The Mazda 6 is a car that is a beautiful and talented contender for the D segment Japanese sedan. Yet, we do not see it on the roads as much as we see the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. What makes this Mazda stand out from its counterparts from Honda and Toyota? We list 5 things that makes this Mazda a prime contender compared to its rivals!
Looks to Stop a shoot – A stand out design
The first thing you notice on the KODO Design themed Mazda 6 is its imposing new grill. The previous generations slated grill have been replaced with blacked out 3D inserts. This along with the other design details of the Mazda 6 makes it look similar to the Vision Coupe and RX-Vision and the Vision Coupe Concept cars.
The 19 inch rims are also new for the face lifed version, finished in a gunmetal finish. The 2.5 and Diesel versions come with a sunroof and adaptive headlamps
We have always maintained that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and what might appeal to some might not to others. In the case of the Mazda 6 though, we would like to state what we think about the design clean and clear. We even stopped our shoot to admire it’s amazing looks!
Size Matters – Generous Proportions without feeling bulky
The Mazda 6 is no pint size car. It may not have the longest overall length, coming in 20mm shorter than the Nissan Teana and Toyota Camry, but it has the biggest wheelbase at 2830mm. That’s 5 mm more than the 2019 Toyota Camry and a whopping 55mm longer than the Honda Accord and Teana, providing plenty of legroom in the cabin.
At 1840mm, it’s the same width at the Toyota Camry, and 10mm wider than the Nissan Teana. Despite being generously proportioned, the Mazda is significantly lighter compared to its rivals. While the Accord, Camry and Teana weighs well into the 1500kg mark, the Mazda 6 2.5 is only 1440kg in weight.
The boot space is bigger than the Honda Accord at 489 liters, which is good enough to store a picnic’s worth of Coleman tables and chairs. You can also fold down the rear seats if you require to store bigger, oversized items.
Interior – Human Machine Interface
On the inside the Mazda 6 has a snugger and a more cockpit-like feel compared to the other Japanese rivals in the class.
The design itself is simple yet striking, with controls laid out in a logical manner. The center, leather clad dash is dominated by an 8 inch touch screen, which can be controlled via the center control knob
Ride like the Wind – Class Leading Driving Dynamics
The best trope of the Mazda 6 is its driving dynamic. Under the hood there’s a marvelous 2.5 liter naturally aspirated 4 cylinder engine with Skyactiv technology which puts out 185bhp and 250Nm, which makes it the most powerful D Segment Japanese saloon with a non-turbo engine.
It’s got a well-tuned chassis which is skewered more towards comfort. Despite riding on massive 19 inch rims the car has a beautiful ride quality and excellent handling. While we can’t say that its an agile B-road machine, due to its sheer size and comfort tuned handling, it does take corners comfortably and safely.
Where the Mazda 6 truly in its element is on the highways and open B Roads, where sweeping corners are tackled with ease at high speed. The G-Vectoring system aids in keeping the car in line at tight corners but we can conclude that the Mazda 6 is ultimately at home on high speed turns.
Keeping things in line – Lane Keep Assist
The final party trick of the Mazda 6 is its lane keep assist system. This system activates once above 40kph. You will know the system is activated when there are two parallel lines on your head up display on either side of the speed readout. At which point, if the car sways out of the lane, the car will turn the steering automatically to bring you back into the existing lane.
However be sure to keep both hands on the wheel. If your hands are off the wheel for more than a few minutes continuously the system disengages. This is very handy as the Mazda 6 is in its element on highways and fast B roads, and this system worked so well at keeping the car centered in the lane.
Conclusion
At RM189,698.47, the Mazda 6 slots right between the Honda Accord 2.4 and the 2019 Toyota Camry 2.5V. Bear in mind this car comes with 3 years free service, inclusive of parts and labor.
If you’re in the market for a large Japanese sedan with good driving dynamics and a stylish interior and exterior, and enjoy lots of motoring miles from behind the wheel, then the Mazda 6 2.5 SkyActiv-G is the car for you.
