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Mazda 6

Newcomer adds style to strong family car credentials

Mazda front

February 2008

When Mazda launched its first-generation 6 in 2002, it rocked the foundations of the family car class. Here was a large, affordable model that looked sleek and had pin-sharp handling.

Six years later, the firm has employed a similar formula, and done it again. Bosses claim they want to inject some of the MX-5 roadster’s ‘joie de vivre’ into an otherwise staid sector of the market. And you have to admit the designers have done a great job.

The 6 is not a small car, but it’s handsome, with real showroom appeal. In the confines of a dealer forecourt, it’s not easy to take in the carefully sculpted bodywork. Yet from a distance, the design successfully disguises the fact the Mazda is only 100mm shorter than a BMW X5. The upmarket detailing is one reason we would urge you to seek it out. The 3D-effect light clusters, chrome window trim and driver-oriented cockpit all make the newcomer feel special.

OK, so the plastics can’t match those in Ford’s latest Mondeo, but open the bootlid and the 510-litre space is at least as well packaged as the blue oval model. A smart seat folding mechanism – which lowers the base as the backrest drops down – means there’s a maximum of 1,702 litres on offer.

If that’s not a particularly exciting fact, it does prove that the 6 is more than just a pretty face. So, what else should you look out for? Well, we recommend you take a test drive. There’s no denying the car knows how to entertain, with sharp steering and an eager chassis. Although this means it’s not as refined as the best in the class, Mazda deserves praise for sticking to its guns and ensuring the 6 has the same focus on fun as sportier cars in its range.

As a mass-market model (15,000 should find homes in the UK this year), you won’t have to wait long for delivery. Provided you’re willing to compromise on colour or options, you could have a new 6 in the next two or three weeks. Insist on waiting for a factory-build car, and you’re looking at 12-16 weeks.

Better still, however, if you can hang on until April, the first ex-demonstrators will start to become available – and you might even pick up a bargain.

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Mazda front
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Facts and Figures

DETAILS

AT A GLANCE: * Price range: £15,100-£20,320
* Running costs: 47.1-63.2ppm
* UK dealers: 158
* Info: www.theallnewmazda6.com
* Our choice: 2.0D Sport hatch
* Price: £20,320
* Engine: 2.0-litre, 138bhp
* Econ/CO2: 50.4mpg/149g/km
* 0-60mph: 10.7 seconds
 
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