2004 Mazda6

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/04/2003 (8394 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For a couple of days, doing the family thing with all the attendant scurrying that comes from trying to pack too much into too little time, I sort of forgot I was test-driving the new Mazda6.

There are two ways to interpret my lapse. The incorrect one supposes Mazda’s new mid-sized sedan — the long-anticipated and much-needed replacement of its tired 626 — offers nothing memorable. The right assumption is the 6 is one of those cars you can jump into and get used to quickly. It is only after I thought about it that I realized I was enjoying a superior driving experience.

Such experiences are not uncommon with Mazda products. Never mind the zoom-zoom marketing hype, the Ford-managed, Japanese automaker has long groomed its cars to exude an athletic and sporty energy. That is what made the last-generation 626 such a disappointment. A competent but mundane four-door sedan, it lacked the necessary attributes to be noticed and it got crushed under the sales steamroller of the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and, lately, the Nissan Altima. Now, taking a cue from Nissan, which made over its ho-hum previous Altima into the award-winning, giant-killer of today, Mazda has transformed its sedan, giving it a new numeric designation, a buff body and a healthy dose of sport.

Several fellow auto writers have proclaimed the Mazda6 as one of the best-handling front-wheel-drive sedans currently available. Absolutes are hard to back up without dynamic testing against a variety of competitors. That said, I did not drive more than a block before I sensed an almost feline grace to the 6. Even with the GT-V6’s middling-performance P215/50R17 rubber, the sedan scrambles around corners, taking a very flat attitude. Mazda adopted a MacPherson strut front suspension with a high-mounted double wishbone and stabilizer bar to give the 6 high-speed stability without compromising low-speed maneuverability. The rear set-up is a multi-link design, also with a stabilizer bar. Best of all, the suspension’s performance does not come at much expense in ride comfort. The 6 feels very much like European products, delivering a firm, tight ride without beating up the car’s occupants.

A good sports sedan requires an engine that delivers an effortless power flow when puttering about town yet is capable of diving deep into the performance well when needed and giving the suspension a workout. Finally, Mazda steps up to the plate. You know the company was not trying that hard before when the 626’s 2.5-litre DOHC V6 made only five more horsepower (165) than what is now achieved by the 6’s new 2.3L, DOHC four-cylinder. As for the available 3.0L V6 now offered in the 6, a 55-hp jump to 220 makes the Mazda competitive with the other players in the mid-sized segment — it does not raise the bar. That said, the V6 appears pretty well matched to the rest of the car. It certainly is as smooth as anything built by Toyota or Honda. My only quibble is the 6’s low-end response. The V6 is a little shy in the torque department (192 pounds-feet at 5,000 rpm), requiring a heavier application of right foot to gas pedal to achieve decent passing acceleration. Once done, though, the car fairly leaps forward, with the ponies coming in a linear, unremitting flow.

I have far less positive feelings for the five-speed manumatic. The automatic portion of the transmission itself is fine — the shifts are all but seamless — but I curse the engineer who thought the notched selector gate (à la Mercedes) would be a neat touch. Instead of a straight forward/backward motion to move through the gears, you have to wiggle the shifter through the notches and it constantly gets hung up. As for the self-shifting mode, the movement is short and sweet, but there is too much lag time in the first-to-second upshift. For those of you with even a few molecules of sportiness coursing through your veins, I strongly suggest the five-speed manual box, saving yourself $1,300.

As quick as the 6 accelerates, its brakes slow it down even better. The GT is fitted with the usual four-wheel-disc affair, complete with ABS and electronic brake-force distribution. The binders have a heroic quality to them, as if they are powerful enough to stop the Earth’s rotation — or at least a 1,500-kilogram Mazda.

Certainly, the 6 is one of the better-looking, mid-sized, $30,000 sedans on the market. Aggressive visual cues, such as the shark-like nose, pronounced fender flares and five-spoke aluminum wheels, plus its short front and rear overhang, help it stand out among the competition rather than blend in. I remain undecided as to whether the $765 GFX package, which includes a front air dam, rear skirt, rear spoiler and chrome exhaust, accentuates or clutters the exterior.

The 6’s interior accommodates five adults comfortably as long as the rear occupants are of average stature — being neither too long of leg or torso. The front-seat environment is skewed toward providing the driver with a sporting, yet upscale, layout. The T-shaped instrument panel bears a family resemblance to both the RX-7 and Miata. The titanium look of the centre stack and the attendant audio and climate controls are suitably high tech. The tester’s black trim and seat upholstery with titanium accents and optitron gauges are also included in the GFX Package. I am not a big fan of the red-back-lit instrumentation, which supposedly provides greater clarity at night. It is a distracting colour, even when dimmed.

With the exception of the heated seats controls, which are located out of sight in the armrest/centre console, most other switches and controls are visible and within reach. There are redundant sound system volume and tuning controls mounted in the steering wheel spokes, as well as cruise control switches.

The 6 is available in two trim levels, GS and GT, both with a choice of the four-cylinder or V6 engines. The V6-powered GS comes in at $28,195 with the five-speed manual; the GT at $31,995. For the full-boat price, the GT adds a Bose AM/FM stereo and six-disc CD changer and sunroof. All models come with air conditioning, power windows, mirrors and door locks and cruise control.

Family holidays should not be a problem for the Mazda6. An expansive trunk with flat floor and 15.2 cubic feet of volume swallows suitcases, golf clubs, picnic hampers and assorted paraphernalia. Folding one or both portions of the 60/40-split rear seat accommodates odd-sized pieces.

Mazda is a Japanese company with American management at its helm, yet its products often have a European feel to them. The 6 is far edgier than the 626 ever was and is also edgier than Honda and Toyota competitors. This might not mean as much to those whose criteria for purchasing wheels begins with safe and ends with reliable; those who want to feel something when they drive can end their search now and enjoy the ride.

2004 Mazda6

Type of vehicle: front-wheel drive, mid-sized sedan

Engine: 3.0L DOHC V6

Power: 220 hp @ 6,300 rpm, 102 lb.-ft. of torque @ 5,000 rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manumatic

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS

Tires: P215/50R17

Base price/as tested: $31,995/$34,060

Fuel economy, L/100 km: 12.4 city, 8.7 hwy.