2008 Mazda6: Bigger, Faster, Better

Motoring Channel Staff - 13/February/2008

Melbourne, Australia — The Mazda6 has been officially launched in Australia and in addition to the stunning new design the mid-sized car will feature six airbags and dynamic stability control standard across the entire range.

As well as being bigger, more powerful, yet more practical and with better fuel economy, there will be seven all-new Mazda6 models in Australia beginning at $29,740.

Safety is a big priority for the new Japanese car, and Mazda is confident the new 6 will be the fourth model in its garage to achieve a 5-star NCAP crash rating, to match the CX-7, CX-9, and Mazda2.

With a dynamic new look and sharing components with the award-winning Ford Mondeo, the Mazda6 will be offered in three models - sedan, hatch, and wagon. 

Three trim levels will be offered: the base-model Limited starts at under $30,000; the popular Classic models priced from under $34,000; and top spec Luxury/Luxury Sports from under $44,000.

Both manual (6-speed) and automatic (5-speed) gearboxes will be offered, and the full Australian price list is as follows:

Sedan
Mazda6 Limited $29,740 (manual)
Mazda6 Limited $31,800 (automatic)
Mazda6 Classic $33,880 (manual)
Mazda6 Classic $35,940 (automatic)
Mazda6 Luxury $43,610 (automatic)

Hatch
Mazda6 Classic $34,910 (manual)
Mazda6 Classic $36,970 (automatic)
Mazda6 Luxury $44,640 (automatic)
Mazda6 Luxury Sports $44,650 (manual)
Mazda6 Luxury Sports $46,910 (automatic)

Wagon
Mazda6 Classic $37,520 (automatic)

Some 70,000 Mazda6 models have been sold since 2002 in Australia, when the car first debuted, but Mazda is not predicting huge sales for the new model - just 1,000 per month or 12,000 per year. 

Despite being the second most popular car in its segment (the Toyota Camry is #1) Mazda says that because the mid-sized car market is now populated with over 20 new models in Australia sales predictions are conservative.

The second generation Mazda6 models are larger in all respects - longer, wider, taller - which improves interior space. All models are equipped with new 2.5-litre 4-cylinder MZR petrol engines replacing the older 2.3-litre mills.

While the engines are larger and more powerful, fuel consumption has been reduced thanks to improved engineering and powertrain technology. 

Mazda claims the manual sedan versions use an average of 8.4L/100km, which is a 4.5% less than the superseded model. Automatic models use 8.7L/100km. No diesel engine has been announced as yet.

Power and torque for the new 2.5-litre MZR petrol engine are as follows:

Power: 125kW @ 6000rpm
Torque: 226Nm @ 4000rpm

While power has been increased by only 3 kilowatts, the torque increase of 19 Newton meters is far more significant, which will provide the vehicle with improved drivability as torque provides more 'pull' at lower revs.

With this improved mid-range from the extra 19Nm of torque, Mazda claims the manual versions can accelerate much quicker, taking the zero to 100km/h dash to 8.0 seconds. Top speed for the manual models is 211km/h.

Both 6-speed manual and 5-speed auto transmissions are offered and Luxury/Luxury Sports automatic models benefit from steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.

Some models do get the new CF-Net system - which stands for Cross Functional Network. This innovation is comprised of a number of switches and buttons on the steering wheel "which provide integrated control of navigation, audio, air conditioning, driving information, and other systems through simple, smooth operation and a centralised display at the top of the instrument panel to minimise movement of the driver’s line of sight," says Mazda.

Noteworthy standard features for the Mazda6 range is as follows: 

Mazda6 Limited
Air-conditioning
Cruise control
Keyless entry
CD/MP3 audio (4-speakers) with auxiliary jack
Power windows
Six airbags
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Brake assist
Active front head restraints

Mazda6 Classic
As above, but adds:
 17 inch alloy wheels
fog lamps
Dual-zone climate control
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Lumbar adjustment in the front seats
Trip computer
6-disc in-dash CD player (6-speakers)
steering wheel-mounted audio controls

Mazda6 Luxury
As above, but adds:
Leather trim
Xenon headlamps
Power sunroof
Blackout instrument cluster
Leather-wrapped gear knob
Paddle shift gear control
Electric front seats
Premium Bose 240 watt sound system (8-speakers)

Mazda6 Luxury Sports hatch
As above, but adds:
18-inch alloy wheels
Sports body kit
Aluminium pedals and footrest

While standard features list is strong, with six airbags, stability control, cruise control, ABS, air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, there are a handful of modern features that its rivals offer that have been omitted. These include items such as an adaptive headlight system, voice recognition, keyless engine start, an electronic park brake and automatic rain-sensing windscreen wipers.

Of course the new design will be the 2008 Mazda6's biggest drawcard, vying with the new Ford Mondeo as the most attractive mid-sized car in 2008.

According to Mazda, the new model is "sportier and more aggressive than the athletic first-generation model, with bold wheel arches, short overhangs and a dynamic front end."

It contrasts smooth curves with a number of angles to create a look that combines Eastern and Western design philosophies. 

The bold new headlights give the car a contemporary look and feel, while the new rear end also gets a modern design.

Mazda says the new look rear end is "richly sculptured with large, wrap-around rear lamps and a license plate integrated into the bumper for a premium look."

Range-topping Luxury Sports hatch models get plenty of aerodynamically-inspired eye candy, such as bold front and rear aprons, a rear spoiler, sports grille and big 18-inch alloy wheels shod with sports tyres (225/45 R18).

With a striking new design the 2008 Mazda6 is expected to appeal to a lot of buyers looking for a modern medium car, many of whom are expected to be upgrading their previous Mazda6 models and other Japanese mid-sizers, such as the Honda Accord Euro and Toyota Camry.

But apart from the new look there's not a great deal of advancements for Mazda6. It's bigger, more powerful, safer and more frugal, but these things are expected in new cars today. Honda's new Accord Euro is expected to offer radar-based cruise control and other cutting edge technologies, for example.

In total, Mazda has sold over 1.3 million units of the first generation Mazda6 models world-wide.

The Japanese company is predicting sales of 1,000 Mazda6s per month in Australia, with the hatch being the preferred model expected to take up half of all sales. Some 70% of sales will be for the 5-speed automatic model.

Related articles:
- Mazda RX-8 (2008)
- Mazda6 MPS Concept (2008)
- Mazda CX-9 (2008)
- Mazda2 (2008)
- Mazda6 MPS (Road Test)
- Mazda Taiki (concept)
- Mazda3 Extreme Concept (2007)
- Mazda6 Sport (Road Test)
- Mazda6 Diesel (2007)
- Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe (Road Test)
- Mazda Ryuga (concept)
- Mazda Nagare (concept)