2016 Mazda 6 Best Buy Review

IT’S A BEST BUY BECAUSE:

The Mazda 6 stands among the best in its class in terms of fuel economy, safety and technology features, interior room, and materials quality—all while offering athletic handling and handsome styling that are clearly a cut above the midsize-sedan norm.

BUT…

There’s a bit more road noise than in some competitors, the ride is rather taut with the available 19-inch wheels, and only one engine is available—shoppers looking for truly snappy acceleration are out of luck.

WORTH NOTING:

In keeping with its sporty demeanor, the Mazda 6 is one of the few midsize sedans that is still available with a 6-speed manual transmission.

WHAT IS IT?

The Mazda 6 is Mazda’s midsize sedan. It seats five and offers just one engine: a 184-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder. The base Sport and mid-line Touring models offer the choice of a 6-speed-manual- or 6-speed automatic transmission, while the top-line Grand Touring is automatic only. Mazda had originally planned to offer a 2.2-liter diesel engine for the 2014 model year; development delays have continually pushed back its introduction, but company executives say that it is still coming eventually. The 6’s available features include a navigation system, forward-collision warning/mitigation system with automatic braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot- and rear cross-traffic monitor, heated side mirrors, heated front seats, and keyless entry and starting.

WHAT’S NEW?

The Mazda 6 was redesigned for the 2014 model year and was little changed for 2015. For 2016, it sees a number of interior upgrades, including a revised dashboard layout with additional padded surfaces, an electric parking brake, and a larger 7-inch touchscreen on all but the base manual-transmission Sport model. Standard on Grand Touring models is a heads-up display that powers up from the top of the instrument panel. Plus, Grand Tourings get a subtle exterior facelift that includes LED headlights.

FUEL ECONOMY

Manual-transmission Mazda 6s are rated at 25 mpg city/30 mpg highway, while automatic models check in at 26/38. Available in an option package on Grand Touringsl is Mazda’s “i-ELOOP” regenerative braking system, which bumps the EPA ratings up to 28 city/40 highway. In Consumer Guide® testing, a Grand Touring model with i-ELOOP averaged 32.4 mpg in a test that included 70-percent highway driving.

VALUE IN CLASS

The Mazda 6 is proof positive that midsize sedans don’t have to be boring to look at or uninspiring to drive. It offers swoopy styling that arguably makes it the best-looking vehicle in its class, and its nimble chassis makes it one of the best handling too. It’s also highly competitive in practical matters such as affordability and fuel efficiency. The standard 2.5 four provides sufficient power for most drivers, but most class competitors offer gutsier turbo-four or V6 engines as well. Also, the sloping rear roofline intrudes a bit on rear-seat headroom and complicates entry and exit. Still, despite its minor shortcomings, the Mazda 6 is a midsize-car must-see.

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