The art of D segment sedan is officially lost now in Malaysia. The Accord is no longer there, so is the brilliant Passat. Only the Camry is left in the segment, with Mazda’s brilliant and beautiful 6 sedan. We got to experience the Japanese D Segment sedan in Mazda’s style which reminded us why it was a great segment, and why it would ultimately fall out of favour.
The good
Lovely looking inside and out
Aesthetics are such a subjective matter, as each have their own preference in how a design looks like. To us though the Mazda 6 has been always the more aesthetically pleasing out of the other D segment sedans. Soft lines that flow with a strong front end a simplistic rear with twin pipes. In some ways it has the athletic proportions of the Jaguar XJ from the early 2000’s.
On the inside the interior is well appointed with good materials on the seat and dash. In the age of digital screens with toy like features, it was refreshing to have an analog dial on the instrument cluster. The steering wheel also feels good to touch.
But the best part of this car are the seats and space. After a sea of crossovers and SUV’s it was refreshing to enjoy the relatively low slung seats that are very comfortable. The back seats are also just as comfortable with relatively roomy leg space especially for a 6 ft 2 me. Never felt uncomfortable during the trip back from Ipoh.
On the Road
During the time we had this car, we at Route Hunters were undertaking a big project that required us to spend quite alot of KM’s on the road. Most of it around the greater klang valley, which included Shah Alam, PJ and Kepong. While squeezing a day trip to Ipoh and back.
On the road is where this car truly excels. After the instant response from turbo cars, the relatively modest low end torque of the Skyactive 2.0 engine was apparent. Where it shined though was at higher speeds. With perfectly spaced ratios, it really soars past 120kph with ease, enjoying a smoothness not alot of cars can claim. There’s also a throaty rasp from the engine and exhaust complimenting the feel of the car.
It is also comfortably tuned with great handling. There’s a degree of weight which works in its favour.
The not so good
Its hillariously underspeced for the price it commands. But that is for the user interface only. The very analogue meters that were desirable to us might be a put off for some, especially those under 30. What we really could not defend was the really small centre screen, which has been carried over from the previous year models, which ages the otherwise beautiful dashboard.
In town and low speeds you do feel the lack of torque on the naturally aspirated 2.0 litre engine is apparent after pretty much everything priced above RM100,000 sporting a turbocharged engine.
The rather high profile tyres, while providing excellent ride comfort, does leave the wheel arches look empty, and might put off some. But at this point, except for the centre screen, none of these shortcomings bothered us.
How the package worked overall, the executive sedan experience.
The magic of this car was how the package worked overall. During the time we had this car we were shifting our garage and office from PJ to Sri Damansara. Every day for the entire week it was round the clock work from 7am all the way up to 1am. In between we had to sit in traffic and commute across highways across the Klang Valley.
In that time, the car munched each journey with absolute ease, gliding easily in traffic while effortlessly cruising on the highway. We barely felt the strain of the journey during the time we had this car. We had other cars too during this period, but this car was a stand out.
In Conclusion
D segment sedans were the symbol of success for the middle class. It’s the sign that you have rose above the general population to a more commanding position. That was upper management vehicle right there. Nissan’s Teana, the dream of the Malaysian masses, the Accord, and of course the long running staple, the Camry. You show up to your home town with either one of these cars, you have made it.
The Mazda was the playful, flamboyant take on the D segment recipe from Japan. It’s now one of the last flag bearers of the segment in Malaysia. With prices starting from RM179,200, you have to leap across a sea of crossovers to settle for the Mazda 6. Cars where on the showroom floor might seem like they offer so much more than the Mazda sedan. But the experience provided, which can only be felt on the open road, is worth the premium for someone who will truly use it.