2004 Mazda 6 Sport Wagon from North America - Comments

Nothing has "gone wrong" with our Mazda6s Sport Wagon, per se. However, there is an annoying rattle emanating from the rear cargo tonneau holder/roll-up audile when the radio is off or at very low volume, and the fuse array cover doesn't fasten as snugly as I believe it should, and gets knocked off about once a week. Other than these two quite minor annoyances, our Mazda 6 continues to perform well and delight us at the 5000 mile mark.

We looked at a variety of vehicles to replace our aging Nissan 240. We wanted a similar if not identical sportiness to its performance and handling, and for its looks. At the same time, we wanted a smaller hauler for our kayaks to replace our 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a completely fine vehicle save for it's height, exacerbated with the added 4" of the Yakima roof rack. Finally, we wanted a car that could, relatively easily and relatively comfortably for short -less that a hundred miles -trips, carry 4 people, and that had some creature comforts we desired.

After initially looking at a series of sedans, including the new Ford 500 and Chrysler 300, we realized that the lift-over to load -and more importantly, UNLOAD -the trunk was a problem with sedans. We go to the gym 5 days a week, and easily slide our sizable gym bags, along with our briefcases, in and out of the back cargo area of the Grand Cherokee; ditto for our weekly major forays to the grocery store. We also looked at some of the hew SUV crossovers like the Ford Freestyle. Unfortunately, despite their many positives, all were still too tall.

So our decision came down to station wagons, which combined lower roof height, room for 4 passengers, and a cargo area sufficiently sized for our kayaking gear, our grocery loads, and our bulky gym bags while still having a nice, flat loading platform.

We primarily looked at the Subaru Legacy, Outback, and Forester models, the VW Passat, and the Mitsubishi Outlander. Mercedes and BMWs, as much as we liked their looks and specs, cost way too much new -we could afford them, we just don't think their worth the money -and were virtually unavailable used with relatively low miles. Saab was a tad small, though we liked the looks and some features, and it was still pricey and not the value we sought. The Forester was too tall. The Legacy and Outback basic 4-cylinder engines had zero pep, and the Outback model I drove wasn't all that comfortable for me -or even more surprisingly, not nearly as crisply handling as I expected. And the Subaru 6 and turbo 4 engines require premium fuel. We liked the VW's ride, performance, size, and handling; but the VW had a poor repair record, mixed personal recommendations, and needed premium fuel. The Mitsubishi Outlander had a quirky interior styling, but was a terrific value with an equally terrific warranty. It performed satisfactorily, and would have fulfilled all our needs save one: it was still tall.

Quite by accident we found tucked away in a corner of a R&T or C&D I picked up (for reviews of the sedans we started out looking at) was a glowing review for the Mazda6s Sport Sedan. The article noted that a station wagon was also available.

So we said –uh, Mazda...??? Well -why not!

So we test drove a few and were impressed and pleased.

We basically bought it over the Internet, and had a tough time finding exactly what we wanted as it was 2005, and we were looking at the 2004 model at the very end of the model year to garner substantial factory savings to match our usually quite successful, cost-lowering negotiations.

We ended up getting a color we initially didn't want (medium metallic red -our past 3 vehicles were red and we sought silver this go-round), and didn't get side curtain air bags. Other than that, it had everything we were looking for: roof rails, a light-colored leather interior (beige/tan) for our hot summer Miami sun, a sunroof, an in-dash 6 CD changer with a decent sound system, power windows & locks, and remote entry/locking/security system.

We now really like the red color.

And at 5,000 mile, and medium-distance trips to Tampa, Orlando, and Daytona Beach from Miami, we still really really really like the car.

Performance: the V6 is a strong performer. Despite a bit of "accelerator lag" -it takes depressing the pedal a bit more than expected to bring on the kick -because the kick IS there from the 220 HP of the smooth, quiet V6. Most importantly, when cruising at highway speeds, punching it brings on a double down-shift and excellent at-speed passing acceleration in the 60 mph-80 mph range. It runs very well at sustained highway speeds, and makes 110 just fine and feels rock steady there as well as at 65.

Handling is also just as strong, if not stronger, especially for a wagon. The car is a real joy to drive, and is sporty enough to remind one of our fine-handling 240. There is a strong on-center feel when driving curves and twisty roads. It corners well and crisply with little lean; the former may be a function of the 17" wheels shod with fairly sticky (for main line passenger tires) Mazda6s stock Michelin tires as well as the suspension -but it doesn't matter as the net effect is one of steady, solid, taut control.

It's a comfortable car to drive, especially for the diver. The driver's seat is a 10-way power adjustable leather-clad long-distance chair. The passenger's seat is manual, but two work colleagues who drove with me to Orlando found it a comfortable and easily adjustable seat for the 5-hour trip. Both seats are heated, but here in Florida that only assists if you've got a sore back and want the warmth to help loosen up. The steering wheel is not only conventionally adjustable, it also adjusts in and out, so much more refinement can be made in driver positioning.

Driver road view is good, but compared to other recent cars of our, side and rear vision seems oddly uncomfortable to me. By no means is it disabling, but by "uncomfortable" I mean I'm always double or triple checking the mirrors and views out the windows to the rear and rear quarters when backing up. This may just be me.

Back seat comfort is above average, due largely to the surprising amount of both rear seat legroom and headroom. The rear area, however, is not nearly as nice as front seat comfort.

The cargo carrying capacity belies the cars size. I can get more in, and get it in more easily in the Mazda6S Sport Wagon’s rear cargo area that I can for our Jeep Grand Cherokee. It easily fits my golf bag and pull-cart, our grocery bags, and our kayaking gear. And that's with the rear seat still n the up position. We have yet to need to drop the rear seat to carry stuff. The only drawback to this area is the tonneau -something in its mechanism rattles, and it is low, so you need to bend down to see things deep in the cargo area when the tonneau is extended.

The controls are extremely easy to use and display well, day or night, thanks to a lighting system that illuminates the dials and gauges all day long, though it took a day or so to get used to the red-lit gauges, dials, and LED information displays. However, once one adjusts to them, they are clear and easy to read, and the most controls -especially the radio and AC controls -are intuitive and easy to adjust. I had no problems with them the first time I sat in and test-drove a Mazda6S.

The AC works well even in midday Miami in summer in Sunny South Florida. Our system is an automatic AC 'set it and forget it' system that we will sometimes put in manual mode to increase airflow or redirect it. It easily adapts to both manual and thermostatic control.

The radio works fine for us -we usually listen to classical music, jazz, and Caribbean pans, and the subwoofer works well, but not to the window-vobrating extent that bazookas do, of course.

The cabin is pretty well laid-out, with sufficient storage nooks hither and yon. The negative is that there are no in-dash or dash-mounted drink holders; they're in the doors at the front of the door's fixed plastic storage bins. The rear seat has a center fold-out drop-down arm rest and drink holder which is convenient. The rear seat is a 60-40 split fold-down.

Downsides? Well, sure there are a few -that accelerator lag is one, as is that rearward vision I've yet to truly adjust to. I don't mind the drink holder positions -I've got long arms, but others may object. The car transmits more road noise than we'd like -as has been noted elsewhere as well, and gas mileage is only average at around 25 or so.

But all-in-all, we very heartily recommend the Mazda6S SportWagon to our kayaking friends, among others, and the Sedan (or 5-door) to those who don't need the extra storage areas. It's a truly sporty, comfortable, and pleasurable -and we think quite handsome! -car to drive.

Zoom Zoom!

Great review!

We test drove a 6 and really liked it, but ended up with something else as this particular dealer was poor. Great car though.

Enjoy the 6.

This is one of the most informative and well written reviews I have ever come across. Thanks so much for the input I am seriously considering the mazda6 wagon thanks to your review. Again thanks so much and enjoy your new ride.

Thanks for the great review! My '97 Pontiac Grand Am GT is in the shop (again!) so I'm looking at the 6 (5 door) to replace it. It might be more than I want to spend, but I sure like the look and the reviews have been great.

Yes, a very well-thought out review. N. American owners seem well pleased with their Mazda 6s and in Europe we too appreciate the Mazda 6, a car for all continents it seems! But can one have an autochromatic mirror fitted retrospectively? Anyone know??

I've had nothing, but trouble with my 6 Sportwagon... three times with the same throttle issue, no dealer support... nice looking Lemon is what it is. Stay away.

I Have 2004 Mazda 6 Wagon with v6 and auto transmision. I get about 16 mpg in mix driving around town. I have made a very conserted effort to drive smoothly, and to keep off the gas and wonder what kind of mileage the rest of you are getting?

Great written review... You should write for a living!

I bought my Mazda 6 Sport-wagon (2005) May 2005 and it is simply the best all around car I have ever owned. Smooth 6cyl and sporty handling is a dream to drive. From summer driving on the highway at 80MPH with a roof rack to snowy Montreal winters, this car has been great. I would strongly recommend this car to everyone. Zoom Zoom is very accurate!

Peter Martin (19-20 City,26-29 Highway - with a roof rack)

Update July 2006 (30,000Km 20,000 Miles) Still love the ride and after 30,000 km, the only problem was the reprogramming of the acceleration module. Gas milage is now at 21 City and 29-30 Highway. Zoom Zoom

Like the first reviewer, we also shopped for other wagons and could afford to pay more, but after driving the Mazda 6 Sport Wagon, we realized that the dollar-value was simply impossible to walk away from. The car obviously is not a BMW, but the paper specs are almost identical with the 330xi wagon (except for the 4WD) in terms of engine torque and horsepower, acceleration, braking, traction control, exterior and interior dimensions, and so on. And there are a lot of surprising and practical design luxuries for such a reasonably-priced car, including sound system controls on the steering wheel (very handy), great storage options for front seat passengers, excellent rear-seat cupholders/armrest, and a well-designed cargo net to separate the passenger and cargo areas.

We bought the 2005 base model in early 2006 because Mazda and dealer promotions made the price ridiculously low. And we have the 5-speed manual transmission because that is our preference. Although we would have preferred leather seats, the Mazda fabric looks good and has worn well in the first 3,000 miles despite our two messy and aggressive young boys. The dealer offered a leather upgrade, but the fabric has worked so well we've decided not to upgrade.

We've completed several 200-300 mile trips and have done lots of city driving. The car has handled consistently well. I agree with the first reviewer about all the performance characteristics (good handling and power, but a few more horses wouldn't hurt, especially at low rpm), although the lightweight engine has sometimes meant slippery starts on wet surfaces in our hilly Pacific northwest. Also, the clutch and manual transmission work well and give the car a more sporty feel than the automatic. Gas mileage has hovered around 22-24 mpg in mixed city/highway driving.

Like other reviewers, we have a rattling tonneau cover, and it rattles whether the tonneau is extended or retracted. It's a bit annoying, but minor in the scheme of things.

The base sound system is fair, and we like the feature that automatically increases volume with car speed. Mazda offers a Bose sound system, which is a must if you are really serious about your music.

We had one mechanical problem at 3,000 miles: The engine warning light appeared suddenly and the car was placed in the limp mode, which meant we had to pull over right now. Mazda's roadside assistance program delivered great service: the car was promptly towed, and it was fixed and meticulously washed within one hour of arrival at the out-of-country (Canada) dealer that took care of us. The dealer told us we had a computer problem involving the accelerator module. They replaced the module and problem solved. Hopefully this is a fluke and we'll have no more such problems.

Our only design complaint is a minor one: The seat belt receptors in back lay down flat on the back seat instead of being mounted on stems that stand up. This makes it impossible for our small children to strap themselves in, and it's not easy for the adults to strap in the kids either. Since wagons are for families with children, we think Mazda should change this design feature.

Otherwise, we love our car, we continue to be amazed by its value as compared with the competition, and we highly recommend it.

I bought my 2004 Mazda6 Sportwagon in January, 2005. I drive a lot of miles for my job and now have over 60,000 miles on. I have not had ANY problems with the car mechanically. I have it serviced as scheduled. I drive this car hard and fast, it never fails me. I find the seats comfortable, as I am 5'3" and some seats don't fit me right. My husband is over 6' and he also finds that he has plenty of leg room and head room, not often found in other cars. The heated seats are great in the winter.

We originally looked at a Honda Accord, but the price on this car couldn't be beat. We were also considering the VW Passat at the time.

Here would be my only complaints: I have a squeak in the steering column, had it since we got the car, but the warranty doesn't cover "squeaks". The car is not the best in snow, compared to other FWD's I have had in the past. Don't get me wrong, I have never had a problem in snow, the traction control has saved my life, literally. It is just that any snow more than a couple of inches and the car just won't go! It almost feels too light. Other than that, I cannot complain.

I also wasn't happy that when I bought the car, I only got 18000-25000 miles out of the low profile tires. At the time, there were only two brands of tires made and they cost over 700.00 for four tires. I am on my third set of tires, bought most recently in 12/06 and costing just under 400.00. The price has gotten better, but had I known the initial cost of the tires, I would have thought again about buying the car. Wheel alignment has never been a problem.

The stereo is great, no complaints.

The road noise is a bit more that I would like.

The acceleration is sometimes lagging, but overall, the car flies! The ride is very smooth.

I have always driven Fords, then Dodge and Chrysler, and I was skeptical about buying a Mazda, but I would do it again!

I loved my 2006 Mazda 6 S Grand Tourer. It sure is a good looking car. The super thin tires hate the numerous potholes on Colorado's crappy roads, but I could forgive their jarring complaints.

A few weeks ago, I began commuting 60 miles each way to work. After a couple of weeks I had severe pain in my left shoulder, a nagging ache in my left arm down to the elbow, and a tingling sensation in my right hand and fingers. For two weeks now I've tried exercise, stretching, a hot tub, a chiropractor, and a massage therapist - all in vain. My neck, my back, my arms, and my sides ache all day, and I now dread having to get in the damn car. I've tried every adjustment of the power leather seats, I've tried different driving positions, nothing works. I'm about ready to lose out big time by trading-in this car within its first year. I'm a 5'7" 160lb male, and incidentally, I've never had the need for either a chiropractor or a massage therapist before.

Another irritant with this car is the crappy acceleration from the V6. If I need to punch it to pass a car or to get out of the way, it seems to take a second or two to actually kick in. And when it does, it sounds like the engine is over-revving or something. Just horrible.

While I'm at it - the Bose stereo ain't all that.

In reference to the pains felt by the poster from 24th Aug 2007... hopefully you see this!

I had a friend with very similar symptoms that you described, and it turned out that he was putting too much pressure on, I believe, his radial ulnar nerve. Basically, he drove a lot with the window down, resting his arm on the sill. The constant pressure on the nerve in his elbow is what caused it. I'm not sure how it was cared for, but if you place your arm there then it might be a good idea to stop.

This is my 3rd Mazda. First a pickup in college, then a Protege after college.

My wife pushed for a wagon and I considered Volvos and Subarus and Passats. I'm 6'2" and preferred not getting something I couldn't readily and comforably fit in.

Subarus were too small. Volvos had reputations for lower fuel economy and higher repair cost as did the Passats, from what I read and sat in and talked with various new and used car dealers about.

I bought my '05 used 1 year ago and have put 18,000 miles on it. I like I can put my wife's hairy dog in the bag with the screen divider and not have the dog panting in my ear while I drive to visit my in-laws who are vets and always have ample cold beer waiting.

I bought it from a Mazda-ish dealer with 18,000 miles on it with warranty. I've had a couple of minor issues, which I'm glad were all covered under warranty.

I'm pleased with the highway performance, and cruising through the windy mountain roads nearby are enjoyable, and it is easy to pass slower vehicles.

I would like a little more leg support in the seats, though I'm tall and leggy.

I wonder how much $ the 17" 215 50's will cost to replace, but they will be a few years away.

I fill the engine with pure synthetic oil and it runs very smoothly. I wonder why there is no transmission fluid filter, it's on my to do list to add that.

I would have liked an input for my i-pod, but had a local audio tech add in an RCA cable input which also fits my XM.

I wish the window visors would slide on the rail as my old S-10 p/u did... that truck had many features that were desirable that cars don't have.

Why is there only 1 key location to open the car up? Odd I thought.

I'd like to be able to add a class II tow hitch, not to tow boats but to have a 4 bike hitch rack, so I added a roof rack which can also carry plywood sheets. I didn't really try to put any 4'x8' sheets in the back. But I like the wagon and fold down the rear seats often when carrying 'junk' for multitudes of home improvement projects, carrying tools for work occasionally, and a pile of snowboards.

I like this '05 Mazda wagon. If it had all wheel drive, I'd like it more. I'm disappointed there are no more 6 wagons in the lineup.

It should have daytime running lights.

I like the metallic paint, and the alloy wheels and the manual tranny set-up.

I like the steering wheel controls for audio and cruise. The stock audio system sounds fine.

I'm happy with this ride overall and you'd be too.