Mazda6 Atenza wagon 2021 Review

Considering that it’s been around since late 2012, how come the third-generation Mazda6 still manages to look so fresh?

Beginning as a sedan and followed by a wagon variant in May 2013, the Mazda6 is a lesson in styling longevity. There are few, if any, giveaways revealing that its conceptual origins are virtually a decade old.

And the Hiroshima-based company has done little over the years to change the current Mazda6. Other than ongoing upgrades including a turbo engine option and a new interior look in 2015, the mid-size sedan and wagon have been left pretty much untouched.

Then, as now, the Mazda6 has been defined not just by its good looks, but also by its exquisitely-crafted interior.

The cabin ambience brings a sigh of contentment every time you slide into the cosy seats and take in the simple, classic design and the thoughtful attention to small details.

Mazda’s move some time ago to lift cabin quality perceptions across the bulk of its range has certainly paid off here. The Mazda6 could feasibly pass for a Euro luxury brand.

The sad part is that it belongs to the shrinking mid-size segment. It is obliterated for sales by the Toyota Camry and is left trading meaningful blows only with the Czech-built Skoda Octavia.

Take mid-size wagons into account though and it’s a slightly different story. As the Camry is no longer represented in this segment, it’s left to a handful of makes to service the market. The Mazda6 wagon’s real competition is restricted to wagon versions of the Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Passat.

The sensual Peugeot 508 wagon is also in the mix, but is only selling in very small numbers.

At $51,190 plus on-road costs, the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza wagon – there are also Sport, Touring and GT wagons – is one of the most expensive Mazda models available.

Sharing its multi-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels with the Mazda6 GT, the Atenza wagon’s styling is not that far removed from the company’s new generation of vehicles such as the Mazda3 small car and the segment-straddling CX-30 SUV.

Apart from the bulging over the front wheel-arches, the design language, which stems from the KODO theme that first appeared in the Takeri concept at the 2011 Tokyo motor show, is similar.

And the cabin wants for little. In the top-spec Atenza wagon reviewed here, there’s not much left out with heated/cooled seats front and rear – powered on both sides up front, with two-position memory settings for the driver – as well as a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, a head-up display, heated rear-view mirrors, three USB charging points and the now-obligatory Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality.

Nappa leather seat trim is part of the deal in the Atenza-spec Mazda6 too, as are an 11-speaker Bose sound system and sliding glass sunroof.

The 2021 Mazda6 Atenza wagon comes with a swag of standard safety gear, including high- and low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – including low-speed in reverse – as well as pedestrian avoidance, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, driver attention detection and blind spot monitoring.

There’s also radar-based active cruise control – which is reluctant to hold a set speed when not ‘social distancing’ from a car travelling in front – plus non-glare adaptive LED headlights, traffic sign recognition, and front, rear and side cameras providing a 360-degree bird’s eye viewpoint that is available in both reverse and forward gears.

On top of all that, the Atenza is the only Mazda6 to come with high-tech adaptive headlights that selectively control the LED array so that the light output effectively ‘wraps around’ oncoming cars at night to minimise glare.

The six-airbag Mazda6 wagon was awarded the maximum five ANCAP safety stars in 2018.

Like the GT variant, the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza wagon is gifted with the 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine that debuted in the CX-9 SUV and has since found its way into the Mazda CX-5 mid-size SUV as well.

Punching out an eminently useable 170kW at a moderate 5000rpm along with 420Nm of torque at 2000rpm – comfortably above the 140kW/252Nm normally-aspirated 2.5-litre engine – the long-stroke turbo is welcomed by the relatively weighty Atenza wagon (1627kg) and works well with the six-speed auto gearbox.

In mild to medium driving it’s smooth and quiet, only revealing its four-cylinder configuration, mainly aurally, when pushed close to its 6300rpm red line.

The strong torque, and its relatively early arrival, means there’s little sign of delay when the driver asks for some response, either when accelerating off the line or pulling out to pass on the open road.

Rarely necessary, but handy to have all the same, there are paddle shifters on the right and left steering wheel spokes. As well, there’s a Sport mode to provide more eager gear-swapping if you are tempted to explore the Mazda’s dynamics.

Fuel economy isn’t really a strong point. Against the officially quoted figure of 7.6L/100km the best average figure recorded in the review car – and factoring in a mix of freeway and urban driving – was 8.8L/100km.

Competitors such as the 2.0-litre turbo Skoda Octavia (180kW/370Nm) and Volkswagen Passat (140kW/320Nm) are quoted at 6.5L/100km and 6.6L/100km respectively, while the 165kW/300Nm 1.6-litre turbo Peugeot 508 claims 6.3L/100km.

In the Mazda’s favour is that it only asks for 91 RON regular unleaded fuel (or an E10 ethanol mix) where the Peugeot requires 95 RON and the Skoda and Passat 98 RON.

Aside from its tastefully inviting ambience, the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza wagon offers a good deal not just for passengers, who get more than adequate legroom, shoulder-room and headroom on well-shaped and accommodating seats, but also for whatever they might like to carry with them.

The luggage space might tend towards being smaller than its competitors, but nobody is likely to argue with the Mazda wagon’s 506-litre boot capacity, or the fact that it opens up to 1648L with the rear seats folded.

Mazda’s ‘Karakuri’ cargo blind system, which replicates the arrangement used in the original Mazda CX-5, swings up and conveniently out of the way in one smooth motion as the tailgate is opened, then returns to position once it’s shut. A protective mesh screen also feeds out from the back of the rear seat to keep in place stuff being stored in the boot.

About the only surprise is that the Atenza wagon only comes with a manually-operated tailgate.

As for its dynamic on-road abilities, the Mazda6 wagon, with its relatively long 2750mm wheelbase, recalibrated suspension and G-vectoring rear-end all contributing to a sense of balance and security, more aptly qualifies than some other Mazdas for the zoom-zoom tag.

It not only rides with comfort, but also points well via relatively quick steering that goes from lock to lock in 2.8 turns and delivers a reasonably-tight-for-size 11-metre turning circle.

Unsurprisingly, the even longer-wheelbase (2830mm) Mazda6 sedan needs 11.2 metres to complete the same manoeuvre.

An easy wagon to like, the Mazda6 Atenza.

Although mid-size passenger cars – both sedans and wagons – are in a seemingly irreversible sales decline, it’s also a fact that, for sheer practicality, wagons can still compete effectively with similar-size SUVs.

Yes, the seating is limited to five, there’s less ground clearance and the ability to go a little bit off-road is not there.

But traditional wagons such as the Mazda6 do have a tangible, hunkered-down and secure feeling that appeals to those not altogether comfortable with the average high-riding mid-size SUV.

There’s that, plus the fact that the Mazda is one classy wagon that continues to look smart despite its age. As convincingly proved here, well-considered styling restraint usually wins over modish panel-warping extravagances.

As for dynamics, practicality, safety, comfort and quality, the 2021 Mazda6 Atenza wagon needn’t be shy about going head-to-head against many established prestige brands, Euro or Japanese.

And, despite the segment’s waning popularity, the company’s plans for a future rear-drive, inline six-cylinder replacement suggest there’s confidence that the Mazda6 will ultimately establish an even higher status in the mid-size marketplace.

How much does the 2020 Mazda6 Atenza wagon cost?
Price: $51,190 (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)