Signature Achievement: The 2018 Mazda 6 Signature

The 2018 Mazda 6 Signature.

Regular TireKicker readers know of our fondness for the Mazda 6.  Of all the mid-size family sedans available, the 6 is the most engaging to drive.  For 2018, the 6 gets an interior and exterior refresh, plus a new trim level---Signature.

Even Better: The 2017 Mazda 6i Grand Touring

The 2017 Mazda 6i Grand Touring.

Longtime TireKicker readers know that the Mazda 6 is one of our favorite cars...to the point that it's been in the TireKicker's Best Cars list on the right of this page for many years.  Freshly updated in 2016, it's a matter of minor tweaks to the 2017, all of which make the Mazda 6 an even better car.

That Was Quick: The 2016 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring

The 2016 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring.

Four and a half months ago, we reviewed the 2015 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring, which was just arriving in showrooms.  Now, it's last year's model.

The 2016 Mazda 6 is not all-new, but rather a "major refresh".  So what's new with this perennial inhabitant of the TireKicker's Best Cars list on the right side of this page?

Now With Two More MPG City and Highway: The 2015 Mazda 6 I Grand Touring

The 2015 Mazda 6.

Regular TireKicker readers know of our love for the Mazda 6. We fairly raved about the 2014, and promptly put it on our list of TireKicker's Best Cars.

The 2015 is in dealer showrooms now and while there are no visible changes, there's a nice one you'll see at the gas pumps.

New Car Review: 2014 Mazda 6 Grand Touring Sedan (Updated)

Boring.

Bland.

Beige.

Those are some of the one-word labels that get stuck on mid-size family sedans...especially the Toyota Camry, and, until the new one, the Honda Accord.  Well, even if you're not moved by the all-around goodness of the Accord, we dare you to be unmoved by the new Mazda 6.

Even when the midsizers (a group that also includes the Dodge Avenger, Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima) were at their blandest, the Mazda 6 has always been more of a driver's car.  Good to see they stepped up their game at the same time (some of)  the other guys did.

Mazda 6 Diesel: 43 MPG Highway?

Mazda's CEO is telling The Detroit News that its new diesel engine will get hybrid-like numbers "without any electrification." 

As in 43 MPG highway in the 2012 Mazda 6.

Full story here.

Mazda 6 Touring Plus Review

Unconditional recommendations are hard to come by these days...especially about cars. But here's one:

If you're looking for a family sedan, you have to...absolutely have to...test drive the Mazda 6.

For years, people's defaults have been Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Both fine choices. But like the Subaru Legacy, the Mazda 6 seems to get left off the shopping list, and sales are a fraction of the Toyota or Honda.

They're missing out. Mazdas are much more involving...driver's cars...and as a bonus, they're usually a little bit less expensive besides.

Example: The Touring Plus model I tested for a week recently. 170 horsepower 4 cylinder engine that feels like a lot more since the 6 is light (for its class) and responsive. 17 inch wheels, moonroof, power drivers
seat, a 6-disc AM/FM/CD/mp3 system with 6 speakers and a bunch more...all standard for a base price of $23,750.

And the tester had only two options....California and New York emissions ($100) and satellite radio ($430). Total with delivery charges: $25,030. That's strong value for a very, very good car.

It's getting hard to pick a winner in this segment. There's something to recommend in Accord, Camry, Legacy, Altima, Fusion/Milan and Malibu. The 6 has earned a place in that pack.

Mazda 6 Grand Touring Review

Automotive journalists, yours truly included, have shouted ourselves hoarse over the years about the merits of the Mazda 6...without much influence on the sales charts. It's not a stiff, but it's not any threat to Accords, Camrys or even Altimas when they total up units sold at the end of each month.

The new Mazda 6 is every bit as good as the last one...and manages to pull off that trick (difficult because so much of what we like in the 6 is its sporting character) while getting quite a bit larger (in an effort to attract Accord, Camry and Altima cross-shoppers).

$24,910 buys a 2.5 liter 16-valve four-cylinder with 170 horsepower. Doesn't sound like much, but it drives like a 250-horsepower six. There's a six-speed manual transmission...17-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, leather-trimmed seats (the driver's is an 8-way power adjustable and both front seats are heated) and a bunch more. Standard. For $24,910. And that's the Grand Touring model. There are less expensive trim lines.

The tester I drove for a week added a nav system for $2,000 (I'd have skipped it...if you have to have one, you probably already do...in your cell phone. If not, TomToms and Garmins are a fraction of this price) and $1,760 for a Moonroof & Bose Package...with a moonroof (duh!) and a Bose audio system with 6-disc CD changer and Sirius Satellite Radio. I'm not big on moonroofs (less headroom, more distraction, violation of structural integrity), but my wife is, so I'd probably say yes. Especially since the audio system is a really good one.

Even swallowing the nav system, the bottom line is a reasonable $29,440. Drop the nav and it's $27,440, which is a strong value proposition for a car with great performance, five-star crash ratings in every category and an EPA estimated 20 city/29 highway miles per gallon.

I'm getting hoarse again. Please, just drive one.