Who are you calling old?”
Six model years into its most-recent design, the Mazda 6 makes it clear that it cedes nothing to young whippersnappers like the recently redesigned Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
Since its last stem-to-stern redo for the 2014 model year, many of the 6’s main competitors have gone under the engineers’ and designers’ knives, upping their games with sleeker profiles, improved driving dynamics and, of course, more power.
The 6 — long a favorite among family-oriented driving enthusiasts — has kept pace with incremental improvements that largely center on what’s spinning away under the hood. While the 2020 model features no significant changes from the previous model year, it continues to offer a rewarding driving experience thanks to a well-balanced chassis, sport-tuned suspension and optional turbocharged engine capable of amusing acceleration.
There are five trim levels — Sport, Touring, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve and Signature — each featuring a specific list of creature comforts and technology (Mazda doesn’t do options packages in the manner of other manufacturers) and equipped with front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission.
Sport and Touring models are powered by a normally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four making 187 horsepower and 186 foot-pounds of torque. The remaining three are equipped with a turbocharged version of the same engine, tuned in this case to produce a definitely stouter 250 horses and 310 foot-pounds of twist.
Pricing starts at a budget-minded $24,000 for Sport models, which are well-equipped for the dough with LED headlamps, an 8-inch LED infotainment screen, forward collision sensing and avoidance, lane-departure sensors with steering assist, smart cruise control and more. Upgrading to the Touring adds a power sunroof, keyless entry, power adjustable driver’s seat, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and more.
And so Mazda lays on the goodies, all the way up to the top-dawg Signature trim, which sports two-tone leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, 11-speaker Bose audio, adaptive headlights, satellite navigation, a larger LED interface, upgraded safety system and a surround-view camera array.
We spent a recent week putting a Signature-trimmed 6 to work, carting me, the missus and the kids on our regular rounds of commuting and errand-running. The $35,100 base price rose to a heftier $36,250 with the addition of a special Machine Grey paint job, carpeted floor mats, some scuff plates and the delivery tab. Pricewise, the 6 tracks the Accord almost down to the penny while delivering comparable output from their optional turbocharged engines.
The 6’s sleek and sophisticated profile has aged well over the course of six model years, and holds its own against competitors like the new and (dare I type it?) sexier Toyota Camry. The gaping front fascia and its slotted headlight housings meld into a body featuring a long and low hood, swept-back passenger compartment and muscular-looking rear fenders.
Likewise, the attractively designed cabin is tastefully ordered with controls centered in a console-mounted knob that runs the infotainment interface, and a row of small buttons and knobs located beneath. Said buttons and knobs were a little too small for my aging eyes to read at first, but a day into its visit they became second nature.
The front seats offer more than enough room for adults; the split-folding second row is large enough to accommodate same, provided the front seats are slid forward a bit. The trunk will accept up to 14.7 cubic feet of cargo.
Handling and acceleration are crisp and even entertaining, as the 6 carves through curves with aplomb and makes short work of highway on-ramps and passing maneuvers. It takes a bit for the turbocharger to spool up, making for leisurely launches. Once spinning, though, it briskly propels the 6 to 60 mph in rough 6½ seconds, all the while accompanied by a musical exhaust howl. We managed to eke out 25 mpg in combined driving, 1 mile shy of the EPA estimate.
2020 Mazda 6 Signature
Vehicle type: Four-door, five-passenger midsize sedan.
Base/as-tested prices: $35,100/$36,520.
Engine and transmission: 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four (250 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds torque), six-speed automatic with manual-shift mode and steering-wheel-mounted shifter paddles.
EPA estimates: 23 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, 26 mpg combined
The good: Responsive handling makes it the fun-to-drive entry in the midsize four-door segment; aging design still holds its own against recently redesigned competitors like the Honda Accord; stout turbo-four engine delivers brisk acceleration and good fuel economy; handsome exteriors and tastefully designed cabins are a Mazda hallmark, and the 6 does nothing to diminish that; comfortable and spacious interior accommodations; long list of standard equipment; adult-friendly rear seats and spacious trunk.
The bad: Tightly tuned suspension delivers sporting performance, but also a busier ride quality than competitors like the all-new Toyota Camry; capable though it is, the 6 is due for a redesign.
Bottom line: Still a go-to choice for a family-friendly sports sedan.