Good looking practical car
Rear exhaust bracket snapped due to rust, but it is the original exhaust.
Rear handbrake needs adjusted/tightened.
Comfortable, economical for its size. Very practical and good looking for a family car.
Plenty toys and great fun to drive.
I would highly recommend one to anyone.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 14th February, 2009
Nice reliable family car with extra performance
Nothing has gone wrong mechanically, although the clutch will need doing soon at a relatively low 55000 miles.
The rear wheel arches are showing signs of corrosion.
Alloy wheels are corroded, a common problem I gather from reading other reviews on here.
The petrol Mazda 6 shares its engines with the Ford Mondeo; the 2.3 is just an enlarged version of the 2 litre found in both models, but I am happy that it does not share the rear subframe and poor rear brakes of the Mondeo.
The performance is OK, but I would expect a quicker 0-60 than 9 seconds from the alleged 164 bhp motor.
The Mazda has excellent handling for a car of this size, although I do find the power steering a bit light at higher speeds. And there is a lot of road noise.
The interior is a bit dark like most japanese motors, but I like the fact it has an electric sunroof and climate control, the Bose sound system with 6 in dash changer is very good also. I am not impressed with the fuel computer which only reads litres per 100 miles; what's wrong with mpg which we all understand.
Fuel consumption 25-27 urban 34-38 motorway, the car does seem to rev high at motorway speeds, but I understand the later versions have a 6 speed box, which will help quite a lot.
Overall I am very happy; it's just a shame about the minor corrosion issues.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 30th September, 2007
Class-leading driveability, safety, looks, space and reliability at a great price
A loose contact caused failure of the driver's electric window, but this was put right promptly by a quick visit to the dealer.
A genuinely handsome car inside and out and possibly the best looking family-sized Japanese saloon ever produced. Great styling details, though on closer inspection some of the internal plastics are a little flimsy.
Very spacious and comfortable for all passengers, with a huge boot and impressively convenient rear seat folding mechanism. At motorway speeds the cabin is not the quietest, but road noise is not obtrusive and is certainly acceptable.
This car is great at everything, but its handling still stands out. It's great fun to drive, with an amazingly well-balanced front drive chassis, taut handling and precise if somewhat light steering. You have to try improbably hard to get it to step out of line. It'll grip even the least skilled driver to the road and endlessly entertain anyone who knows how to ride a symphony of bends. The 2.0 litre responds well once run in, but obviously doesn't set the road ablaze.
Secondary safety has yet to be assessed by Euro NCAP crash testing, but with all the current safety equipment across the whole range it is expected to do well. Its primary safety though, determined by handling and brakes, is superlative.
In TS guise there is a CD, touring computer, climate control, cruise control and steering wheel audio controls. With class-leading driveability, safety, looks, space and Mazda reliability, it surpasses all its real rivals. Only the prestige marques are better, but they are also more expensive to buy and own. With Mazda's competitive pricing in the UK, I really can't understand why anyone in the market for a driveable family-sized saloon or hatchback would even look at anything else (other than for reasons of marque partisanism).
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 27th April, 2003
Wicked man, wicked
Nothing.
Looks superb, handles like a dream and pulls very well across the range.
Superb quality interior with plenty of toys for the money.
This car beats its direct rivals hands down and has a damn good stab at some more premium models too - can't be recommended enough.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 26th January, 2003
4th Oct 2007, 07:17
Yes, the current generation models do have a 6 speed manual gearbox indeed. However, in the 2.3 litre models, 6th gear is the same gear ratio as 5th gear in the outgoing Mazda 6 model.
It's the 2 litre model which has a tall 6th gear, at 100 mph, the engine is turning over at 4200 rpm, making for very relaxed cruising indeed.
I speak from experience, as I've had a 6 speed manual Mazda 6 hatchback in England, in November of 2005. I also own the 2.3 litre sedan here in Australia, which is thusly equipped with the 6 speed manual box too. I know that the UK spec 2.3 litre Sport 6 speed manual has the same gear ratios as the Australian spec version.