Welcome and congrats. My '16 6 is my first AT ever and I don't mind it. I've had 16 cars over the past 25 years ... all MT. It's a true 6 speed and not a CVT which is awesome. Sport mode, semi manual mode and paddle shifters make it a flexible transmission.

 

I went through that exact debate myself. Actually put an order in for a '16 MTX Touring, but after 6 weeks of no communication from the dealer, canceled it and ordered a similar -- and my first -- ATX with more bells & whistles from another dealer. It's all a matter of what you give up for what you get in return; for example, the MTX doesn't have access to the same creature comfort packages as the ATX, and the ATX doesn't have my preferred transmission.

 

Agreed. I wanted an MTX, but in the end decided I wanted the bells and whistles of the GT more. In the past, you could squeak out a couple of more MPG from a manual transmission, but in modern ATX cars the computers and their fancy fuel management are sophisticated enough to have closed that gap.

I don't use the semi-manual mode, mostly because when I'm slowing down I'm looking for the clutch (obviously ATX doesn't have one). There are some schools who say in a MTX you should downshift through the gears when coming to a stop. I would usually shift down, but always have the clutch in while coasting to a stop - so it wasn't really downshifting through the gears, as much as being a gear I could accelerate from at that speed.

I always feel like trying to downshift the ATX in manual mode is awkward - the revs jump and the momentum change feels like someone just stomped on the brakes.

 

Welcome to the forum!

My 3rd gen is my 4th vehicle and first non-MTX. I've had this car for almost 3 years now and I miss my MTX more every day. If you truly enjoy driving a stick, don't change if you don't have to.

Like some others have said, I went for the more bells and whistles at the expense of the MTX - won't make that mistake again.

 

Thanks to all for the opinions. I don't need any bells and whistles that the Grand Touring offers/the Touring doesn't (will get a Touring regardless of AT or MT). But a bit concerned about engine noise at interstate speeds.
http://forum.mazda6club.com/mazda6-...m/mazda6-atenza/349241-2015-16-mazda-6-gear-ratios-manual-versus-automatic.html

 

I have a 2015 with manual. Any excess noise you hear at freeway speeds is likely from the Dunlop tires. My manual cruises along around 2700RPM @ 70MPH and NVH is pretty minimal to me aside from the tire noise.

 

+1

The road noise isn't going to be affected nearly as much by which trim and transmission you choose, as it will by tires.

Every car I've owned the stock tires are terrible at noise.

 

I highly recommend the mtx. I drove the auto first and liked it but it didn't feel like my car till I drove the manual. If you don't want the GT, the. Get manual. my wife loves the manual too. After we both drove manual, there was no question that's what we were buying. Drive them both and I think you'll agree.

 

Welcome to the forum. MT is better but I bought an AT since my wife also want to drive T_T.

 

Did not even bother test driving an auto. Dealer had a Mazda6 in the color and trim that I wanted. MTX was icing on the cake, as well as, the only one that was MTX No regrets.

Since the age of 15, as well as, every vehicle that I have bought (4 including this car), all have been manual.