MAZDA has long had a romance with weird names and foreign terms, all of its recent models having built-in โ€˜zoom-zoomโ€™ and โ€˜skyactiv technologyโ€™ and its mid-sized Mazda6 also reflects the brandโ€™s โ€˜tireless pursuit of โ€˜Jinba-Ittaiโ€™. Thatโ€™s clearly a Japanese term and it translates to โ€˜a sense of connection between car and driver.โ€™ We drove the latest Mazda6 wagon, and agree that itโ€™s an accurate term. One of the best-looking of the relatively few wagons on the road, it slots into the 6 line-up in a range of four models: Sport, Touring, GT and Atenza and with petrol or diesel power. A similar scenario applies to the Mazda6 sedan. Wagons make a lot of sense, especially in a world now dominated by SUVs. Wagons are much more car-like, therefore they handle better than the high-riding SUVs, have better aerodynamics, hence superior fuel efficiency and theyโ€™re more flexible, with the best-possible mix of comfort and space. Interestingly, the 6 wagon is marginally shorter overall than the sedan โ€“ by 64mm โ€“ but it has quite a bit more cargo room: 506litres, or a massive 1648litres with the back seats folded flat. In addition, it has slick one-touch seat-folding and an auto-retracting cargo blind. The entire range comes with a smooth six-speed automatic transmission, and prices range from $33,790 for the Sport petrol wagon to $49,540 for the Atenza with diesel power. Our diesel Touring wagon was $41,440, just $2850 up on the petrol version. Standard fitment to the range includes automated emergency braking, a reversing camera, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and a colour multimedia display with sat nav, DAB+ digital radio and the obligatory Apple and Android links. In addition, the Touring is blessed with leather trim, an 11-speaker Bose audio system, front parking sensors and LED headlights.
The 2.2litre in-line four-cylinder turbo-diesel claims to have the worldโ€™s lowest compression ration at 14:1, plus a couple of other Mazda creations in โ€˜Natural Sound Smootherโ€™ and โ€˜Natural Sound Frequencyโ€™ control, all allied to that mysterious Skyactiv tech. But hey, it works. Quietest diesel Iโ€™ve heard, even with my hearing aids in place. It goes well too, dispatching the zero to 100km/h sprint in 8.5seconds with all its 129kW let loose. Torque is a prodigious 420Nm, from a low 2000rpm. How thirsty is it? The official figure is a most impressive 5.4/100km (thatโ€™s 52mpg in imperial terms). But thatโ€™s under perfect conditions seldom found in the real world. Expect mid-6litres in urban use, which is still about best in its class. Inside, the classy trend continues with soft-touch dash fittings, garnished with tasteful brightwork and leather trim. Clear and comprehensive instrumentation, well-placed controls and good visibility make the pilotโ€™s slightly bolstered seat a great place to be. The well-sorted suspension, electric steering and brakes make every drive pleasant, and pretty sporting with a nicely balanced ride and, should the mood take you, more than a touch of zoom-zoom through the twisty bits. Verdict: A sporty, attractive and practical wagon, delightful to drive andย looks fantastic, goes well, drives beautifully and has a high-quality, user-friendly and bristling with technology, quality and yes, definitely a lot of Jinba-Ittai too.

Like:

Don't Like

  • Lots of standard features
  • Classy cabin
  • Very good road manners
  • Smooth transmission
  • Safety equipment
  • Not much

Scores:

  • Looks
  • Performance
  • Safety
  • Thirst
  • Practicality
  • Comfort
  • Tech
  • Value