[kenoka]

Mark Wan from autozine has a review of the 6. He compares it to the Ford Mondeo (which he loves); and thinks the 6 doesn't quite measure up. He cites plastics quality and interior space as the primary reasons. He compliments the 6's handling prowess, but states that road noise and engine noise were not pleasing. (Keep in mind this is the 2.0 liter without the balance shafts he's talking about). He also states in error that the V6 comes only with the automatic transmission. All in all a favorable review with a few warts.
Click here for the article.

 

[subzerohf]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

The comment about the plastic does not bother me. Many people think that Nissan Altima has cheap looking plastic; and Audi arguably has the best plastic in the industry. If Mazda 6 sits between these two and lean toward the Audi side, I'll be satisfied.

 

[Steve 6er]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

The Mondeo is a nice car indeed, fun to drive and with a good quality feel. But so is Mazda6, I can't believe he is reviewing the same car as I was driving...well, perhaps different trims have different quality feeling...

 

[MAZDAMAN]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

I would say just by looking at the pictures, the Mazda is higher quality looking. The altima's dials look like they came from a cooking stove.

 

[RodneyJ]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

From the article, it appears that the Author is Biased towards the Mondeo :zzz :zzz

The Mazda6, with all it's different Models, bodyshapes and engine sizes, is a car with much more "Character".

It puts the FUN back into driving !!!

When I test drove it for the first time, I could not get the smile off my face !!!

Cheers
Rod from Australia

 

[DMan]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

What a completely biased review......

This guy comes across as comparing all others to his own personal car god, the Ford Mondeo.

I expect valid criticisms from motoring journalists, but to compare to just one car, rather than many, leads me to believe he has another agenda....

Maybe Ford gave this guy a free Mondeo????!!! Nah, couldn't be. Journalists can't be bought...they are above reproach, aren't they????!!!!

My own criticism is of the steering on the M6, which I felt is a little too light. In my opinion, light power steering detracts from the experience and the feeling of the road. I'm sure I would get used to it, but this guy goes on and on about how ordinary the M6 is compared to his beloved Mondeo.

I don't give this guy's opinion much weight, but thanks for posting it anyway.

DMan.

 

[kenoka]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

I thought it would be nice to at least get a contrarian view in here, if for nothing else than for flame bait.
Seriously though, the Mondeo is from all reports a very good car. Let's not start Mondeo bashing, since it is a product of the FoMoCo. I liked the comparo in Top Gear better. I think it was more even handed in comparing the Mondeo to the 6, and of course they feel the 6 is the better car.

 

[DennyA]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

I wonder why Ford doesn't release the Mondeo in the USA, if it's such a great car?

Their lineup here is just terrible. I haven't seen a Ford that interested me since I bought my '89 Probe.

ZX2? Look, a generic car!
Focus? Ugly econobox.
Mustang? Was cool when they introduced that design in 1979. Revamp it, already.
Taurus? Most boring car. Ever.
Crown Victoria? Call me again when I'm 65. Or decide to become a cop or cabbie.

and the one cool car they make...

Thunderbird. But again, aimed at an older market. Looks a lot cooler than it drives.

There's definitely room in their line for the Mondeo. They had a small sedan at one point, the Tempo. (Which is also the name of an antacid, which is what you'd want to take after looking at one. )

I drove my Ford Probe for 11 years, till I got my Miata. It was a great-handling car, and for the time, it looked amazingly slick. But Ford seems to have abandoned that market in the USA.

 

[applejax]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

QUOTE

Originally posted by DennyA


            I wonder why Ford doesn't release the Mondeo in the USA, if it's such a great car?[/b]

Didn't they? The Contour was on the Mondeo platfrom.

QUOTE

Focus? Ugly econobox.[/b]

While I don't agree with ugly, an econobox is an econobox, and this one is a piece of [email protected]#

QUOTE

Taurus? Most boring car. Ever.[/b]

Not only that, heavy, poor braking, slug.

QUOTE

and the one cool car they make...

Thunderbird. But again, aimed at an older market. Looks a lot cooler than it drives.[/b]

Agreed.

The Cougar could have been a real sporty car. But they screwed that up, too.

QUOTE

There's definitely room in their line for the Mondeo. They had a small sedan at one point, the Tempo. (Which is also the name of an antacid, which is what you'd want to take after looking at one. )[/b]

Rumor is the next Mondeo will be on the new 6 platform. If Ford had any brains, they'd pay some attention to quality and release a reliable car that performs well. And performance != (that's not equal to for all the non-geeks) Mustang!!

 

[MightyMazda]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

Wasn't the Ford Probe essentially a jazzed up 626 originally? As I remember, both came out of the Flat Rock, MI plant. The Probe looked so cool when it was first released but it did not age well...couple of years later it looked very very dated.

The MX-6 was at least at first a 2-door coupe version of the 626, wasn't it? With flared fenders.

That little MX3 was a pretty cool car...I remember wishing I had picked one of those up instead of my 626 but I still love my 626.

MM

 

[Matt]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

The Probe was the MX-6 of Ford. The MX-6 (in America still called 626 coupe, right?) was build on the same platform as the 626. Also like the Xedos 6..

 

[kenoka]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

QUOTE

I wonder why Ford doesn't release the Mondeo in the USA, if it's such a great car?[/b]

Denny - The previous generation Mondeo was released here as the Ford Contour. It was a tremendous flop, as the buyers looked at a car that was 20% smaller than a Taurus at pretty much the same price and said no thanks in droves. For that matter the previous generation Mondeo was no great shakes in Europe either. It was prototypical Ford: no character, and kind of cheapish. The new generation Mondeo on the other hand is spot on as the Brits would say. It has a high quality comfy interior, a distinctive and attractive exterior (as opposed to the Taurus, which is just distinctive); and is rated as the best handler in its class in Europe. High praise given how competitive it is over there. Why haven't they brought it over? Well they got burned on the last attempt, and also the UAW would rear its ugly head over importing a car from Europe.
Matt Mazda is correct; the Probe and the MX-6 shared a platform. They were in fact built in the same factory. I'm not sure it was the same platform as the 626, but in the US it was called the MX-6, not 626 coupe.

 

[Steve 6er]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

As Matt said; it was the same platform as the 626. Presumably the best ford ever then...

 

[Matt]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

QUOTE

Presumably the best ford ever then...[/b]

Well.....that generation 626 wás a good car to drive. so.....

 

[Blackbird]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

In sweden at least there is a "real" 626 Coupé. It's from like... mid-eightis. Looks a lot like a Nissan Skyline GT-R R32. Really nice car to look at. Seen such cars from like... 2000$ in good shape...

http://www.nordicstyling.nu/medlemmar/mazd...a/medlem336.htm
A 626 Coupé.

 

[kenoka]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

Actually I think that's the same car. I believe that's a first generation MX-6 in the US. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Matt]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

You are right. But here it was called 626 coupe

 

[Gasjs]

Replying to Topic 'Review from autozine'

I haven't read that article and ain't gonna do it!

My friend has Ford Mondeo 2.0 Ghia and I have Mazda6 GT.
Ford Mondeo is an excellent family sedan without any ambitions.
Mazda6 despite its agressive look is also just a family sedan. With some
ambitions though. As far as I have seen, Mondeo is very similar to Mazda6 in
most dimensions and quality of plastics. The only difference is in style - Mondeo
is very conservative (unlike Focus); while Mazda6 is impressive, agressive and
certainly more eye-catching.
As for driving quality. Both I and my friend have not tried our cars to run faster than
140kmh. Both are handling very good at these speeds. Since there is no normal
possibility to safely go faster in Latvia, there is no room and need for comparison
of handling capabilities at highe speeds.
So the choice is open to subjective preferences, availability of car (queues for
Mazda6 are to impressive) and price (Mazda6 is bit cheaper than Ford Mondeo
in Latvia).
But there are some clear advantages for Mondeo. It is available with V6 in Europe.
It has excellent tdci diesel engines, which are much better than Mazda6 diesels
(according to reports I've read). It is more suited for Latvia's bad quality roads
than Mazda6.