Estate
The Mazda is a good-looking family estate that delivers on all fronts. But, perhaps most imoprtantly, the load area is usefully shaped, easy to get at, and, when you need more room, the rear seats drop easily and quickly, with no need to remove the headrests first.
To cap it all, the cabin is roomy enough for five, and the driver’s seat suits all shapes and sizes, with a good view out. Then, of course, because it’s a Mazda, it promises to stay super-reliable provided you service it properly. And, where older Mazdas hid their talents beneath dull bodies and yawn-some cabins, this one is handsome. The quality of the materials is good, too, and the workmanship looks top-notch. Best of all, its quality goes more than skin-deep. The range gained four stars out of five from Euro NCAP for occupant crash protection, but only one star out of four for protecting pedestrians. It's every bit as good to drive, too - the estate has direct steering and handles tidily. The ride’s generally comfortable, too - although it's definitely on the firm side at low speeds, it settles nicely once you reach out-of-town speeds. Even on the motorway, the cabin is refined, although, whatever engine you choose, you will hear some engine noise if you work it hard.
Running Costs
Mazda dealers charge plenty for servicing and repairs, although most, at least, will treat you politely and fairly. During the car’s early years, it is probably worth staying with them to get a set of Mazda stamps on the service records. Because Mazdas are so dependable, you shouldn’t see many unexpected bills until well into the 6’s life. Switching to an independent garage should cut your costs, but it may not be as easy to find a specialist as if you owned a Ford or Vauxhall. On the other hand, it keeps a bigger chunk of its value over time than a Mondeo or Vectra. Insurance groups are low for a big estate: group 7 for 119bhp 2.0 diesel, and group 9 for the 2.0 petrol and 140bhp 2.0 diesel. As you’d guess, the diesels travel furthest per gallon, the 140bhp returning up to 46mpg overall and the 119bhp 43mpg. The 2.0 petrol manages 35mpg.
Hatchback
This is a good-looking family hatch that delivers on all fronts, and it should stay bullet-proof provided you service it properly - and the previous owner did the same. Older Mazdas may have had dull bodies and cabins, but this is one handsome beast. Inside, too, the quality of the materials is impressive and the workmanship among the best. It’s also nicely set up to drive the steering is direct and the handling tidy. The ride’s generally comfortable, too - although it's a bit firm at low speeds, it settles nicely when you pick up the pace. And, refinement isn't too bad, either: the cabin is hushed, even on the motorway, although - with any engine - some engine noise intrudes when you work it hard. The driver’s seat suits all shapes and sizes, while forward vision is good. The view out of the back, however, is nipped by the high bootline, making reversing tricky. Space is generous for the passengers, and the seats drop quickly and simply if you need to extend the already sizeable boot.
Running Costs
Mazda dealers charge plenty for servicing and repairs, but most, at least, will treat you politely and fairly. During the car’s early years, it's probably worth staying with a main dealer just to get a set of Mazda stamps on the service records. Because Mazdas are so dependable, you shouldn’t see many unexpected bills until well into the 6’s life. Switching to an independent garage should cut your bills, although this may not be as easy to do as it is for Ford and Vauxhall owners, simply because there are fewer Mazda specialists out there. Insurance groups are low for a big car: group 7 for the 1.8 and the 119bhp 2.0 diesel, group 9 for the 2.0 petrol and 140bhp 2.0 diesel, and group 13 for the 2.3. As you’d guess, the diesels travel furthest per gallon, the 140bhp returning up to 47mpg overall and the 119bhp 43mpg. The 1.8 manages 36mpg, the 2.0 35mpg and the 2.3 28mpg.
Saloon
This is a good-looking family car that delivers on all fronts, and it should stay bullet-proof provided you service it properly (and the previous owner did the same, of course). Older Mazdas may have had dull bodies and cabins, but this is one handsome beast. The quality of the materials used inside is impressive and the workmanship looks to be among the best. It’s also nicely set up to drive the steering is direct and it handles tidily. The ride’s generally comfortable, too: although it's a bit firm at low speeds, it settles down nicely once the pace picks up. Refinement isn't too bad, either: the cabin is hushed, even on the motorway, although - whatever engine you have - you'll have to put up with some engine noise when you work it hard. Drivers will also appreciate their seat, which suits all shapes and sizes, and the good view to the front. However, the view to the back is nipped by the high bootline, making reversing tricky. Last, but not least, the space inside is generous for passengers and luggage alike, and the rear seats drop quickly and simply if you need to extend the already sizeable boot.
Running Costs
Mazda dealers charge plenty for servicing and repairs, but most, at least, will treat you politely and fairly. During the car’s early years, it's probably worth staying with a main dealer just to get a set of Mazda stamps on the service records. Because Mazdas are so dependable, you shouldn’t see many unexpected bills until well into the 6’s life. Switching to an independent garage should cut your bills, although this may not be as easy to do as it is for Ford and Vauxhall owners, simply because there are fewer Mazda specialists out there. Insurance groups are low for a car of this size: group 7 for the 1.8 and the 119bhp 2.0 diesel, group 9 for the 2.0 petrol and 140bhp 2.0 diesel, and group 13 for the 2.3. As you’d guess, the diesels travel furthest per gallon, the 140bhp returning up to 47mpg overall and the 119bhp 43mpg. However, the petrols aren't too bad, the 1.8 managing 36mpg, the 2.0 35mpg and the 2.3 28mpg.
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