Reading Topic: 1000 Mile Driving Report
1000 Mile Driving Report:
One month and one thousand miles later, I love this car. I absolutely love it. I've come to appreciate the things about this car I initially didn't like and have learned how to unleash the beast within it on demand. Really, this car is everything I want every day. It's an economical people-mover and my commuter rocket.
On a cold day, when the engine first starts up, you'll notice an interesting characteristic: as the tachometer crosses 3250RPM, the car will lurch forward. This is the moment of transformation. When the car warms up, the engine smoothes out, but this magical point of excitement must not be forgotten.
Underneath this point, and the engine lacks excitement. What it has, though, is outstanding mileage. Based on my observations, the engine may not make its power down low, but it certainly doesn't use any gas either. This is important because I live in the Capital Beltway area, and most of my driving is in traffic. If I can't have fun with the car, I might as well get good mileage, right?
The '6 is very quiet around town. Keep in mind my wife has a softly-spring Camry, and we both agree the ride of the '6 can be just as peaceful around town. I really love the interior of this car- the high mounted LCD display is very easy to glance at while driving and took no getting used to. While it seems odd that the display is separated from the console's stereo controls, I usually adjust the stereo from the steering wheel anyway, making the display's positioning more convenient. The red illumination looks crafty at night.
There's enough power below 2000RPM to putter around town, and the shifter feels good enough that I eagerly shift too often and too early, just for fun. The results? My first tank of gas reached from 108 miles to 530 miles on 10.2 gallons of gas. My second tank used only 14.66 gallons through 972 miles. Now, the 6's owner's manual recommends an engine break-in of only 600 miles, and you can bet the 372 miles after that had a bit of redlines and downshifts in them. And that's an average of 34mpg since I've owned the car.
That puts the '6 as the most fuel efficient vehicle I've ever been in. My previous car, the tiny 1.6 liter, 2500lb Toyota Celica would get 40mpg on the highway, but would barely muster 24mpg on the very same route I've been driving the '6 on. This is simply incredible to the point that I'm still in disbelief. I just haven't been able to disprove myself yet.
Over 3250 RPM, and this car is a rocket. The engine goes from a whisper to a roar- a sound that encourages the driver not to stop. The tires fight for grip right up through second gear, breaking free on road imperfections. Third gear is strong with the tach wound up, and the final two gears are only useful for passing and cruising.
The two personalities of this engine make for quite exciting driving. It doesn't take much finesse to break 3k on the tach, but it does keep the driver involved enough to feel rewarded. Likewise, to those who don't get their thrills g-forces will feel just as rewarded when they get to the pump. I initially didn't think much of this engine, but now think it is as close to a perfect engine (for it's size and class, obviously) as I could ask for. It suits this car very well.
For those who feel the need for speed in third gear (up to 90mph); I'd probably recommend the V6. To those like me who have their fun below 60, the 4 cylinder engine can be your baby. The 4 cylinder engine is mounted curiously forward in the engine bay. There's a 3-4 inch gap between it and the firewall that is just asking to be filled with a turbocharger. The engine could have otherwise been pushed back to improve the weight distribution of the car.
When I bought the car, I actually had a hard time getting the car to understeer. I'd throw the car through corners, the back would begin to slide, and I'd throttle my way into a neutral stance again. The car understeers a bit more readily now that the engine is broken in- a testament to the transformation this engine undergoes in the first 600 miles (more later). The engine will now handily overpower the grip of the stock tires in a turn. Back off on the throttle a bit, and the car will drift quite easily. Again, we see two personalities to this car: push it into corners and it answers back, but it still can ride comfortably on nasty roads.
I said earlier that I had a preconceived notion that I'd need a rear wheel drive car. As I sit contemplating what a sports car is, I still wonder how I ever was motivated to settle for this wrong wheel drive car. Then, when I drive, a miraculous thing happens- oversteer- and any desire for a RWD car disappears. The 4 cylinder Mazda6 has just a hint of dialed-in oversteer, and throttle is used to neutralize this or understeer. It's a great combination, and I've got to say that I've never driven a front wheel drive car like this.
The engine break-in was dramatic. When I got the car it felt rather sluggish and the sound Mazda engineered out of this engine sounded like more of a hollow echo of it's current body. The engine's power output has increased all-around, and the sound has become much more pleasing to hear. While the noise level probably hasn't changed, it's gotten more pleasing- less droning in traffic and more exciting at speed.
The stock speakers even sound significantly better once broken in, although I admit I'm still very unimpressed. I'm rather picky with audio, however, and though the optional Bose stereo was awful. The stock head unit is made by Panasonic and is as loud as a typical Panasonic unit. It would probably power aftermarket speakers fairly nicely. On the back of the unit, there are a series of connectors to allow it to interface with the other optional accessories such as the Bose stereo and the MP3/Tape modules. Two of these pins ought to be analog outputs, making it possible to run an aftermarket amplifier off of the stock head unit.
The heater seems to do a better job with the middle vent at the top of the console closed. It forces more air to the sides and feet of the car, which otherwise don't have nearly the output of the three center vents. Kudos to Mazda for the vent design. Not only is it stylish, but they're the most flexible vents I've ever used. And, thankfully, they still look good closed up.
There are a lot of nice touches to this vehicle. The interior doors to the glove box and cup holders are dampened. The interior lights fade in and out. There are overhead lights in the rear. The dead pedal is comfortable. When opening the doors more than half way, the doors don't "snap" out further to ding the car next to you. The rear seats fold down from a switch in the trunk- no hassle. This car has game, but it clearly has manners too. I used to believe refinement numbs the driving experience- and perhaps this car still too much for my tastes- but it's getting me used to being spoiled. It's like having my cake and eating it too.
The car rides solidly without any squeaks or rattles, even in single-digit weather. OK, there was one rattle. Periodically I hear the sunglasses holder vibrating, but it's awfully sporadic. It was a hard rattle to track down because of this, as it sounded like it was coming from the dash or the passenger's side when it was making noise. The fix is very complex- it involves opening the holder and closing it
The engine can sound harsh in the very first moments the car turns on, which seems to be typical of Mazda's. The engine heats up very quickly, though, so it soon goes away. Body gaps are very small and uniform, and the car seems well put together. Overall, it seems quite solid.
I obviously like the vehicle. I'm tired of writing now, so rather than coming up with a witty conclusion, I'll just advertise to check back for a 2000 mile report. New speakers and wheels may be on by then!
