2016 Mazda six sedan proves life in the middle doesn’t have to be boring
You need more space. You want better fuel economy. You don’t want an SUV.
And while you’re not sure what the heck makes a crossover a crossover, rather than simply an SUV, you’re pretty sure you don’t want one of those either.
Most of all, you don’t want a vehicle that you see a million times, one that you’ll spot in every parking lot outside of every train station, every office, every dorm, and every grocery store.
Call us crazy, but we some Tesla Model S and Maserati Quattroporte in the sleek lines of this family sedan.
The two thousand sixteen Mazda six come with a 184-horsepower Two.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, along with a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.
Our test car was tooled in range-topping Grand Touring trim.
So what do you want?
For once, the logical reaction is one that’s also a entire lot of joy. To put it simply, the two thousand sixteen Mazda six is one of the most entertaining ways of getting from Point A to Point B with four doors, room for car seats, luggage space to tackle errands, and a price that permits you to afford running all those errands in the very first place.
It’s also indeed good looking, with a bold front grill, muscular fenders, and an elegantly tapering roofline. From certain angles, believe it or not, I see a hint of Tesla Model S, maybe even some Maserati Quattroporte, in the exterior design of this family-focused Mazda sedan.
A Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion are all fine looking four doors. They predominate sales charts but, if the midsize sedan champ was crowned solely on design, none of them would hit the Mazda 6.
For the two thousand sixteen model year, the interior is ultimately a match for what you see outside. Mazda has ditched the fussy buttons and several-sizes-too-small infotainment screen from the previous version. Step into the fresh model and you’re introduced with a dashboard that is much less visually bulky. There is a leaner and airier feel to the entire cockpit, and the infotainment screen looks classy standing proud of the upper dash, alongside the engine’s starter button.
Amongst the midsize sedan segment, we’d bet on the two thousand sixteen Mazda six as being the belle of the ball when it comes to good looks.
A spacious trunk and commodious cabin make the two thousand sixteen Mazda six a sensible and Joy family sedan.
Even the dual-zone climate controls got my seal of approval for their placement and ease of use – not that climate controls in other vehicles usually leave me lost and confused. This is simply a cabin that gets it right, in lots of little ways, not to mention some big ones, such as a commodious rear seat and nicely sculpted steering wheel that’s utter of handy controls.
My test car was tooled in the Grand Touring trim level, which includes standard features like a power moonroof, 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment, 6-way power passenger seat, Bose surround-sound 11-speaker stereo, LED headlights, leather seats, navigation with real-time traffic reports, rear spoiler, 19-inch dark silver alloy wheels, and “Smart City Brake Support,” a low speed brake assist and collision warning safety feature.
Speaking of safety, the Mazda six scores Harvard-levels of good grades when it comes to crash test ratings. Radar cruise control, blind spot warning system, rear cross traffic alerts, lane departure warnings, rear view camera, and intelligent headlights that turn based on speed and steering angle were all part of the hugely astounding arsenal of safety items fitted to my test vehicle.
With the revised cabin introduced for the two thousand sixteen model year, the latest Mazda six is a fantastic finished package.
Our test car was fitted with leather seats, power moonroof, dual-zone climate control, and Bose stereo amongst many other standard features.
The spacious rear seat is good news for anyone with lots of people – or stuff – to haul on a regular basis.
Tunnel vision? The Mazda six now has a smarter navigation system that uses a larger display screen.
The infotainment controls seemed eerily familiar in the two thousand sixteen Mazda 6. A week later we drove an Audi A4 and, ah-ha, it seems Mazda has done a fine job copying the German automaker’s MMI interface.
So we’ve got style, space, and safety all screwed down. Even with those attributes, that’s not enough to drive the Mazda six onto the automotive radar screens of people who automatically think Accord and Camry when shopping for a sedan.
To do that, a test drive is in order, because the driving practice is where this Mazda shines brightest. The rail quality, treating, and plasticity of the powertrain give the six an athleticism that’s lacking from most mainstream cars – not to mention the vast majority of SUVs and crossovers.
I don’t want to use the term “sporty.” It’s an overused term in car reviews and is now fastened to pretty much anything with slightly stickier tires, or droopier and loopier aero kits. The Mazda’s 184-horsepower Two.5-liter 4-cylinder and 6-speed automatic do a fine job of moving this car down the road, but you wouldn’t call it prompt. Those 19-inch wheels and the nimble front-wheel-drive chassis provide reassuring grip, yet this isn’t the type of speed machine that brags about hot-lap times at the Nurburgring racetrack.
It’s worth noting that the Mazda six has scored very astounding figures in a diversity of crash test ratings.
The Mazda six has an athletic driving style that is light, entertaining, loosening, and always pleasant.
What makes the Mazda six a delight is how all the mechanical parts complement each other. This is a loosening car to drive, while at the same time being one that urges you to love the drive.
Go ahead; wiggle that steering wheel a little, even when you’re cruising along an arrow-straight road.
Stab the brakes a bit tighter than normal when injecting a taut corner, most likely on a road you’ve driven a million times before and one that, wait a minute, abruptly seems a lot more arousing than you recall!
In an era when visiting a fresh city far too often entails going to the same chain stores you have back home, the Mazda six is a refreshing break from the herd mentality. It’s the family sedan for someone not willing to wait thirty minutes to pick a protein, or give their name and having to “step aside sir” when ordering a cup of plain black coffee.
There is a lot of MX-5 Miata in this sedan’s engineering DNA, but also a sensible side that includes excellent fuel economy – up to forty miles per gallon on the highway, for certain trim levels – and safety ratings to make your mom proud.
The Mazda six is different. Different is good. And the two thousand sixteen Mazda six is proof you can have joy while still looking, and driving, like a real grown-up.
Did you find this article helpful? If so, please share it using the “Join the Conversation” buttons below, and thank you for visiting Daily News Autos.
Review: two thousand sixteen Mazda six – NY Daily News
2016 Mazda six sedan proves life in the middle doesn’t have to be boring
You need more space. You want better fuel economy. You don’t want an SUV.
And while you’re not sure what the heck makes a crossover a crossover, rather than simply an SUV, you’re pretty sure you don’t want one of those either.
Most of all, you don’t want a vehicle that you see a million times, one that you’ll spot in every parking lot outside of every train station, every office, every dorm, and every grocery store.
Call us crazy, but we some Tesla Model S and Maserati Quattroporte in the sleek lines of this family sedan.
The two thousand sixteen Mazda six come with a 184-horsepower Two.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, along with a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.
Our test car was tooled in range-topping Grand Touring trim.
So what do you want?
For once, the logical response is one that’s also a entire lot of joy. To put it simply, the two thousand sixteen Mazda six is one of the most entertaining ways of getting from Point A to Point B with four doors, room for car seats, luggage space to tackle errands, and a price that permits you to afford running all those errands in the very first place.
It’s also indeed good looking, with a bold front grill, muscular fenders, and an elegantly tapering roofline. From certain angles, believe it or not, I see a hint of Tesla Model S, maybe even some Maserati Quattroporte, in the exterior design of this family-focused Mazda sedan.
A Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion are all fine looking four doors. They predominate sales charts but, if the midsize sedan champ was crowned solely on design, none of them would hit the Mazda 6.
For the two thousand sixteen model year, the interior is eventually a match for what you see outside. Mazda has ditched the fussy buttons and several-sizes-too-small infotainment screen from the previous version. Step into the fresh model and you’re introduced with a dashboard that is much less visually bulky. There is a leaner and airier feel to the entire cockpit, and the infotainment screen looks classy standing proud of the upper dash, alongside the engine’s starter button.
Amongst the midsize sedan segment, we’d bet on the two thousand sixteen Mazda six as being the belle of the ball when it comes to good looks.
A spacious trunk and commodious cabin make the two thousand sixteen Mazda six a sensible and Joy family sedan.
Even the dual-zone climate controls got my seal of approval for their placement and ease of use – not that climate controls in other vehicles usually leave me lost and confused. This is simply a cabin that gets it right, in lots of little ways, not to mention some big ones, such as a commodious rear seat and nicely sculpted steering wheel that’s utter of handy controls.
My test car was tooled in the Grand Touring trim level, which includes standard features like a power moonroof, 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment, 6-way power passenger seat, Bose surround-sound 11-speaker stereo, LED headlights, leather seats, navigation with real-time traffic reports, rear spoiler, 19-inch dark silver alloy wheels, and “Smart City Brake Support,” a low speed brake assist and collision warning safety feature.
Speaking of safety, the Mazda six scores Harvard-levels of good grades when it comes to crash test ratings. Radar cruise control, blind spot warning system, rear cross traffic alerts, lane departure warnings, rear view camera, and intelligent headlights that turn based on speed and steering angle were all part of the hugely awesome arsenal of safety items fitted to my test vehicle.
With the revised cabin introduced for the two thousand sixteen model year, the latest Mazda six is a fantastic finished package.
Our test car was fitted with leather seats, power moonroof, dual-zone climate control, and Bose stereo amongst many other standard features.
The spacious rear seat is good news for anyone with lots of people – or stuff – to haul on a regular basis.
Tunnel vision? The Mazda six now has a smarter navigation system that uses a larger display screen.
The infotainment controls seemed eerily familiar in the two thousand sixteen Mazda 6. A week later we drove an Audi A4 and, ah-ha, it seems Mazda has done a fine job copying the German automaker’s MMI interface.
So we’ve got style, space, and safety all drilled down. Even with those attributes, that’s not enough to drive the Mazda six onto the automotive radar screens of people who automatically think Accord and Camry when shopping for a sedan.
To do that, a test drive is in order, because the driving practice is where this Mazda shines brightest. The rail quality, treating, and plasticity of the powertrain give the six an athleticism that’s lacking from most mainstream cars – not to mention the vast majority of SUVs and crossovers.
I don’t want to use the term “sporty.” It’s an overused term in car reviews and is now fastened to pretty much anything with slightly stickier tires, or droopier and loopier aero kits. The Mazda’s 184-horsepower Two.5-liter 4-cylinder and 6-speed automatic do a fine job of moving this car down the road, but you wouldn’t call it quick. Those 19-inch wheels and the nimble front-wheel-drive chassis provide reassuring grip, yet this isn’t the type of speed machine that brags about hot-lap times at the Nurburgring racetrack.
It’s worth noting that the Mazda six has scored very exceptional figures in a diversity of crash test ratings.
The Mazda six has an athletic driving style that is light, entertaining, calming, and always pleasant.
What makes the Mazda six a delight is how all the mechanical parts complement each other. This is a loosening car to drive, while at the same time being one that urges you to love the drive.
Go ahead; wiggle that steering wheel a little, even when you’re cruising along an arrow-straight road.
Stab the brakes a bit firmer than normal when injecting a taut corner, most likely on a road you’ve driven a million times before and one that, wait a minute, abruptly seems a lot more titillating than you reminisce!
In an era when visiting a fresh city far too often entails going to the same chain stores you have back home, the Mazda six is a refreshing break from the herd mentality. It’s the family sedan for someone not willing to wait thirty minutes to pick a protein, or give their name and having to “step aside sir” when ordering a cup of plain black coffee.
There is a lot of MX-5 Miata in this sedan’s engineering DNA, but also a sensible side that includes excellent fuel economy – up to forty miles per gallon on the highway, for certain trim levels – and safety ratings to make your mom proud.
The Mazda six is different. Different is good. And the two thousand sixteen Mazda six is proof you can have joy while still looking, and driving, like a real grown-up.
Did you find this article helpful? If so, please share it using the “Join the Conversation” buttons below, and thank you for visiting Daily News Autos.