2009 Mazda 6 Las Vegas NV

November 18, 2009   By Alison Lakin, Associate Editor



2009 Mazda MAZDA6

DriverSide Overview
In 2003, the Mazda 6 debuted to rave reviews heralding its ability to distinguish itself from all the mid-size sedans crowding the dealership lots. But over the years, towering powerhouses like the Honda Accord grew larger and their engines grew stronger while the Mazda 6 remained at 2003 standards. For their 2009 redesign, Mazda addressed the serious concerns consumers had with the sedan 's size, power and quality compared to the current market. It's now bigger, in both cabin space and trunk room, it's more powerful with two brand new engines and most importantly, fit and finish exceeds the interior quality of many of the competing players. The upgrades deliberately separate it from Mazda's smaller and highly popular 3 , while positioning this four door sedan above and beyond the original model. 








What's to Like
The sexy new body design has allowed for almost six more cubic feet of passenger space, making all seats roomy for adults. Interior build quality is superior to the outgoing models, and the instrument panel boasts a sleek and highly intuitive look and feel.

What's Not to Like
The V-6 may put out more horsepower and torque than others in its class, but it’s missing that mass-moving oomph others produce. Brakes continued over from the last generation don't have enough stopping power for the 200-pound heavier and more  powerful model.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
The inline-four and the V-6 are very different beasts where the drive is concerned. As we've mentioned, we think the V-6 engine could have even more power in the lower gears for better acceleration during passing. The steering coupled with this engine also feels lighter than the I-4's heavier, more dynamic handling. We'd get the four-cylinder in a second; it's a great engine and the gearbox mated to it shifts easily and efficiently with either the five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Wind noise is greatly reduced throughout the cabin, something the engineers paid particular attention to, but there's still some suspicious buzzing coming from the door seals. Wheel size makes a noticeable difference in road noise as well, with the 18-inchers available on the V-6 giving us an unwanted soundtrack during our drive. The 16- and 17-inch wheels on the I-4 however, smooth out the road, letting us focus fully on the fantastic Bose audio system.

Engine and Drivetrain
The Mazda 6 is available in two engine types: a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque and a 3.7-liter V-6, which belts out 272 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. The I-4 is available with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission while the V-6 comes standard with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Interesting Vehicle Features and Options
Saving you from potential accidents is...

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