Driven: Mazda6 2.2D 175PS Sport Nav
Following a test drive of the latest 6th generation SKYACTIV Mazda6 Sport Nav, see what we thought of this ready for business, fresh faced saloon.
What is it about?
The new Mazda6 is the full fat motorway monster from Mazda. The Mazda6 is ready for anything, be it a family holiday, the weekly shop, or a business meeting 4 hours away, it has everything you need and is wrapped in pure class.
The Mazda6 is part of the SKYACTIV range; the latest technology enhanced range from Mazda’s development teams. They have tuned their efficiencies to make the very most out of the cars as a whole, rather than downsizing their engines, or adding forced induction.
The styling of the Mazda6 is at its very best. The sharp and angular lines on the car are fantastic, and are beautifully displayed in soul red on the demo model. From the front of the car, particularly, it looks very aggressive and snappy which helps to give the car some great appeal. Whether you see it moving on the road, or parked up it looks great from every angle.
How does it drive?
The model on test drive is the Mazda6 2.2D 175PS Sport Nav model, which is the pick of the bunch with performance, safety, and economy all working in harmony. The 2.2 litre diesel engine puts out 175bhp and can do 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds, it has a top speed of 139mph, and all this whilst maintaining a combined fuel efficiency of 62mpg.
It’s clear from the stats that the Mazda6 is no slouch. Driving the Mazda6 on the road gives a fantastic driving experience, for a car of this size and class the sensation is surprisingly light and it effortlessly eats up the road. The diesel engine has loads of grunt, 420Nm of torque in fact, that you can use throughout most of the rev range. I often found myself smiling as I pushed my foot down a little harder. And don’t think that the Mazda6 will let itself down in the corners because of its long body, the 1,562kg car actually feels very well balanced and provides a fair bit of feedback whilst working its way through the corners.
Behind the wheel, the seating position is very good, the controls are well placed around you, and you feel well protected.
What’s it like inside?
Inside the Mazda6 is another area where the car scores really high for me. Firstly, the usable capacity of the interior of the car is immense; you can easily seat 5 adults in the car without a problem. Everything you touch inside the car has had thought put into it, there is great use of materials including some very nice light stone, heated, leather seats.
My personal favourite feature of the Mazda6 is the Bose sound system, which sounds brilliant and will certainly help you enjoy driving the Mazda6 even more.
The Experience
The experience of owning the Mazda6 is a great one. There are a couple of very distinguishing factors that I believe add great appeal to the car. Firstly, and I know it’s subjective, but the looks of this car. Mazda have perfected the design of this car now, front to back the car looks unbelievably good. Secondly, the spirit that Mazda somehow capture in the driving experience of SKYACTIV Mazda6. The car seems to defy the physics of being a long practical car, behind the wheel the car still has sharp steering, and a willingness to keep going, something that you would get from a smaller roadster. How is that even possible?
Verdict
The 6th generation SKYACTIVE Mazda6 2.2D is not only a great alternative to all other common 4 door saloons, for both business and family life, but it can be looked at as a leader in exceptional exterior design, and cleverly captured driving spirit.
Video Highlights
Specification
Mazda6 2.2D 175 PS Sport Nav
- Price: £27,855
- Engine: 2.2-Litre Diesel
- Power: 175bhp
- Torque: 420Nm
- Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
- 0-62mph: 7.9 Seconds
- Top speed: 139mph
- Weight: 1,562kg
- Economy combined: 62mpg
- CO2: 119g/km
Author: Paul Hadley
