This week we are looking at a class of car which I haven’t reviewed yet for CBG.ie. It’s a class that is suited for families, adventurers, workers and people who enjoy spacious driving in comfort. This week we’re looking at an estate car, or a Tourer as it is also known. This week’s review is the new Mazda6 Tourer.
To be honest, I am a fan of Mazda vehicles. Their cars are reliable and good performers in all of the segments they cover. The new Mazda6 is no exception to this. It’s big, it’s stylish, it’s comfortable and it’s powerful.
Inside the Mazda6
On sale in Ireland since January 2013, the interior of this car is perfect. As you would hope from a large car everything is brilliantly laid out and space is never an issue. In terms of comfort the Mazda6 Sports Tourer ticks all of the right boxes and does not disappoint.
The dash and infotainment aren’t, in my opinion, hugely different from the standard you’d see in an Opel Insignia, and this to me can only be a good thing. As like most cars it comes equipped with everything you’d expect in terms of CD, Radio, USB, iPod, Bluetooth, etc, as standard.
In terms of boot space, the Mazda6 offers just over 522l and with the seats folded down it ups that figure to 1664l. It’s also worth noting that the seats offer a 60/40 split in the back, so it is possible to load plenty in and bring a passenger at the same time.
Style
The Mazda6 is an attractive car with a long nose and curves in all of the right places. Its front grill is large and imposing and gives the car a luxurious look as well as a powerful appearance. 17” alloy wheels come as standard with the Mazda6.
To Drive
The Mazda6 is available with the following engine and gearbox options, SKYACTIV-G 2.0l (145 PS) 6-speed, SKYACTIV-D 2.2l (150 PS) 6-speed, SKYACTIV-D 2.2l (150 PS) Automatic 6-speed and SKYACTIV-D 2.2l (175 PS Automatic 6-speed. I test drove the 2.2l manual and I have to say that I found the drive to be very responsive. The chassis and body structure of the Mazda6 has become slightly stiffer in comparison with the outgoing model. The steering and suspension are responsive and from my testing this comes through at both lower and higher speeds.
It comes with a 5 star Euro NCAP rating and offers much “as standard” in this regard. You can expect; Dynamic Stability Control with Traction Control System, Supplementary Restraint System, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, airbags, Isofix and Hill Hold Assist. Smart City Brake Support is also available in some models.
Fuel economy, road tax and price
The Skyactiv Diesel engine which comes with the Mazda6 has a system called i-Eloop. This is shown on the dial beside the speedometer. This is how Mazda explains the i-Eloop system; “Mazda’s clever new regenerative braking system turning stored kinetic energy into electricity to power the vehicle’s electrical systems. Combined with Mazda’s i-Stop technology, i-Eloop delivers fuel economy improvement of about 10%.”
According to Mazda this car delivers 116g of CO2 per kilometre and offers a fuel economy of 67mpg or 4.2l/100km in new money. The Co2 emissions from this car places it in Road Tax category A4, which means at today’s rates you will be paying €200 per year.
The price range of the Mazda6 saloon and tourer is between €28,745 and €38,395.
The CBG.ie Verdict
This is a really good car. It drives very well and offers a brilliant mix of style and space.
Daragh Ó Tuama
0 comments