The Mazda6 is Mazda's flagship car and this third generation first appeared in showroom in late 2012. Since then there have been two updates – the latest being in February 2016 and saw the addition of a suite of advanced safety equipment as a standard feature.
Mazda6 buyers have a choice of two engines – there's 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four. Shifting gears on all variants is a six-speed automatic transmission. The range starts at $32,490 for the petrol sedan in Sport specification and tops out at $49,540 for the diesel wagon in the Atenza grade.
We lived with the $38,590 petrol wagon in Touring spec for a week and here are the top three features we like about it.
#1 Fun to drive
Mazda says that building cars that are fun to drive is part of its company ethos, and although the Mazda6 wagon isn't an MX-5 roadster it's enjoyable steer. Fun doesn't always come from power – it can come from feel and the connection you have a with a machine. The driving position which places the hips low, the layout of the cabin, the feel in the steering and smoothness in the transmission all go a long way to making the wagon fun.
#2 Good looks
The Mazda6's current shape has been around since 2012 which in car years is eons ago, but despite this it has stood the test of time well and still looks great. There's the broad long nose, the deep grille, while sleek headlights sweep back to muscular wheelarches and sharp lines.
The wagon body accentuates the Mazda6's flowing lines with coupe-like styling which tapers down to the tailgate.
#3 Great value
Most of us are on a budget and the beauty of buying in this segment is that car maker are vying for your dollar and will go all out to try to win you over with value for money.
The Mazda6 has always represented good value, but the Touring spec is the sweet spot in the range where you're getting maximum kit for your hard earned. The value is even better with the addition the previously optional safety pack now standard.
Drawbacks
It might sound like we can't fault the Mazda6 wagon, but nothing is perfect. There's a small case of form over function with the design of the wagon. Those beautiful coupe lines also means the size of the opening of the rear doors is reduced and this combined with car being quite low can hamper placing children into car seats.
The Touring grade also misses out on proximity unlocking, which may sound like nitpicking but it's hard to go back when you're used to the convenience of leaving your keys in your pocket.
At a glance
Price from: $38,580 plus on-roads
Warranty: 3yr/unlimited km
Capped servicing: $924 for three years
Service interval: 12 months/10,000km
Safety: 5 stars
Engine: 2.5-litre 4-cyl petrol, 138kW/250Nm
Transmission: 6-spd automatic, FWD
Thirst: 6.6L/100km
Dimensions: 4800mm (L), 1840mm (W), 1480mm (H), 2750mm (WB)
Weight: 1492kg
Spare: Space-saver
