All new Mazda 6 due at Holdcroft in November 2007
Journalists in Budapest, Hungary have driven the New Mazda 6 and a showroom model is due to land at Holdcroft Mazda in Stoke in November 2007.
With prices from £15,500-£22,000+ (TBC) and available in January 2008 the new model is up against serious competition from it's key rivals icluding the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Vectra, Volkswagen Passat.
The sharp handling current Mazda 6 has won lots of friends and done wonders for Mazda's sales in the UK. A tough act to follow then for the all new 6. So the autumnal sunshine at the small Hungarian race circuit hired for the preview was welcome as it allowed the car to be put through its paces.
So what was their verdict?
There are hints of Lexus in the detailing but the family resemblance to the new 2 and sporty RX-8 is also obvious. It looks good, cleaner and less fussy than the Mondeo and sharper and more distinctive than the Laguna. Interior quality and space are improved and, as with the 2, Mazda has worked hard to save weight, claiming a saving of 35kg over the current model.
The 6 will be available as a saloon, hatch or estate, the four-door coming first when the car reaches the UK early in 2008. Although it only accounts for 4% of sales in the UK the saloon is arguably the best looking variant, although all three are sharply styled with taut lines and clear Mazda DNA. And despite the common perception the 6 shares much with the Mondeo. Although Mazda is adamant this car is 100% its own work. As such the designers boast of the car's clear Japanese identity, the inspiration coming from cool industrial design and the brutal functionality of a samurai sword rather than chintzy kimono silks.
Performance
The lightness of touch means the 6 punches above its weight on the move. At launch there will be three petrol engines of 1.8, 2.0 and 2.5 litres with a 2.0-litre diesel following shortly after. If the current shape car is anything to go by this will be by far the biggest seller but for the preview it was petrol engines only. All are keen, revvy units and fundamentally the same as those in the current car, with the exception of the 2.5. Best all rounder, however, is probably the 2.0-litre, with 145bhp and 136lb ft of torque.
Ride and handling
In the post MX-5 era Mazdas have earned a reputation for sharp and enjoyable handling. And the new 6 is no exception. Mazda's official literature for the 6 is full of the word Kizuna, which translates as emotional involvement. And this apparently pervades every aspect of the new car's development. Away from the marketing spin this means the Mazda engineers have worked hard to expand upon the existing 6's reputation for fine dynamics. The racetrack setting for this preview gave few clues about the car's ability over the bumps. But in terms of handling the new 6 is clearly angling to top its segment for driver appeal.
There is a pleasing lightness to the controls that makes the 6 a delight to pilot. And this doesn't come from lazy over assistance to the steering or springy pedal feel. For a car of this size the 6 feels genuinely light on its feet, which makes it feel lively without feeling flighty and chuckable but not insubstantial. It's a neat trick and combined with a safely predictable chassis and reassuring but not instrusive stabililty control package it makes the 6 genuinely fun to drive. It lets you know what's going on too, safe understeer correctable with a lift of the throttle without the need for electronic intervention.
Interior
Mazda's engineering has never been in question. Now nor are the interiors with plush soft touch dashboards which boost quality. Although the basic 1.8 was nothing to get excited about the plusher 2.0 and 2.5 cars had leather on the seats and steering wheel, improving the perception of quality no end. Meanwhile a new interface system called CF-Net uses steering wheel controls for navigation, audio and ventilation, meaning you can control all the major functions with both hands on the wheel.
Economy and safety
As we all know, light cars use less fuel and emit lower levels of CO2. The latter especially is crucial for this market sector, with fleet buyers watching every gram of CO2. As such the 6 is in a strong position, the diesel dropping to 149g/km and offering company drivers significant tax savings over the equivalent model in the current line up. The petrol cars are also between 6.9 and 11.7% cleaner, again reaping the benefit of the weight saving programme. As far as safety goes excellent handling should keep you out of trouble but if the worst should happen there are six airbags and a new active head restraint system to limit whiplash.
By any measure the Mazda 6 is a hugely impressive car and one that deserves to do well. It looks good in all three versions, goes better and now is at least on terms with the competition in terms of perceived quality. And on past experience it should also be very reliable and affordable to buy. What more could you want?
Holdcroft Mazda in Stoke-on-Trent is a super place to see the all new 6 give them a call on 01782 202330 to find out more. Or click on:
www.mazda.co.uk
Need to know data:
Petrol engines 1.8, 2.0 and 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Diesel engines 2.0 turbo
Power (bhp) 102-168
Torque (lb/ft) 122-243
0-62 (secs) 11.6-8.3 (diesel TBC)
Top speed (mph) 123-137
Combined mpg 34.8-50.4
CO2/tax 168/20% (2.0-litre petrol, manual)
