2014 Mazda6 - General Discussion

[UkHardcore23]

My dads been in Benidorm for the past 3 months so been driving his 6 alot. Such a fun car to drive for the size of it. The steering and gear change are perfection. Can nearly take corners at the same speed as my new Leon FR on the country roads.

His is a year old n 150ps diesel which is ever so slightly underpowered but the facelift has upped the power to 180 which i would imagine is spot on.

Great car.

 

[CodeRedR51]

The diesel engine is finally coming stateside. First two cars to get it are the 6 and the CX-5. I guess Mazda figured out how to get them emissions compliant.

http://www.carscoops.com/2016/11/mazda-bringing-its-diesels-to-us-market.html

 

[Omnis]

The diesel engine is finally coming stateside. First two cars to get it are the 6 and the CX-5. I guess Mazda figured out how to get them emissions compliant.

Probably means they're going to be a hunk of junk and a nightmare to maintain.

 

[05XR8]

Turbos were letting loose on the early models. When I was at Mazda, we were replacing about two engines per car on the CX-5s. Some lasted a year and needed to replaced again.

 

[88GTA]

I test drove four cars yesterday while doing research to replace my Suzuki. I need to find a 4 door, automatic car to daily for the next few years (probably leasing). I drove a 2016 Ford Focus hatch SE, a 2017 Ford Fusion SE, a 2017 Mazda 3 Sport hatch and a 2017 Mazda 6 Sport (all four cars were auto). The Focus and Mazda 3 were very similar aside from options; they had the lightweight, 4 cylinder, FWD pep and twitchy steering known in that class of car and both would be fine for my every day needs. The Focus had every option I could think of including a heated steering wheel and front seats while the Mazda 3 was the base Sport model.

The Fusion was much bigger, obviously, and was more smooth and stable in driving than the smaller cars. It was very sluggish though and the auto trans seemed to search a lot when cruising between 30-40 mph. The last car I drove was the Mazda 6 and it was just sublime. It was so much smoother and more responsive than any of the other cars. The Focus and 3 were very sensitive to every input; hit the gas and there was some initial pep, turn the wheel and it would jerk a little at first, hit the brake and you would lurch forward somewhat. The Fusion was better in these areas as a heavier car but the Mazda 6 was just perfect. Every input was smooth and controlled and the transmission was light years ahead of the Ford variant. Thankfully, none were CVT and all four cars had a 6 speed auto.

The Mazda 6 absolutely blows away these other cars like it is on a different planet, even the Mazda 3. All four cars had similar options but the Fords were one trim up from base (SE) and the Mazdas were base model Sports. The base model Mazda 6 I drove had a 6-speaker soudn system with CD and MP3 player, power everything, back-up camera, cruise control, Bluetooth, Mazda Infotainment System, key-less entry and start, 60-40 split back seats, and of course air bags everywhere.

Maybe it has just been so long that I looked at buying a new car (over 5 years now) but that seemed like a lot on a base model sedan. The next trim up, Touring, only added blind-spot and cross-traffic monitoring, 19 inch wheels, power driver seat, leather seats and auto headlights and wipers for around $2500. The 2017 Mazda 6 base model was on sale for $22,277 when I got there with no haggling yet. For comparison, they wanted just under $21,000 for the 2017 Mazda 3.

Anyway, I friggin' love that car. I have a few more cars to test before I make my final decision, but even the salesman on the test drive said, "You should see how big your smile is right now" while I was driving the 6.

 

[05XR8]

The 6 sedan is nice. The wagon is really nice.

 

[05XR8]

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/D17983C91825B3E7CA2580B4007ED13FF

“In the Mazda6 we only have a petrol and diesel, so to have another engine above those would differentiate the higher grades from the lower grades. That would make a lot of sense.

“There’s more scope to do more of that and do more with the range and take people up through the models and give them more value at the top end. Not just giving them another safety item or another bit of leather.”

Asked whether the Mazda6 and CX-5 would suit turbocharged petrol power above the current naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder units, Mr Benders replied: “They’re ripe for that sort of thing.”

It has been a full decade since Mazda last offered a turbocharged petrol engine in its Mazda6 line-up with the performance-oriented all-wheel-drive MPS offering 190kW/380Nm from its 2.3-litre mill.

However, while the local managing director pointed to the CX-9’s 170kW/420Nm 2.5-litre petrol turbo four-cylinder as the clear front-runner to be installed into the Mazda6 and CX-5, he reiterated that it would not be for a performance model grade such as a revived MPS.

“I don’t think it’s a performance engine, it’s an engine with more power,” he clarified.

Although Mr Benders confirmed that Mazda’s modular approach to powertrain engineering meant the CX-9’s turbo engine could be installed in other models, he cautioned that an Australian call-out to head office for a Mazda6 turbo would need to have the support markets where it sells in greater numbers.

“The way that Mazda has been developing their platforms and powertrains is a little bit similar to Volkswagen, where the platforms and technology are sharable across car lines,” he said.

“So theoretically the engine that is in the CX-9 is movable into other products… (but) we won’t be able to drive that because we don’t sell a lot of Mazda6s, so you need a market like the US or China to want to do the same thing to get the economies of scale.”

 

[Grandea GTR]

Mazda pls

 

[catamount39]

"It's not a performance engine, its an engine with more power."

Um, what?! Excuse me run that by me again? Just an engine with more power? To quote xMattyG from YouTube: "Are you ****ing having a bubble?!".

“So theoretically the engine that is in the CX-9 is movable into other products… (but) we won’t be able to drive that because we don’t sell a lot of Mazda6s, so you need a market like the US or China to want to do the same thing to get the economies of scale.”

Mazda...I like you a lot, but you are REALLY stupid.

 

[Tornado]

What am I missing here? Nothing he said seems terribly inaccurate.

 

[mustafur]

What am I missing here? Nothing he said seems terribly inaccurate.

Yeah I'm not sure either, Mid Size cars don't sell that well here and are a declining class unlike America where it's one of the best selling class of car.

Not to mention most sold here tend to be Lower spec as well, unless it's a performance spec which it wouldn't be anyway.

 

[05XR8]

Well, since I don't work at Mazda any longer, my source for info was the owner of a dealership. He had visited Japan for an update in products. Was told there would be an MPS MX-5, 3 & 6 coming from last year.

The engine specifics weren't detailed at the time. I don't know if Mazda Australia are speaking up because nothing has happened yet. Also, Hyundai & Kia haven't got the memo about slow selling midsize cars. They're coming with V6turbos to battle the German brands.

If the 6 is to stay afloat, they'll need that more powerful performance nonperformance engine.

 

[VXR]

A performance engine and an engine with more power makes perfect sense. A 340i is an engine with more power. An M3 is a performance engine. Yes, the one in the 340i is very quick in its own right, but it's not a performance engine per se.

 

[05XR8]

Which one "performs" better fuel economy?

 

[VXR]

Which one "performs" better fuel economy?

It should be fairly negligible given the torque figures? Certainly not engines that would require wringing out unless you absolutely wanted to.