Successor to the Mazda 626, the Mazda6 has been produced by the Japanese marque since 2002 and has since sold over a million units worldwide.
The car was never a looker - not until the second generation made its premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007. Improvements were made to the car but, by then, due to tough competition that was brought about by German manufacturers, Mazda no longer appeared on buyers’ radar.
But all this is about to change. The third and latest generation Mazda6 was first unveiled last year during the Moscow International Motor Show. And it was only in end February when the car was finally launched here in Singapore.
Exterior
In its place, you see a car that can easily pass off as a Continental offering, if it isn't for the Mazda badge. It's one of the best looking Mazdas ever and it won't be a surprise if it's going to drive showroom traffic up because of that.
The bold lines on the long hood, pronounced front wheel arches as well as a forceful face add up to make this 6 a decidedly more attractive and masculine car. To some extent, it's even more elegant than many of its peers in its segment, thanks to LED accents on the sleek eyes.
The car was never a looker - not until the second generation made its premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007. Improvements were made to the car but, by then, due to tough competition that was brought about by German manufacturers, Mazda no longer appeared on buyers’ radar.
But all this is about to change. The third and latest generation Mazda6 was first unveiled last year during the Moscow International Motor Show. And it was only in end February when the car was finally launched here in Singapore.
Exterior
In its place, you see a car that can easily pass off as a Continental offering, if it isn't for the Mazda badge. It's one of the best looking Mazdas ever and it won't be a surprise if it's going to drive showroom traffic up because of that.
The bold lines on the long hood, pronounced front wheel arches as well as a forceful face add up to make this 6 a decidedly more attractive and masculine car. To some extent, it's even more elegant than many of its peers in its segment, thanks to LED accents on the sleek eyes.
Standing at 4,865mm x 1,840mm x 1,450mm (L x W x H), the Mazda6 is even longer than the Lexus GS. This immediately translates to more drama when the car is swallowing distances on the road.
While some may argue that the Mazda6 isn't as stunning as the Takeri Concept car that inspired it, we beg to differ. Considering that concept cars usually lose a lot of their drama and fine lines from the time the car is on the show stand to the time it reaches the showroom, we reckon the Japanese marque did a brilliant job with the 6.
While some may argue that the Mazda6 isn't as stunning as the Takeri Concept car that inspired it, we beg to differ. Considering that concept cars usually lose a lot of their drama and fine lines from the time the car is on the show stand to the time it reaches the showroom, we reckon the Japanese marque did a brilliant job with the 6.
Interior
The styling theme continues inside, with a curvaceous dashboard that has generous applications of soft touch materials. There's also a sense of familiarity to the controls and buttons, even on the multi-functional leather-wrapped steering, resulting in an intuitive feel the moment you step inside.
There is a right amount of leather trim in places like the centre console and door panels that wouldn't look out of place in a German make.
The styling theme continues inside, with a curvaceous dashboard that has generous applications of soft touch materials. There's also a sense of familiarity to the controls and buttons, even on the multi-functional leather-wrapped steering, resulting in an intuitive feel the moment you step inside.
There is a right amount of leather trim in places like the centre console and door panels that wouldn't look out of place in a German make.
The leather seats are snugly supportive and will allow occupants to wear long hauls without feeling the need to pay a visit to the chiropractor. What deserves praise, too, is the cinch of finding the optimal driving position for the driver.
Needless to say, space is not an issue in the 6, thanks to the generous wheelbase of 2,830mm. Legroom is more than adequate, as is headroom, for three adults at the back. There's a similarly impressive boot space of 438 litres, allowing you to load your barang-barang with ease.
Needless to say, space is not an issue in the 6, thanks to the generous wheelbase of 2,830mm. Legroom is more than adequate, as is headroom, for three adults at the back. There's a similarly impressive boot space of 438 litres, allowing you to load your barang-barang with ease.
The Drive
On the go, the 2.5-litre powerplant will not burn rubber from a standstill. Despite weighing much lighter than its peers and having 185bhp and 250Nm of torque sent to the front wheels at the calling of your right foot, the Mazda6 feels slower than its suggested century sprint figure of 8.1 seconds. What it will do, though, is provide good fun round the curvy strips.
The sedan has a sound handling with an enthusiastic response matched well to the six-speed automatic transmission. Grip is always sufficient, giving you the courage to push harder and faster out of tighter corners.
While we would agree that the engine sounds relatively unsophisticated, we can't deny that it's good fun to drive hard. And although we could do with more feedback from the steering, it's rather accurate, making sudden directional changes a walk in a park.
On the go, the 2.5-litre powerplant will not burn rubber from a standstill. Despite weighing much lighter than its peers and having 185bhp and 250Nm of torque sent to the front wheels at the calling of your right foot, the Mazda6 feels slower than its suggested century sprint figure of 8.1 seconds. What it will do, though, is provide good fun round the curvy strips.
The sedan has a sound handling with an enthusiastic response matched well to the six-speed automatic transmission. Grip is always sufficient, giving you the courage to push harder and faster out of tighter corners.
While we would agree that the engine sounds relatively unsophisticated, we can't deny that it's good fun to drive hard. And although we could do with more feedback from the steering, it's rather accurate, making sudden directional changes a walk in a park.
More notably, body roll is well controlled thanks to the stiff set up and praise worthy chassis. The only downside is that while smaller bumps and ruts are nicely soaked, you'll feel jolts from larger road imperfections. The ride comfort of the 6 is firmer, but never harsher, than others in its segment.
Conclusion
The Mazda6 Sedan injects loads of style on the outside and manages to keep things simple on the inside. Perhaps the Japanese carmaker has, indeed, successfully brought the mid-size luxury sedan to a whole new level.
With a pleasant mixture of Continental design, usable space and fun to drive attitude, the 6 should have no qualms holding its own - whether it's in the showroom or on the road. It's a beauty and is fun to drive, making it a rare Japanese keeper.
Conclusion
The Mazda6 Sedan injects loads of style on the outside and manages to keep things simple on the inside. Perhaps the Japanese carmaker has, indeed, successfully brought the mid-size luxury sedan to a whole new level.
With a pleasant mixture of Continental design, usable space and fun to drive attitude, the 6 should have no qualms holding its own - whether it's in the showroom or on the road. It's a beauty and is fun to drive, making it a rare Japanese keeper.
