2007 Mazda 6 Reviews

Graham Smith reviews the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Mazda6 as a used buy.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the first, second and third generation Mazda 6 as a used buy.

Mazda 6 was launched in Australia in August 2002 and has had sales success since day one. Probably because it was a lot more stylish than the Mazda 626 it replaced.

Ignore the middle child at your peril when it comes to buying the family car.
 The large-car segment is in the doldrums and everyone has skipped to SUVs or small cars, but one area overlooked to the detriment of many car buyers
is the medium segment.
The word is getting out. Last year, medium-car sales grew 15 per cent to just over 87,000 24,000 more than in the large-car segment.
 The numbers went close to overtaking the larger-vehicle segment last year, falling short by just over 2000 units.
The middle-sized segment has shown steady growth in the past decade, finishing 2002 with just under 39,000 vehicles. Camry ruled the roost then too, with the Mazda6 and Subaru Liberty the best of the rest.
 But size matters don't let anyone tell you otherwise and the reps in the medium segment now are well sized for family transport.
Camry has been the dominant force in the medium segment, with plenty of fleet interest in the petrol and hybrid versions, but the most recent incarnations are a long way from the bland brigade that went before.
 The hybrid version carried a more reasonable price tag than the Prius trailblazer and it's more than big enough for family duties.
Toyota's Camry Hybrid is 110mm longer, 98mm wider, 107mm longer in wheelbase and 109mm taller than the original VB Commodore, although the VB weighed in at 1220kg 400kg lighter than the petrol-electric Camry Hybrid, but batteries, airbags and other equipment quickly add to the number on the weighbridge.
As Toyota was slowly bringing its Camry out of a narcoleptic haze, Honda and Mazda were well on the way to applying defibrillators.
The 6 and Accord Euro both offered willing powerplants, decent chassis balance, acceptable ride quality and an enthusiastic edge to the car's demeanour when required.
 Mazda kicked off the 21st century with a change to the 6 and has not looked back since.In August 2002 it arrived in Australia, bringing a pulse back to the segment.
The Accord Euro lobbed on Australian showrooms the following year, leaner and more nimble than the larger V6 Accord, giving open-minded buyers some real food for thought.
(Search for hundreds more choices)2011 Mazda6 Luxury Sports hatch
Engine: 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Thirst: 8.8L/100km
 CARSGUIDE SAYS 
"The car that marked the beginning of the Zoom Zoom Mazda renaissance shed the cardigan image with a great handling chassis and looks that didn't start a snoozefest. With the new model now on sale sans hatchback, this is the only way to get a 6 with the liftback boot. Features include dual airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control, rain sensing wipers, parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, satnav and leather trim."  2007 Honda Accord Euro Luxury
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Thirst: 9.4L/100km
CARSGUIDE SAYS
"Another Japanese mid-sizer with road manners to amuse the driver. With sharp looks, a reasonable list of safety features and bells and whistles, the Accord Euro found favour and awards in the medium segment. The Euro cosseted a family with its dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, dual front, side and curtain airbags and leather trim."2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid sedan
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid
Transmission: CVT
Thirst: 6L/100km
 CARSGUIDE SAYS
 "Better value than the Prius trailblazer, the Camry has space for a family, the fuel economy of a shopping trolley hatchback and driving manners that are surprisingly good. At its best in the city and suburbs, when braking can charge the battery, the green Camry is a surprisingly pleasant machine."

Graham Smith reviews the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 Mazda 6 as a used buy.

After years in the motoring doldrums with a range of well-built – but bland – cars, Mazda burst back into life early in the new millennium with a whole new energy and more youthful outlook on life. The company's entire range was renewed and every model proved successful, from the cute-as-a-button Mazda 2, the great 3, to the engaging 6. It was as if the company awoke from a deep slumber with a new drive and energy that powered it back to the forefront of car shoppers' minds.The stylish mid-sized Mazda 6 made as big a splash as any of the new models with its compelling blend of practicality, comfort and refinement, but then along came the MPS sports sedan that powered the 6 to a whole new level of performance to complement its natural sophistication.MODEL WATCHThe mid-sized Mazda 6 first burst onto the market in 2002 and was instrumental in helping to revitalise the Mazda brand. It was comfortable, refined, with good road manners and performance, and looked great.But the arrival of the MPS in 2006 added a whole new dimension to the prestige sedan, transforming it into a sophisticated and technically advanced sporting sedan. MPS stood for Mazda Performance Series, a sort of special vehicles offshoot of the mainstream model range.The MPS-tuned 6 wasn't a hard-edged sports car; it was more a luxury mid-sized car with a sporty attitude. Viewed from afar the MPS didn't scream 'hoon' as some sports sedans could do, its external enhancements were tastefully done and relatively subtle to make sure it stayed within the bounds of prestige appeal.There was a deep front spoiler with a gaping mouth to feed the much- needed air to the turbocharged engine, there were fog lamps, and a small spoiler on the boot lid, and big 18-inch alloy wheels, but the overall effect was one of refinement.Under the bonnet the 2.2-litre four-cylinder was boosted through the application of a turbocharger; the resulting output climbing to 190 kW at 5500 revs and 380 Nm at 3000 revs. It's not that long ago that power and torque of that magnitude would have had young V8 revheads going weak at the knees; the Mazda 6 MPS was indeed a sizzling hot road car.To put the performance to the road the MPS used a six-speed manual gearbox feeding a computer-controlled all-wheel drive system that kept a watchful eye on road conditions and distributed the drive between the axles for best traction. Unfortunately there was no auto transmission option available.In addition to the turbocharger the Mazda's engine also boasted direct injection for improved low and mid-range torque. The combination of turbocharger and direct injection delivered strong and smooth performance from low down right through to the upper reaches of the speed range. To cope with the extra zip Mazda beefed up the suspension with re- tuned springs and shocks, as well as bigger stabiliser bars.With the security of all-wheel drive, standard dynamic skid control, and the sports suspension the MPS enjoyed a firm grasp on the road. The good thing was that while the ride was firmer than the regular Mazda 6, it wasn't by any means uncomfortable. Bigger brakes, together with standard ABS anti-skid electronics, delivered the stopping capability to match the car's performance.Inside, there was comfortable accommodation for four, there was a good-sized boot out back, and a host of storage possibilities spread throughout the cabin.Naturally for a car of this class, the MPS had plenty of fruit, including Xenon headlamps, six-disc CD player, climate-control air, alloy sports pedals, and remote central locking with a deadlock function for added security. For even more fruit there was a leather upgrade, which brought with it leather trim, a power driver's seat with memory, seven-speaker sound, and a glass sunroof.IN THE SHOPMazda has always been renowned for the build quality of its cars and the 6 is no exception. Build quality is usually a good guide to the reliability and durability of a car in service and the 6 is performing without any major concerns. Mazda's servicing and parts costs are not cheap, but they're on a par with other cars in the class.It's important to check for a service record to make sure the engine in particular has had regular oil and filter changes. Also look for battle scars that often come from the daily grind of city traffic.IN A CRASHThe MPS boasted a comprehensive safety package with ABS brakes and stability control to help the driver avoid a crunch, and front, side and curtain airbags in the event a crunch came. ANCAP rated the MPS at four stars.AT THE PUMPMazda claimed the MPS would average 10.5 L/100km, which proved pretty close to the mark when it came time to road test it. It should be noted that the MPS needs 95-octane PULP fuel.LOOK FORSports performancePowerful turbo engineAwesome road holdingGood build qualityMazda reliability.THE BOTTOM LINE: A great driving sedan that is also at home in the hurly-burly of the daily commute.RATING: 80/100

Mazda's much anticipated king hitter of the medium segment arrives ahead of schedule in Australia early next year sporting an arsenal of firepower but with one potentially crucial missing link.

Resented, that is, not by the buying public, but by most other car companies. Since its comeback in the form of the first-generation Mazda 6 five years ago, the marque from Hiroshima hasn't had the common decency to put a foot wrong.Its subsequent models have risen ostentatiously towards the top of their respective classes.With the Mazda6 — the second of the so-called “Zoom Zoom” era cars after the delightful new Mazda 2 to reach its second generation — you're forced to dig deep for defects.But they're there, all right — even apart from that insanely irritating advertising slogan.Please consider that the seats lack under-thigh support, and the indicators don't have a one-touch, lane-change function.Engines are the same on the sub-$30K car as the plus-$40K model. Ditto cabin plastics. A glaring omission is air vents for the rear seats. And we're not getting the coolwagon variant in Luxury trim. Sorry, that's about it.The latest Mazda6 leaps to the fore of a class that was revolutionised by its predecessor.The new 6 proves all over again that mid-size cars needn't be Camrys. It improves upon dynamics that were already the benchmark for its type. Add bulletproof quality and cool styling, and allegedly more prestigious European equivalents look overpriced and underdone.Not only is the new Mazda6 better than its forebear in every respect that counts, it costs almost the same as that car did back in 2002, yet has much more standard kit.The sedan-only Limited model will be priced from about $29,000, the Classic a few grand more and Luxury models towards $40K, with the hatch-only Luxury Sport above that.The five-door, which will likely continue to be the best seller, has a coupe silhouette.From a front three-quarter view, it's tough to distinguish from the sedan; from the side, the high, taut tail makes it an obvious sibling.To these eyes, though, the wagon wins the style stakes: it's the most appealing of the many such things we've seen recently, emboldened by silver roof rails and (in Europe) cream leather upholstery.The 6 has grown incrementally in all directions, not least in width (plus 65mm), height (by 5mm, which makes a noticeable difference to hatch headroom, in particular), wheelbase (50mm), rear legroom (20mm) and shoulder space (9mm).Hatch and wagon keep the Karakuri one-touch folding rear seat function, and the hatch has a tonneau that lifts with the door.Materials and ergonomics are discernibly superior, but although the leather-upholstered top models aspire to prestige levels, they don't quite achieve it.The three-spoke steering wheel, with all ancillary functions at a fingertip, is accessible from a driving position made perfect by rake and reach adjustment and (in the top models) electric seats.On the upper-spec versions, there'll be climate control, an engine start-stop button with advanced keyless entry, eight-speaker Bose sound and possibly Bluetooth. No satnav for us, though.More important, anti-lock brakes, Dynamic Stability Control, brake assist, electronic traction control, cruise control and a full-size spare are standard across the range.Although it's lighter than the current model in basic form, the bulging swag of gear means the new 6 will weigh much the same as the outgoing model.That would be a step backwards if the new 125kW, 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine wasn't altogether more efficient than the current 2.3 (a new diesel won't be seen until late 2008).A combined-cycle fuel use of 8.4 litres per 100km is anticipated for Australian models, with a sprint time to 100km/h of slightly over eight seconds.Transmissions are either a slick and engaging six-speed manual or a five-speed auto with tipshift mode that, almost uniquely, won't change up until you so desire. Luxury autos will have steering-wheel paddle shifters.Driving a highly specified manual sedan through the narrow mountain passes of France's wind-lashed Cote d'Azur last Wednesday was to appreciate that Mazda has attained a new high-water mark.Pulling strongly from low revs, with all 226Nm arriving at 4000rpm, the new engine also goes pretty hard at the top end, rasping tastefully all the while.The engine's sound is enjoyed all the more because of road noise suppression that's effective even with low-profile rubber wrapped around stylish, 18-inch alloys.These shoes exerted enormous grip on the wet, twisting back roads of the Riviera hinterland.Considerable provocation is required to awake the DSC (which, even then, kicks in without abruptness), so it's quite possible to forget the 6's front wheels are doing both the driving and the steering.The new rack-drive electric power steering is excellent, devoid of the artificial feel that pervades such units. Instantly responsive, the weighting is beautifully linear, fully contributing to handling that really is sporty yet completely intuitive.In fact, you need to remind yourself that the 6 is essentially a family car.In that respect, it will serve with equal aplomb, the suspension an inspired compromise between ride andresponse, making for a car capable of handling more power than it has, but of being benign during the daily grind.If the new 6 isn't perfect, it's close. Enviably so.SNAPSHOT MAZDA 6Price: $29,000 to $44,000 (estimate)Engine: 2.5L/4-cylinder petrol, 125kW/226NmEconomy: 8.4L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed manual, 5-speed automatic