Well, I finally got around to test driving the Mazda6 this weekend. The nearest Mazda dealer is about half an hour drive away, so it's not exactly convenient. Also, it's not high on my girlfriend's priority list, so she had to be coaxed along. Anyway, on to the driving impressions.
First, I drove a white Mazda 6s 5 speed. It had the premium package, but no sport, no comfort. The upholstery is like corduroy. It's not very soft, but does look durable. I could live with it, but I'm planning on the sport package so it's probably a moot point. The tilt/telescoping wheel is fabulous. I was quickly able to get an ideal driving position. I do like the power seat. It's decadent, but what the hey. The rest of the interior is as I've expected. The exterior was of course stunning. The white looked a little muted, especially without the sport package. Looking at other cars on the lot, I really loved the Lapis blue. The Redfire looked a little too brown, the silver was sort of blah, and the steel gray too dark. The black was gorgeous, but we all know the problems with black. The yellow was eye-catching of course, but not my style. All in all, if they don't bring in the Titanium Gray, I'm leaning toward the Lapis Blue.
Controls: The wheel is great. After adjustment, it felt like part of my body. It's a nice size: small in diameter but meaty. The clutch is VERY light; almost too light. You could pound that thing in and out all day without feeling tired. (When I went back to my Forester, the clutch felt like a lead weight all of a sudden.) The shifter is very mechanical. It slots home very nicely. It feels heavy. There is a sense of weight to the whole process. It's not conducive to quick shifting, but the feel is nice in spite of this. All controls are well laid out ergonomically speaking. The pedals are in pretty good position for heel-toe maneuvers.
Handling: As has been previously reported, the steering is light on center, but well weighted in turns. The suspension is an absolute marvel. It is composed, predictable, and sure-footed. Body roll is minimal and unobtrusive. Torque steer is pretty much non-existent. Simply the best handling front-drive mid-size I've ever had the privilege to drive. Comparisons to BMW may seem far-fetched on paper, but I see what people mean now. The front-driver reacts and behaves more like a proper rear wheel drive sport sedan than anything I've ever sat in. The level of composure in the suspension inspires absolute confidence. I'll even be so cheesy as to say I felt one with the car.
Power: The Duratec sourced V6 was very enjoyable. Although somewhat sluggish below 3000 RPM, it opened up with a pleasant throaty growl at the upper registers. Above 4500 RPM, it began inducing an evil grin that simply wouldn't go away. It behaved more like a smaller turbo-charged engine than a typical large displacement American motor. Personally I like this type of tuning. It basically gives you two different cars. The quiet easy-going purr for around town and in traffic, and the throaty, sporty beast for the twisties.
NVH: Overall very good. Wind noise began to be noticeable above 75 MPH. The road noise was a little annoying, but not as bad as some have made out. No squeaks or rattles to speak of.
The 6i was like a minime version of the same experience. All the roar and growl, and great handling, and nice cabin, but without the power. It was fun as well, but not in the same way. I didn't really notice much of a difference in balance between the two; the V6 didn't feel noticeably more nose heavy than the 4. All in all, I'd definitely give the nod to the V6 if you have the means.
Just for comparison's sake, I also went and drove a WRX sedan. Power from a roll felt very similar to the V6. The engine is naturally more sluggish off boost, but there is a more urgent pull above 3500RPM. The suspension was a bit more roly-poly, which is to be expected given its rally roots. The handling is very good, but different. Again, only natural given the differences in size and powertrain. After being in the 6's cabin, the WRX felt a bit small, cheap, and noisy. No surprise, given the different class of car. Hmm, so it seems the only real similarities between these two cars are sporty aspirations, price, and power. In spite of this, they're both still on my list.
First, I drove a white Mazda 6s 5 speed. It had the premium package, but no sport, no comfort. The upholstery is like corduroy. It's not very soft, but does look durable. I could live with it, but I'm planning on the sport package so it's probably a moot point. The tilt/telescoping wheel is fabulous. I was quickly able to get an ideal driving position. I do like the power seat. It's decadent, but what the hey. The rest of the interior is as I've expected. The exterior was of course stunning. The white looked a little muted, especially without the sport package. Looking at other cars on the lot, I really loved the Lapis blue. The Redfire looked a little too brown, the silver was sort of blah, and the steel gray too dark. The black was gorgeous, but we all know the problems with black. The yellow was eye-catching of course, but not my style. All in all, if they don't bring in the Titanium Gray, I'm leaning toward the Lapis Blue.
Controls: The wheel is great. After adjustment, it felt like part of my body. It's a nice size: small in diameter but meaty. The clutch is VERY light; almost too light. You could pound that thing in and out all day without feeling tired. (When I went back to my Forester, the clutch felt like a lead weight all of a sudden.) The shifter is very mechanical. It slots home very nicely. It feels heavy. There is a sense of weight to the whole process. It's not conducive to quick shifting, but the feel is nice in spite of this. All controls are well laid out ergonomically speaking. The pedals are in pretty good position for heel-toe maneuvers.
Handling: As has been previously reported, the steering is light on center, but well weighted in turns. The suspension is an absolute marvel. It is composed, predictable, and sure-footed. Body roll is minimal and unobtrusive. Torque steer is pretty much non-existent. Simply the best handling front-drive mid-size I've ever had the privilege to drive. Comparisons to BMW may seem far-fetched on paper, but I see what people mean now. The front-driver reacts and behaves more like a proper rear wheel drive sport sedan than anything I've ever sat in. The level of composure in the suspension inspires absolute confidence. I'll even be so cheesy as to say I felt one with the car.
Power: The Duratec sourced V6 was very enjoyable. Although somewhat sluggish below 3000 RPM, it opened up with a pleasant throaty growl at the upper registers. Above 4500 RPM, it began inducing an evil grin that simply wouldn't go away. It behaved more like a smaller turbo-charged engine than a typical large displacement American motor. Personally I like this type of tuning. It basically gives you two different cars. The quiet easy-going purr for around town and in traffic, and the throaty, sporty beast for the twisties.
NVH: Overall very good. Wind noise began to be noticeable above 75 MPH. The road noise was a little annoying, but not as bad as some have made out. No squeaks or rattles to speak of.
The 6i was like a minime version of the same experience. All the roar and growl, and great handling, and nice cabin, but without the power. It was fun as well, but not in the same way. I didn't really notice much of a difference in balance between the two; the V6 didn't feel noticeably more nose heavy than the 4. All in all, I'd definitely give the nod to the V6 if you have the means.
Just for comparison's sake, I also went and drove a WRX sedan. Power from a roll felt very similar to the V6. The engine is naturally more sluggish off boost, but there is a more urgent pull above 3500RPM. The suspension was a bit more roly-poly, which is to be expected given its rally roots. The handling is very good, but different. Again, only natural given the differences in size and powertrain. After being in the 6's cabin, the WRX felt a bit small, cheap, and noisy. No surprise, given the different class of car. Hmm, so it seems the only real similarities between these two cars are sporty aspirations, price, and power. In spite of this, they're both still on my list.
