JAPANESE JEWEL
The new Mazda 6 has great handling, good looks and build quality. writes Malcolm Xavier CRASTA

There is no doubt that the first generation Mazda 6 was a hit and set the standard for its class. Now Mazda has, with the all new 6, improved on the existing car taking the standards even further up the scale. There is more power, more handling, more safety and we could go on. Of course, the first right thing that they did was get the looks right. Everything is sharper than it was and truly gives the car a modern touch while still keeping to the old car’s design formula.

There are some very surprising developments in the new Mazda 6. The overall length of the car has been increased by nearly 65mm with a 50mm increase in the wheelbase. This helps to increase the overall legroom in the vehicle. Normally this increase in size along with improvements in equipment and safety should increase the weight of the car by 90kgs according to Mazda, but contrary to this, it has lost 35kgs thanks to the stringent weight saving methods that Mazda has implied on the new 6. They went as far as shaving 1.5kg from the audio system and 6.8kg from the interior trim. Somehow this obsession for weight is very similar to th at found on the Chevrolet ZO6 where even the windshield was thinner than the standard car to save weight. Along with this weight-loss programme Mazda has also improved the body stiffness of the car and has even reduced the wind noise by a significant amount making it one of the quietest cars in its class. The aerodynamics of the 6 has been improved to a class leading drag coefficient of 0.27. Suspension mountings and the suspension itself has been refined for a better ride and reduced body vibrations. And finally the new 6 has an improved steering and taller gears.

So what have all these improvements done to the handling? Absolute wonders. The new Mazda has better everything than the existing 6. It has a sharper steering and better balance through corners. The ride quality has been improved by leaps and bounds along with the gears which are fast and precise. Road and wind noise has been cut to a minimum. Brakes are powerful and it remains stable even under heavy braking. Overall it feels that it can match the best Europeans for feel, ride and handling prowess, even when provoked and pushed to its limit. To add to this the existing 2.3litre engine has been bored and stroked to 2.5litres and now produces 168hp at 6000rpm with 167lb ft of torque at 4000rpm. The competition better start getting worried especially considering that Mazda now has a V6 version of the car. We’ll update you if and when it arrives.

This same attention to detail carries over to the inside as well. The fit and finish is easily one of the best in its class with plush leather, high quality plastics and a complete absence of low quality materials. All the controls are in the right places, except maybe for the track controls for the audio system, and are uncluttered easy to use. Even space is above the average of this class but the lack of rear AC vents was a bit surprising considering the levels of equipment available in the car. Of special mention is the absolutely gargantuan boot that can more than easily carry every bit of luggage that you will ever need for your weekend or airport trips. Search as much as you want its hard to complain about this car. It easily improves on every aspect of the existing mode and then some. It has great handling, good looks, build quality to match any of its rivals and to top it all a decent price too. So, if you are in the market for a D-segment saloon, look no further, you have found it.