2014 Mazda6 First Drive

[2.0_Mazda]

When it comes to looks

Passat:



Mazda6:

Does it really matter, they're both not in the kitchen!

Looks are subjective, so I can't see why it should be argued. I hate the way the Malibu looks, but it doesn't mean its a bad car.

[AKADriver]

Looks are subjective, so I can't see why it should be argued. I hate the way the Malibu looks, but it doesn't mean its a bad car.

Oddly enough, I like the way the Malibu looks but every indication is that it is a (relatively) bad car.

[AKADriver]

Funny how looking at the same two photos, I don't agree with anything you said.

What happened to the VW fanboys lamenting the 'dumbed down' 'supersized' American Passat. Now it's "flawless?" Lolz

I keep saying this. It's downright hilarious how people still swing on the sack of the Passat as an object of enthusiast desire when it has clearly abandoned most of what made older Passats so "euro-cool". It's still got more steering feel than a Camry, but so do the Ford, Mazda, and Honda. It no longer has a best-in-class interior or clever bits of design and ergonomics that "punch above its weight" the way the B5 and B6 did. It's just a very big, dull-looking car with nice steering.

[Mazda 3s]

Autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/05/2...-drive-review/

[koko12]

How is a "sport sedan" with under 200 hp "fun to drive"? Give me a break. YAWN.

it was not too long ago that what were considered the top driver sports sedans barely made 200 hp out of their 6 cylinder engines and no one ever said they were underpowered and not fun to drive. E46 328 189 hp, V6 B5 A4 190 hp, 4th gen. Maxina 3.0 V6 190 hp, etc...


190 hp for a family sedan that weights about the same as a GTI is more than enough and if the car has the right dynamics it most certainly can be a lot of fun.


on a different note, I think this is by far the best looking sedan in the segment. Sure the new Fusion looks nice but the 6 is IMO sleeker, leaner and has a lower belt-line which i like

[DEEJAY16]

Does it really matter, they're both not in the kitchen!

At least Penny is doing laundry. Bonus points (not that she needs them).

[koko12]

OK so all these articles coming out all have somewhat conflicting evidence and it seems like no one has really done their homework. You've got some reporting that the 37 mpg combine is for the European cycle which would put it at around 30 mpg combine for the us cycle, still pretty good but not the amazing number one was expecting. Still you've got others saying that 37 mpg combine is for the US cycle. which is it?

You also have some articles stating the weight for the 2.5 4 cylinder at 3300 lbs and other at under 3000 lbs for the same car. Again which is it? seems like every one is just quoting numbers without doing any actual testing or measuring.


Still Mazda has done a great job with this car, and what's more amazing is it looks like the 2.2 Sky-active diesel is a sure thing for the US market.

[AKADriver]

Again which is it? seems like every one is just quoting numbers without doing any actual testing or measuring.

It's a game of blog-telephone. The blogs all quote each other, leaving out bits of information, leaving the next guy to interpret the information differently, and so on. I remember a time when the MX-5 PRHT was coming out that somehow a rumor surrounding the BMW Z4 and its hardtop turned into one of the big blogs claiming that Mazda was dropping the soft top MX-5. I was confused by it so I traced back the attributions for the story and watched it twist, it was fascinating.

What's happening here is Mazda probably published specs for one market and the different blogs are attempting to extrapolate that data to their chosen market in the wrong way, while other blogs ignore the differences.

[SSLByron]

Few things:

1) Everybody: Stop feeding the troll.

2) koko: They didn't do any measuring or testing. First drive events are dinner and a drive, not instrumented testing. They're all quoting/misquoting information from a press release.

3) The diesel is coming.

[BRealistic]

Regarding the how can sports sedan under 200HP comment.

Sports =/= muscle.

Sports is about precision and balance, about giving the driver confidence through tactile interaction with the driving controls- things we have lost in all vehicle segments ever since the original LS400 made being separated from the feeling of operating a car equate with luxury.

[AKADriver]

Sports is about precision and balance- things we have lost in all vehicle segments ever since the original LS400 made being separated from the feeling of operating a car equate with luxury.

Lexus didn't invent that, they just brought it back into style after 20 years of Mercedes-Benz and BMW convincing people that well-built, spartan, feelsome cars were luxury. An LS400 feels like a Miata compared to a '73 Cadillac Fleetwood.

[P-Body]

Autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/05/2...-drive-review/

That's a nice shot- looks sort of like a Maxima, but enough Mazda to make it unique.

[choochoo]

not sure about the grill yet. have to see it live before making a judgement call. But, I REALLY like the simplicity of the dash.



x100 on the Ford Fusion comments. That's got to be the best looking family sedan on the market right now.

[thebanker]

Autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/05/2...-drive-review/

This picture just made my boner go down.

[Mazda 3s]

Inside Line
http://www.insideline.com/mazda/6/20...rst-drive.html

[Numbersix]

That's a fantastic looking car, and sounds like it could wipe the floor with the current 2.0 CR TDI motor offered in the Passat if Mazda certifies the higher performance version of the diesel.

It is a bit of a concern that Mazda seems to be falling a bit behind competitors in this space in terms of technology. The nav system offered in the 3 is laughably bad, and this unit sounds already behind peers like the Fusion or the new systems offered in the Accord or Camry.

I realize this might not be an issue for some, but it's definitely something more buyers pay attention to now.

[BRealistic]

That's a fantastic looking car, and sounds like it could wipe the floor with the current 2.0 CR TDI motor offered in the Passat if Mazda certifies the higher performance version of the diesel.

It is a bit of a concern that Mazda seems to be falling a bit behind competitors in this space in terms of technology. The nav system offered in the 3 is laughably bad, and this unit sounds already behind peers like the Fusion or the new systems offered in the Accord or Camry.

I realize this might not be an issue for some, but it's definitely something more buyers pay attention to now.

It probably won't happen, but it would be nice if the smaller companies all went to a large auto audio and tech company and had them engineer and design some type of standardized tech unit that could be plugged into any model with just a code to program it for that model. And.... Make it so it was easy to swap out for upgrades.

[thebanker]

Mazda6:

She's not Asian...

[juice]

Not too exciting (we've owned a 626 and 2 Miatas), but bring over the wagon with a diesel and all is forgiven.

[genjy]

The Passat looks flawless.

So the Giant Jetta is flawless?

Do VAGbois even believe what they say anymore?

[matty_peppers]

The passat looks flawless. Really? There's an effing chrome trimline around the entire car. It looks like the stick-on bumper savers you can get at pep boys.

go home vag fanboys. If you guys will even justify the brunette over the blonde here, it says a lot.

[Mazda 3s]

She's not Asian...

And Amy Farrah Fowler isn't German

[BRealistic]

With the 2.5 sky-g engine coming to the US in the nw 6, will that mean the 2.5 in the 5 and 3 will go by-by for the 2.5 sky-g?

[AKADriver]

No one really knows yet. I wouldn't be surprised to see the 2.5 sky-g as the top engine option in the next-gen 3 at first - the 2.3 DISI is on the chopping block. They haven't hinted at any larger (>1.5L) gas turbo engines.

[SSLByron]

No one really knows yet. I wouldn't be surprised to see the 2.5 sky-g as the top engine option in the next-gen 3 at first - the 2.3 DISI is on the chopping block. They haven't hinted at any larger (>1.5L) gas turbo engines.

Yeah, the future of turbocharging and Mazda is a big, fat question mark.

I wouldn't be surprised if the only turbo they offer turns out to be a Fiat MultiAir variant in the new Miata. There has been VERY little talk of in-house turbo engine development at Mazda these last couple years, and the Miata rumors change faster than Mitt Romney's makeup shades.

[NoXenons]

Autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/05/2...-drive-review/

What is it with this trend of disproportionate grilles? They look horribly tacky.

The Passat grille is far more becoming

[NoXenons]

When it comes to looks

Passat:



Mazda6:

Passat:


Mazda6:

[thebanker]

The front of the Mazda6 looks good, but the 3/4 side shot gives it that derpy ILX look. Bleh.

Maybe I'll see things differently when I see it IRL.

[BRealistic]

Yeah, the future of turbocharging and Mazda is a big, fat question mark.

I wouldn't be surprised if the only turbo they offer turns out to be a Fiat MultiAir variant in the new Miata. There has been VERY little talk of in-house turbo engine development at Mazda these last couple years, and the Miata rumors change faster than Mitt Romney's makeup shades.

Don't forget the Sky-D engines.
A properly tuned 2.2 Sky-D turbo diesel Mazda3 might be quite fast.

[Saintor]

Nice Sonata.

PS:I prefer the Accord big time.

[Yo Teach]

I wonder what the upmarket engine will be on the States-bound 6 - a six-cylinder or a blown four-cylinder? As has been mentioned above, we haven't heard much out of Mazda lately about the future of turbocharging yet their relationship with Ford has been paired down a small 3.5% of their stock. Maybe they will just purchase V6's from Ford.

[BLK9GEN]

Nice Sonata.

PS:I prefer the Accord big time.

Yup, still no ****s given.

[BRealistic]

Nice Sonata.

PS:I prefer the Accord big time.

At least give Mazzer credit for sticking to n/a gas engines.

[thebanker]

At least give Mazzer credit for sticking to n/a gas engines.

I love the CX-5 looks, wish they had a stronger engine in it :|

[Oliver@triplezoom]

It probably won't happen, but it would be nice if the smaller companies all went to a large auto audio and tech company and had them engineer and design some type of standardized tech unit that could be plugged into any model with just a code to program it for that model. And.... Make it so it was easy to swap out for upgrades.

Problem is that each manufacturer would probably want to customize the interface and you would end up with a lot of fragmentation and inconsistencies, a la Android.

The 6 looks good but unfortunately, unless this car drives absolutely amazingly, I really have no interest in sedans anymore unless they've got four rings or a propeller on the grille. Obviously we won't be getting the wagon, which would be a great replacement for my current 6.