Road Test: 2009 Mazda6 GS-I4
Story and photos by John LeBlanc
As anyone who has graduated from single to married-with-kids status knows, life can sometimes be a compromise. And as a purveyor of vehicles on the sportier side of the automotive spectrum, it was generally agreed upon that Mazda’s last family sedan struggled with a few comprises of its own.
As a poor-man’s BMW, the first Mazda6 introduced in 2003 was an able companion on a windy road. When it came to hauling around a family, though, size really did matter. That meant Mazda—especially in the U.S. of A., where roomier Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys still rule—had a hard time selling its half family/half sports sedan with its relatively tight dimensions and overly sporty intentions.
With Mazda wanting a bigger piece of the family sedan pie, for 2009 the new Mazda6 is decidedly bigger. Up 176 and 59 cm in length and width, respectively, Mazda’s family sedan is now bigger than a Camry, tucking in just under the even larger Accord.
As before, Mazda is offering both four- and six-cylinder gas engines in its front-wheel-drive family sedan, as well as the choice of either manual or automatic gear boxes.
We decided to test what Mazda Canada expects to be its most popular Mazda6: a GS-I4. Starting at $22,495, an $1,100 five-speed auto box and $1,695 Comfort Package (which adds such niceties as a moon roof, dynamic stability control, eight-way powered driver’s seat, leather shift knob and steering wheel, and rain sensing wipers) brought the final bill to $25,290.
That’s about $3,000 less than a similarly equipped Honda Accord, but right inline with what is arguably Mazda’s chief sporty/family sedan rival: Nissan’s Altima.
In the Mazda6, dynamic and passive safety features are fairly generous. Dual front and side airbags and side air curtains, traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and 17" Alloy Wheels 215/55R17 with a tire pressure monitoring system come standard.
Fans of the last generation Mazda6 may be asking where the popular five-door and wagon models have gone. Sadly, they’ve only been carried over in foreign market versions of the Mazda6. I guess Mazda’s thinking is, if you want or utility or AWD, it will be more than happy to sell you one of its CX-7 or CX-9 crossovers.
Speaking of which, Mazda seemingly has chosen the refined mid-size CX-9 as the design template for its new sedan’s interior.
All the driver’s controls are well laid out in a logical fashion, and the centre console’s audio and climate controls are manipulated via large round knobs. Most noticeable, the finish of the materials are all a step up form previous Mazda’s, reinforcing the brand’s desire to move up market
Equally important to family sedan buyers is rear seat room and trunk space. Here, again, the Mazda excels. Its trunk is deep and wide. In fact, its 470 litres capacity not only tops the Nissan but the Accord as well. And legroom in the back of the Mazda6 is 56 millimetres more generous than in the Altima.
At this point, it’s looks like Mazda’s decision to super size its family sedan really pays off on the comfort and practicality side of the ledger. But can the Mazda6 still entertain on a back road after the kids have been dropped off at swimming lessons??
To begin with, choosing the four-cylinder/five-speed automatic combo isn’t the let down it was in the last model. Yes, you could pop for the $27,495 GS-V6 model’s 3.7L V6 engine with 272 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. The 170 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque 2.5L in-line four-cylinder, though, provides the least amount of compromise for most family sedan buyers.
There’s a severe price to pay in fuel consumption, jumping up to the bigger six. The GS-I4 is rated at 9.7/100km city, 6.7L highway—or about 25 per cent less in the city and 17 per cent less on the highway.
Fans of the last Mazda6 will no doubt notice the new model’s extra girth and about 70 kg of extra curb weight. But for its class, the Mazda still has some sweet moves. Its ride has the type of firm-yet-not-too-harsh setup associated with German sedans. Steering is very direct with lots of feel. And the Mazda corners flat where other in this class wallow.
Where it exceeds over its predecessor is in refinement. While the last Mazda6 may have been noisy or rough, all of the 2009’s edges has been smoothed over.
I’d still take a Nissan Altima for out-and-out sportiness in a family sedan. But the new 2009 Mada6 GS-I4’s blend of a generous people and cargo space, plus better-than-average road manners, means it lacks one of the realities most family car buyers suffer from: compromise.
THE NUMBERS
Price: $25,290
Type: 4-door, 5-seat sedan, FWD
Engine: 170 horsepower, 167 lb-ft of torque, 2.5L I4
Transmission: 5-spd automatic
Fuel Economy [city/hwy]: 9.7/6.7L/100 km
Warranty [mo/km]: 36/80,000 comprehensive
Competitors: Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Magentis, Nissan Altima, Saturn Aura, Subaru Legacy and Toyota Camry.