PowerSteering: two thousand sixteen Mazda six Review
Just two years after a accomplish redesign for the two thousand fourteen model year, Mazda freshens the two thousand sixteen Mazda six with subtle exterior styling switches and interior surface refinements. A fresh Mazda Connect information and entertainment system debuts this year, addressing the most significant complaint that Mazda six owners voiced in the J.D. Power two thousand fifteen U.S. Automotive Spectacle, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Probe, SM in which it ranked highest among twelve midsize cars in overall appeal.
Before we discuss the results of our evaluation of the refreshed two thousand sixteen Mazda 6, it is helpful to understand what owners said about the two thousand fifteen Mazda six in the two thousand fifteen U.S. APEAL Explore and who those owners are.
Extra significant differences exist inbetween Mazda six buyers and midsize car buyers as a entire, including:
- A higher percentage of Mazda six owners consider themselves to be Price Buyers (38% for Mazda six vs. 29% segment average) or Spectacle Buyers (18% for Mazda six vs. 10% segment average)
- A lower percentage of Mazda six owners choose to buy a vehicle from a U.S. company (7% for Mazda six vs. 24% segment average)
- A higher percentage of Mazda six owners choose to drive a vehicle that stands out from the crowd (41% for Mazda six vs. 27% segment average)
- A lower percentage of Mazda six owners agree that a vehicle is just a way of getting from place to place (10% for Mazda six vs. 15% segment average)
In the sections that go after, our pro discusses how the two thousand sixteen Mazda six measures up in each of the ten categories that comprise the two thousand fifteen U.S. APEAL Investigate.
People notice this car. Certainly, the glowing Soul Crimson paint helps, but even without Mazda’s signature paint color, the Mazda six has an undeniably attractive and beautifully balanced design. Impressively tailored, the Mazda six exudes character and directives attention without resorting to visual bluster and noisy, discordant styling details.
For 2016, Mazda substitutes the Grand Touring’s available Sand leather color with a fresh Parchment color, which is a creamy white. Set against the black carpets, black interior panels, and piano black trim elements, the result is an upscale 2-tone appearance that looks terrific. However, I question how long it might take for fashionable dark-rinse blue jeans to discolor the leather, or for children to make a mess of the back seat.
Slip behind the Mazda 6’s steering wheel and you’ll find the car to be a snug fit if you’re broader or taller than the average person. The driving position is ideal, however, and the feeling is one of proximity and a connection with the road, entirely aligned with Mazda’s “Driving Matters” advertising and brand tagline.
Located underneath the center air vents in the center of the dashboard, the Mazda 6’s dual-zone automatic climate control system is standard for the Touring and Grand Touring. It combines large, well-marked buttons with temperature adjustment knobs and a ordinary, clear display screen showcasing airflow mode, fan speed, and temperature settings. Like the rest of the Mazda 6’s controls and displays, it is blessedly plain and straightforward in terms of operation.
In 2015, the element owners liked least about their Mazda six sedans was the infotainment system, comprised of the radio, Bluetooth communications, and navigation system. With the debut of Mazda Connect technology, that switches for 2016.
Despite switches to the car’s center console design, storage space is conservative. However, the trays, bins, and holders that Mazda provides are usefully sized and shaped, and are lined with felt or rubber in order to quell unnecessary rattles and gyrates.
Large side mirrors and lean windshield piles translate into an excellent view to the front and sides of the two thousand sixteen Mazda 6. A tall trunk and prompt roofline make rear visibility more challenging, but a standard reversing camera resolves this issue when backing the car out of a driveway or parking space.
Employing a direct-injection, 184-horsepower, Two.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, the two thousand sixteen Mazda six is one of the few midsize cars available with a manual gearbox. Mazda supplies this choice in both base Sport and mid-level Touring trim levels as standard equipment. It is a terrific gearbox, too, boasting brief, fluid shifts and a light, effortless clutch.
According to the EPA, the Mazda six Touring with a manual gearbox should comeback twenty nine mpg in combined driving, while the Mazda six Grand Touring tooled with an automatic transmission and the optional Technology package should get thirty two mpg in combined driving.
Magnified largely by the near absence of other dynamic faults, the brake pedal’s minor lack of refinement upon initial application of the brakes could use extra attention from Mazda engineers. Most noticeable when slight braking is necessary, such as when reducing speed ahead of a corner, the pedal can feel a little gooey, making it a bit stiffer to slickly modulate the brakes, in turn distracting the driver.
For 2016, Mazda faces fresh competition in the midsize car segment. Redesigned versions of the Chevrolet Malibu and Kia Optima are on sale this year, along with updated versions of the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Volkswagen Passat. Compared with these models—and others in the segment—the Mazda six offers relatively little choice in terms of powertrain selections, and remains one of the smaller midsize cars you can buy.