Without electrification, but with a big four-cylinder
When will big four-cylinders without turbo or electric assistance become history? That won’t last long and that makes the Mazda 6 interesting for those who are not yet ready for it, although it is already quite a strong car.
At the same time it is also a bit of an illusion. The exterior is virtually unchanged, but underneath the Mazda 6 a lot has changed over the years. Mazda has the habit of updating its models every year or every other year. The appearance hardly changes, but anyone who sits in a 2013 Mazda 6 and then in this new one thinks they are in a completely different car. By the way, the exterior can still count on some attention with this striking red-brown metallic paint and alloy wheels.
Mazda6
Focus on driver
It is a 20th Anniversary version and is currently the most complete of the series. He is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Mazda 6, but the model is actually too late for its own birthday. The first Mazda 6 was released in 2002. The most striking thing about this festive version is the interior. Open the door and you will see the leather interior in a somewhat unusual color. Mazda calls it Tan, we say brown. Now colors are of course a matter of taste, but in any case it is very present. The finish is neat: not only the seats have the supple leather, the door panels and the dashboard are also finished with it. Add a dark wooden panel here and there and the whole thing just makes a luxurious impression.
The age is somewhat visible in the design of the dashboard. Today, large screens surround you as a driver, but in the Mazda 6 you will still find three clocks behind the steering wheel with a small display of the on-board computer and a screen for multimedia in the middle of the dashboard. That has a modest average. You may also wonder whether Mazda would follow the trend of large displays in the event of a successor to such a large middle class car, because the brand attaches great importance to driver-focused design and says it is averse to unnecessary, distracting things. . And that is exactly what many extensive systems entail.
The seating position is nice. You sit nice and deep in the car and the steering wheel is upright in front of you. All buttons (fortunately they are still there) are logically arranged within easy reach. Everything that has to do with the climate control is ‘old-fashioned’ on the dashboard. The multimedia system can be operated with a rotary knob on the center console and that works fine for most functions such as switching between audio and navigation, for example. But entering an address with that rotary knob is really outdated. When stationary, the screen is also a touchscreen, but as soon as you drive, the touch option disappears; a logic that no other brand follows.
Mazda6
The seats are comfortable and in this version they are electrically adjustable. There is no room left on the back seat, but the two outer seats have seat heating and the center armrest contains a set of USB ports. The luggage compartment has a nice capacity of 506 liters, but it is not the most convenient shape due to the fairly high loading floor and rather sloping tailgate.
Big engine in Mazda 6
Under the hood you will find a four-cylinder engine that we consider almost impossibly large in 2023. The displacement is almost 2.5 liters and it is not supported by turbos or electric motors. A configuration that has become rare in the fight against CO2 emissions. Mazda still manages to keep consumption within limits with the so-called Skyactiv-G technology (including a high compression ratio of 13.0:1 and cylinder deactivation).
Mazda6
A disadvantage is that the engine’s performance is best when the speed is high. But then the engine is noisy, while the car does not invite you to pedal at all. In combination with the two-liter engine, we have always found the automatic transmission mediocre and lazy, but paired with this 2.5 we like it much better. If you drive this engine on torque and you don’t ask for the very best, then it is a nice, nice combination. And quite economical too; we also easily achieved the factory specification of 7.6 liters per 100 km in practice. In fact, we even drove more economically.
Mazda6
When driving on the highway, the car sometimes suddenly gives a jerk, as if the engine skips a beat. For a split second you feel doubt. It turns out to be the cylinder deactivation. You feel it when it goes from 4 to 2 cylinders at low loads, and vice versa you also notice that it goes from 2 to 4 again when a little more is required. Small blemish.
The driving characteristics do not seem outdated in any way. The steering is pleasantly light, but very direct. It understeers safely when you drive fast and the suspension is comfortable. The dampers are firm, which you especially notice at speed bumps, but all in all it is a car that involves you in driving and gives you a lot of pleasure.
Mazda6
Not a bargain
Such a mature car in an anniversary variant has a list of standard equipment that I have for you. The car in the photos is only equipped with one option, and that is the dark red metallic paint, which means that the entire options list is also ticked. This ‘artisan red’ costs extra, but everything else is included: the striking leather, a sliding roof, a Bose audio system, seat heating in four places and adaptive cruise control with lane keep assist, a head-up display and wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. It is not a bargain, because this version goes for around €60,000.
In particular, people who are not yet keen on electrification could put this car on their list. No hassle with plugs or other heavy technology, a big four-cylinder under the hood and the ability to tow 1500 kg: it won’t be long before we find something like this only in the history books. And don’t forget, the appearance may show a few wrinkles from age, but underneath this tough guy is very up to date.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl