Fast Facts

Verdict:
Mazda tries hard to blend a driver’s car with the needs of a family man, and the Mazda6 succeeds.

Great driving position, spacious interior, loaded with lots of kit

Engine feels a little flat towards the readline, cheap looking gear knob at odds with the rest of the cabin

The Mazda that started the whole zoom-zoom thing is back with a brand new look

By Lionel Kong

BEFORE MAZDA’S MEDIUM sedan, the 626, underwent a major image and mechanical makeover in 2002 and got re-launched as the Mazda6, the brand’s mainstream cars were in a danger of being classified as somewhat boring and pedestrian.

But the first generation Mazda6 got everything right, and paved the way for Mazda’s entire zoom-zoom advertising campaign as well a whole new generation of more adventurously styled cars including the RX-8 and new generation MX-5.

The Mazda6 returns for the encore, and judging from its muscular looks, looks all set to be another sales success. While other manufacturers continue to be obsessed with making their new cars bigger and in the process heavier, Mazda has wisely chosen to concern itself with cutting excess flab. The result is a car about 35kg lighter than the previous Mazda6, even though the new car is 65mm longer.

The pumped up front wheel arches bring to mind the RX-8, and while the whole package looks a fair bit more progressive and grown-up, there is no doubt that the Mazda6 still looks fast even while standing still.