood it in very good stead.

Maybe you’re thinking it might be worth waiting a year or so for the new model and its six-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels. Mazda is saying little about that, but does anyone think for a moment that the next Mazda6 – irrespective of how good that car should be – will come close to matching the current front-wheel drive model for value?

How much does the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza cost?
Price: $50,090 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 170kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 178g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)