Mazda6 Preview
WORDS Niky Tamayo  | 12 March 2008

Photos by: Ken Tamayo, Carlo Sapera, John Luther Garcia For more photos and a discussion on the Mazda6 Launch Party, visit the discussion on the Forum Board here. Let's cut to the chase: Sex sells. The question is, will it sell the 6? The first-generation Mazda6 jumpstarted Mazda's “zoom zoom” worldwide, turning it from a second stringer into a world-class contender. But despite winning a slew of awards and garnering tons of praise, that car was just too driver-focused to win fans with the local backseat crowd. This new 6, however, sports a maturity reflective of more expensive European cars. Something that, amongst local non-luxury cars, only the Focus has done until now... except this car looks a million times better than the conservatively dressed Focus. Conservative is something you could never call the Mazda6. It's a brash mix of sports-car flair and futuristic looks. While noticeably bigger than the old car, it's still more athletic-looking than the Camry/Galant/Teana bunch. Too bad the corporate-look 17” wheels aren't as distinctive as the rest of the car. Despite this, it's still a stunner. The original Mazda6 was a retro-futuristic mixture of Mazda's new design language and a traditional low-slung sports-sedan shape. This new car is a clean-slate design, bringing the 6 straight into the 21st Century. The jewel-like headlights and taillights add a new sense of drama to the 6, and the way the that the lines of the 6 merge and flow seem strongly influenced by Mazda's new Nagare design language, a topic worth an entire chapter in the book on visual design. Photos don't do the car justice, it's drop-dead gorgeous in person. It has a very distinct personality, and it makes a style statement without looking derivative or overwrought... something other car-makers in this segment could learn from. The interior is downright restrained compared to the look-at-me exterior. Black and silver accents offset the subtly attractive silver-streaked black trim. It's a pretty feel-good place... except for the terribly cheap pressed plastic sun-visors. Why Mazda uses these turkeys (they're on the Mazda3, too) in their otherwise beautiful cabins is beyond me. The seats, always a Mazda strong-point, are comfortable and supportive,with plain but supple gray leather. Unfortunately, the rear seat, despite being bigger than before, still pales in comparison to the Camry's cavernous rear cabin. The Mazda6's no-nonsense germanic interior is not to everyone's tastes, but it sets Mazda apart in this beige crowd of Camry wannabes. At night, however, the 6 lights up like the Ginza-strip in a cacophany of orange and blue lights, transforming the corporate conference room interior into a cyber-pop Nagoya night-club, minus the scantily-clad girls. Either you'll love it or you'll hate it, but you've got to admit, it's eye-catching. Besides, there's always the dimmer switch for the chromatically challenged. On a short test-drive, the Mazda6 exhibits better sound insulation and a more composed ride than before. It's still firmer than the wafty Camry, but it doesn't feel like a wannabe racecar anymore. The new engine's extra midrange torque and short gearing make it feel more athletic. I'm guesstimating it could hit 100 km/h in around 9 seconds or less. Initial word-of-mouth on fuel economy, on the other hand, suggests highway consumption at over 12 km/l. Oh, and the brakes are pretty nifty, too. The handling is as sharp as ever, if not sharper. The electric helm is firm but light on-center, but reveals more character the harder you push. It's never darty, but boy, can this thing turn. It helps that the Mazda6 is still on the light side for a modern midsize car, at just under 1.5 metric tons. The handling is so responsive, in fact, that the Mazda6 feels just as precise and incisive as a 3-series sedan. Seems Mazda's reputation as the Japanese BMW remains intact. For me, the Mazda6's graduation is bittersweet. I'll miss the old, unpolished Mazda6. That first-generation car was a more visceral, organic drive. This new Mazda6 lacks that feel of connectedness that the rumbly road noise and unfiltered steering of the old car could give you. Despite that, it blends razor-sharp driver interaction and a higher level of comfort with a truly impressive styling package. This car is hands-down, the best-looking car in its class, and that fact alone should help it sell. It'll need to. The old Mazda6 was poorly accepted due to its overt boy-racer “sportiness”. This new one is “sporty” in an upmarket, fashionable way. And if the popularity of the new CX-9 is any indication, buyers are willing to consider the zoom-zoom lifestyle if it's dressed smartly, no matter what the price. And at a few pennies under 1.5 million pesos, the Mazda6 is priced just right. It definitely won't challenge the Toyota Camry for well-heeled chauffeur-driven old-money... those for whom the Camry's backseat is less like a business-class airline seat and more like a second home... but it may just appeal to the hip, noveau-rich, jet-setter section of the market... or at least the old-money folks who just want to feel young again.

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