As Mazda minimizes ties with its partner - Ford Motor Company - they continue to move the brand upscale with designs that both excite and capture the pulse of today’s car buyers. With so many vehicles competing against the likes of Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord and yes, the Chevy Malibu, too, Mazda has finally designed a vehicle which rivals its competitors. (In fact, its curvaceous exterior lines have a sexier look than all of its competitors.) The all-new 6 is now larger and roomier without sacrificing the zoom factor Mazda is known for. Oh, and it has an extremely roomy trunk, too.
At first glance, the sleeker designed 6 with the free flowing lines could possibly be mistaken for a Lexus ES or possibly the more upscale Toyota Camry SEL. However, upon a closer examination, one notices Mazda’s trademark grille. Unfortunately, for such a distinctive design, it was disappointing to see that the “Plain Jane” 17-inch wheel package didn’t compliment the vehicle. To me, the mismatched combination was like wearing a new Easter dress or suit with a pair of well worn shoes. By any fashion expert analysis, this would definitely be considered as a fashion faux pas.
Putting the wheels aside, upon being seated behind the wheel of the 4-cylinder, 170-horsepower 6-speed manual transmission 6, it was hard to believe I was driving a sedan, as opposed to Mazda’s RX-8 sports coupe. In the new 6, I found the independent front and rear suspension to be quite accommodating, while driving on the highways, city streets or curvy back roads outside of Atlanta with ease. Unlike some imports, I didn’t find the ride of the 6 to be too jarring.
Besides the good looks and the great handling, the 6 I reviewed was loaded with a number of goodies, containing every imaginable feature available: three position power driver memory seats; a premium sounding Bose 6-disc CD player/changer located behind the Navigational screen; an adjustable front-seat armrest; a power sunroof; automatic dual temperature controls; a keyless push button engine starter; and xenon headlights (for better nighttime lighting).
Added to that list, my favorite feature was the Blind Spot Monitoring System, which warned me of vehicles in my passing zone (or in my blind spot) before changing lanes. When the turn signal was on, a yellow flashing light remained illuminated in the exterior side mirrors, warning me of vehicles passing by. Furthermore, before changing lanes, an audible beeping sound pre-warned me of vehicles passing me, too. Wow, these two features combined provided additional safety protection helping me to avoid an accident.
Moreover, being that the vehicle I reviewed was a 4-cylinder and not the 6-cylinder automatic, which produces more horsepower while delivering less fuel economy, I was able to rack-up 400 miles on one tank of gas. Had I been driving a 6-cylinder there is no way I could have achieved the aforementioned miles on a tank of gas.
Overall I was extremely impressed with the fun to drive all-new 6. The vehicle is available in about 10 different trim levels, with prices ranging from $20,000 to $31,000. My 6 listed for $29,340. Besides being a little disappointment with the wheel package, Mazda should consider adding an electronic tilt/telescopic steering wheel to the standard equipment list. Furthermore, I found the heated seats warmers were a little too warm for me on low range during extremely cold mornings. (After a few moments, I found myself disengaging the low-range setting.) With the exception of these minor items, I was definitely put the 6 at the top of my shopping list. Like most vehicles these days, expect for dealers to offer great deals on the 6, too.
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