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  1. Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    4,785
    #1
    Might as well give this its own thread since its a North American exclusive variant. (Our's is the global model)






    Specifically developed for North America, the all-new Mazda 6 inherits and evolves the sporty styling and superb driving performance of the first generation Mazda 6. The North American model features a larger body and greater engine displacement to meet the particular demands of the North American market. Handling and comfort were also optimized for North American road conditions.

    "Following the CX-7 and the CX-9, the 2009 North American Mazda 6 is the third model that was designed and engineered specifically to meet the needs of our North American customers," said Daniel T. Morris, Mazda's senior managing executive officer in charge of marketing and overseas sales. "The midsize sedan segment is extremely competitive and the Mazda 6 will be up against some of the best vehicles in the industry.

    "The all-new Mazda 6 offers plenty of Mazda's characteristic Zoom-Zoom vitality and we believe it will succeed in the challenging North American market. We will continue to deliver products that reflect our customers' needs and build Mazda's brand image in order to achieve the goals set out in our mid-term Mazda Advancement Plan."

    The all-new North American Mazda 6 will be powered by Mazda's newly developed 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder (I4) engine and its 3.7-liter V6 engine. The I4 engine is already available in the European and Japanese Mazda 6 models and the V6 promises an exhilarating ride, coming straight from the 2008 North American Truck of the Year, the Mazda CX-9. A six-speed manual and a five-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode will be available for the I4 engine. The V6 will be coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode. The North American Mazda 6 will be available only as a four-door sedan.

    The all-new North American Mazda 6 will be produced at AutoAlliance International in Flat Rock, Michigan, a joint venture with partner Ford Motor Company, as it has been since the first Mazda 6 launched in 2002.
    -NCS/ mazda-madness
    Last edited by AG4; April 26th, 2008 at 01:25 AM.

  2. Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    12,347
    #2
    Of all sporty sedans, this deserves a coupe version the most! None of that 4-door crap. I think I'm in love.

    While they're at it, make the coupe a shorter wheelbase version. I see traces of the Contour-based Mercury Cougar on the rear bumpers. But, that's fine. I liked that car too.
    Last edited by Jun aka Pekto; April 26th, 2008 at 01:38 AM.

  3. Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    2,452
    #3
    Everyone seems to be enjoying their first drive of the 2009Mazda 6. as we all know its a unique body only available in North America...

    i really hope it translates to big sales this time around, because they really deserve it.

    [Car and Driver]
    [SIZE="6"]2009 Mazda 6 - First Drive Review
    Supersize that? An undersize Mazda inches up to Accord parity.[/SIZE]
    BY PATRICK BEDARD
    May 2008



    Time to say bye-bye to the original Mazda 6, born as a 2003 model and, frankly, showing hair loss and plenty of wrinkles as it winds up its sixth year. In retrospect, it was hardly a contender, too undersized and roughly mannered to hold its place in the growing segment of family-size imported sedans as the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, and the Nissan Altima zoom-zoomed in sales.

    So Mazda aimed higher with the new 6, way higher. If buyers want size, and surveys show they do, the 2009 model leapfrogs Camry dimensions to land a shade behind the bulked-up Accord, largest of the import group. North America now gets a unique body that is distinctly larger than Europe’s and Japan’s, up 6.9 inches in length, 2.3 in width from before.

    If the customers want features, then the new 6 puts check marks in the right boxes there, too, with side and curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, and tire-pressure monitoring on all models.

    Gone is the wagon, leaving only the four-door sedan. Suffix i models have a much-revised four of 2.5 liters and 170 horsepower, standard with a six-speed manual, although most will be optioned up to the five-speed automatic. Suffix s versions pack the 60-degree, 3.7-liter V-6 of 272 horsepower that was all-new last year in the slick CX-9 crossover and is available only with a six-speed automatic.

    Automatic i models cover 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway by EPA reckoning, 17 and 25 for the s, a bit behind the class leaders, but the Mazdas are happy on regular gas.

    As this mid-size class matures along with its customers—Mazda looks hopefully toward the 50-to-54-year-olds now—the machinery drifts inevitably toward practiced competence instead of passion, appliances for the road. The Camry has been there for years. The latest Accord comes close. The Altima, alone, still fits in sports clothes. Now comes a new Mazda 6 promising the most difficult of all straddles—refined manners and appointments overlaid on high-spirited reflexes.

    After a few hours of driving early preproduction samples around Southern California, we think mission accomplished. Steering is light and alive, yet it grooves in on straight-ahead when the path calls for it. Slack has been zeroed out of brake-pedal motion. Ride is well controlled without being harsh, and noises, both road and wind, are dialed way back. Bottom line: The Mazda 6 was never like this. Think Mazda 7.
    The interior details support that conclusion, starting with the excellent graining on the dash and door panels, finished with a perfect satin sheen. The four-dial cluster is coved in the fashion of the CX-9’s, with similar red electroluminescent numerals and blue halos on the upper trim levels. Kneeroom is much improved for rear passengers.

    With its flaring front fenders, fast windshield, and coupelike slope of the rear glass, the shape is stylish and fast. The passing air likes it, too, with a drag coefficient of 0.27. V-6 versions finish off with Lexus-like flared exhaust outlets on each rear corner; the fours get paired chrome pipes on one side. Steel 16-inch wheels are standard on low-level fours, moving up to 17-inch alloys at higher trim levels; uplevel V-6s wear 18s.

    Because the majority of buyers choose four cylinders, we paid particular attention to them. The automatic version is a spunky performer in traffic, quick to downshift. The engine issues a power moan when you lay into it, the sound of enthusiasm for your next move. The six-speed manual is paired with smooth accelerator gain and a well-coordinated shifter; it’s fun if you think it is.

    Late August is the showroom debut. Expect pricing aligned with the Accord menu, starting at about $19,000 for the entry-level four-cylinder, stepping up the rungs by trim levels to $28,500 for the V-6 Grand Touring s at the top.

    Expect, also, a no-excuses Camry and Accord contender this time.

    VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

    ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $19,000–$28,500

    ENGINES: DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 170 hp, 167 lb-ft; DOHC 24-valve 3.7-liter V-6, 272 hp, 269 lb-ft

    TRANSMISSIONS: 5- or 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting, 6-speed manual

    DIMENSIONS:
    Wheelbase: 109.8 in Length: 193.7 in Width: 72.4 in Height: 57.9 in
    Curb weight: 3250–3550 lb

    PERFORMANCE (C/D EST, V-6):
    Zero to 60 mph: 6.3 sec
    Standing Ľ-mile: 14.8 sec

    PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST):
    EPA city driving: 17–22 mpg
    EPA highway driving: 25–30 mpg



    [Road and Track]
    [SIZE="6"]Driving Impression: 2009 Mazda6
    All-new Japanese sedan is a poor man's Lexus.[/SIZE]
    By Jim Hall

    May 2008

    With its crisp new look, refined interior and composed ride quality, available luxury amenities and quiet cabin, Mazda's all-new 6 sedan is a poor man's Lexus.

    Although the new 6 is about 6 in. longer and 2.3 in. wider than its predecessor, the handsome 4-door doesn't look any bigger. The new size translates to a 10-percent-larger trunk and 6-percent-larger passenger compartment, making it the new class leader in these areas.

    The basic 4-cylinder-equipped model is a lot of car for the money at $19,100. Its 2.5-liter engine performs admirably, making 170 horsepower and 167 lb.-ft. of torque, shifts smoothly (we only sampled cars equipped with the optional 5-speed automatic transmission and not the 6-speed manual), and gets a very respectable 22 mpg city/30 highway (the manual gets 21/29, respectively). The 3.7-liter V-6 makes a full 272 bhp and earns mileage figures of 17/25 in its automatic transmission-only configuration; it starts at $24,400, which includes a much broader standard equipment package. Both the 4- and 6-cylinder engines run on lower-cost regular unleaded gasoline, a welcome bit of engineering in these cost-conscious times.

    On the safety front, traction control, stability control, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, tire-pressure monitoring and six airbags all come standard.

    Numerous upscale options are available, including a DVD-based navigation system ($2000) and packaged together a power sunroof and a sensational sounding 333-watt, 10-speaker-plus-subwoofer sound system by Bose for $1800.

    Look for a detailed report on the neat new Mazda6 in a First Drive feature in the September 2008 issue of Road & Track.

    What's Hot:
    Affordable luxury
    Quality interior
    Engines run on regular unleaded

  4. Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    2,452
    #4
    Finding the Sweet Spot in Family Sedans

    see http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/

    Our recent test of the 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring showed us that Mazda can still offer sporting dynamics in its all-new family sedan, even while providing more room, more features and more power. We were concerned that the sporting spirit of the last-generation, fun-but-snug Mazda 6 might have been lost in the search for commercial success, but we came away believing this new car still has that zoom-zoom thing.

    Like Mazda, we believe a family sedan can be lively as well as practical. So to gauge the way in which the 2009 Mazda 6 fits into the new world of family sedans, we figured a comparison is in order. A 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring would be our starting point.

    Then we enlisted the 2008 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE with its continuously variable automatic transmission. It's the car that most people consider to be the sportiest in this category, matched with a transmission that shatters all expectations about CVTs. (We know this car is available with a manual transmission, but we also know the CVT is a better choice. Trust us.)

    The all-new 2008 Honda Accord is the standard of the category, the winner of our last comparison test of family sedans. A 2008 Honda Accord EX-L Navi matched up nicely. Hailed for its value, refinement and excellent quality, the well-mannered Accord would challenge the Mazda's practical abilities.

    And so we began our family sedan comparison test, and we're wondering how far the Mazda 6's fun-o-meter has swung away from "I could use a Red Bull" toward "My adrenal gland is sore and I need to grow up."

    Motivating V6s
    This is the top-of-the-line 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring model, and it features the most power in our test courtesy of its 272-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 nicked from the Mazda CX-9 crossover. At the drag strip, this engine helped the 3,596-pound Mazda 6 dash to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds (6.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip). This makes the heaviest car of this trio the quickest, as the 3,590-pound Accord takes 7.5 seconds to get to 60 mph (7.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and the 3,399-pound Altima takes 7.0 seconds to do the task (6.6 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip). The Mazda V6's power delivery is smooth and broad, and this is the only engine of these three that feels fast from the first exploratory run up the tachometer.

    Our fuel-economy logbook surprisingly shows the Mazda to be the easiest on fuel, and our observed average of 20 mpg exactly matches this car's EPA rating for combined average mpg. Perhaps because this 3.7-liter V6 offers the highest torque at the lowest rpm, the Mazda 6 doesn't have to be driven as aggressively as the Accord or In terms of real power, the Mazda 6 went through the quarter-mile in 14.7 seconds at 95.6 mph, while the Accord did the task in 15.6 seconds at 91.0 mph and the Altima did 15.0 seconds at 95.2 mph.

    Shifting for You
    The Mazda's six-speed automatic transmission can be shifted manually for added control or exhilaration, and the shifts are crisp and positive. This is a better-than-average automatic from Japan, but we're hoping that one day the Mazda 6 might incorporate a transmission that would deliver a throttle blip to match revs during downshifts for an even more sporting feel.

    In comparison, the five-speed automatic of the Honda isn't really programmed to do much more than "Drive." It allows a downshift to 3rd, but there's no way to manually select 4th gear. It might be the Honda Way, but it's a mystery to us.



    Riding and Handling
    The enduring goodness of the BMW 3 Series has shown that a well-sorted version of a simple strut-type independent front suspension can be made to work very well. The Nissan Altima uses this configuration, and mostly to good effect. We've often lauded the Altima for its crisp handling, but have also criticized it for its flinty, stiff-legged ride. This Altima hasn't changed our minds.

    The 2008 Honda Accord and 2009 Mazda 6 both feature double-wishbone independent front suspension and score significantly higher than the Altima for their smoother, more isolated rides. The most noticeable differences arise over really rough, broken pavement, where the Altima's suspension crashes and booms, and even shakes the steering column. The Accord performs somewhat better, while the Mazda remains poised and sure-footed, though busy.

    Our test track results also prove the Mazda 6 the best handler, as its 0.81g on the skid pad represents the most stick and its 66.4-mph run through the slalom leads the pack. The sharp-handling Altima musters 0.79g and 65.9 mph in the same tests, while the Accord records an admirable 0.80g combined with a pedestrian 63.3 mph.

    The Mazda 6 loses a few points in road noise, where its wide, 18-inch Michelin tires produce high-frequency tread clamor that's especially sensitive to certain surfaces. The Honda and Nissan, on the other hand, are saddled with wind and engine noise. So when our sound-level meter showed that all three of these cars produce near-identical results at 70 mph, we weren't surprised.

    Interior and Packaging
    Assigning scores to a car's interior design is a largely subjective exercise, but there are elements and systems in each of these three sedans that deserve special attention.

    Combining a traditional three-box silhouette with relatively thin C-pillars, the Honda offers better outward visibility than the more fastback shapes of the Mazda and Nissan. Compared to the Mazda and Nissan, the Honda driver sits higher and the cabin feels open and spacious. To counter this deficiency in visibility, the Mazda 6 features an effective, unobtrusive blind-spot warning system, while the Nissan has a back-up camera included in the optional navigation system.

    The dashboards of these three cars offer either too little or too much. The Accord EX-L Navi groups its controls for the audio, navigation and ventilation systems in logical places, but there are so many buttons that it requires either thorough pre-flight study or too much on-the-fly attention to navigate the myriad buttons, displays, knobs and dials. The Nissan Altima's stark dash couldn't be simpler to operate or understand, but in this base-model version, the ventilation system doesn't offer automatic or dual-zone functions, and the radio features push-button manual tuning. Taking a lesson from each, the Mazda 6's contemporary-looking dash offers all the functionality of the Honda (minus the optional navigation system in this car), with the intuitiveness of the Nissan. It's nice to see a new design with some ideas that actually make some sense.

    Honda's strong suit continues to be the ergonomics of the control layout and the tactile feel of all the buttons. The Mazda is a very close 2nd, while the aging Nissan is in dire need of some fresh ideas and upgrades. Granted, the Nissan is at a slight disadvantage here without a leather package, but to get leather requires ordering the $4,200 Premium package that adds a long list of other items you might not want or need.

    Seating Matters
    Both the top-line 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring and 2008 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE come with smart keys that can remain in your pocket or purse to unlock/lock and start the vehicle. It's a nice touch we appreciate and hope the trend proliferates in the segment. All three sedans feature large front doors, making ingress and egress about equal among them. Once seated, however, you'll discover divergent missions in the seating choices each has made.

    The Nissan's wide ....
    ....

    These trunks are all shaped very differently. The lumpy, oddly configured Accord trunk can be expanded by folding down the one-piece rear seatback (although there's a narrow pass-through), while the Mazda and Nissan offer convenient 60/40-split-folding rear seatbacks.

    All three of these cars carry small donut-style spare tires to maximize trunk room. Each trunk includes a cargo light, but none is equipped with an electrical power point.

    Hitting the Sweet Spot
    After all the poking, prodding, driving and scoring, the $30,690 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring earns a total of 70.3 points in our comparison for a 1st-place finish. Second place goes to the $30,930 2008 Honda Accord EX-L Navi with 66.3 points. To level the playing field, we weighted as-tested prices as 20 percent of the final score just like the feature content, but even with a sizable price advantage, this $27,275 2008 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE CVT couldn't make up for its missing features that are standard equipment on its rivals, including Bluetooth connection, dual-zone climate control, electronic stability control and leather upholstery.

    Although some might complain that the new, larger 2009 Mazda 6 has lost some of the sport sedan flavor of its predecessor, a comparison with the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Mazdaspeed 6 we last tested shows the '09 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring is only slightly less capable, yet far more livable.

    The Mazda 6 has, indeed, found that sweet spot between the well-designed, highly competent and yet somewhat generic Honda Accord and the more highly strung yet modestly priced Nissan Altima. The Mazda 6 combines both sense and sensibility, and it does so with a style that inspires comparison to cars further up the evolutionary scale like the Acura TSX or Nissan Maxima.

  5. Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    12,347
    #5
    I had the chance to look over a 2009 V6 Mazda 6 (plus both the 4-banger turbo and V6 versions of the Genesis Coupe and a Subaru Impreza 2.5GT Turbo) while having periodic service for my 06 Sonata. They gave me the keys to the Mazda 6 and Genesis coupes. But, I declined the test drives. Why take chances of damaging them when I have no plans to buy a new car yet?

    I liked the Mazda 6. Although it's bigger, it still quite small even when compared it to the previous V6 Mazda 6 (the service shuttle). The styling is ok. I'm not quite sold on how the wheel wells jut out. But, the rest of the car (specially the profile) is simply gorgeous. I saw a basic V6 (cloth seats, no sunroof) for $24k. The dealers kept tempting me to trade in my Sonata. They were succeeding too until my wife came along and snapped some sense back into me. He He.

    Some observations at the Subaru side....
    I didn't test drive any of the Subbies either. I did notice the non-turbo Legacy having dual exhaust. I also looked at the Imprezas. I found the sedan more to my liking than the hatch. But, just like previous models, it's cramped, waaay too cramped for a family to be comfortable, especially when we're used to the spacious Sonata.

    The Genesis Coupes? I looked at them. I ooohed and aaahed. I'd like one someday. The V6 is fine. But, if only Hyundai would change it's mind and try to shoehorn in its Tau V8. I want gobs of torque. I wanna fry the tires. I want to replace the tires every couple of months like when I was single. Woooo yeah....

  6. Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    944
    #6
    yung rear ng m6 na yan mukang nagiba na yata?

2009 USDM Mazda 6  (2.5L inline-4 and 3.7 liter V6)