Mazda6 has more horsepower, better fuel economy

When it comes to sales volume in the midsize sedan division, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are leading the pack like the 1995 Cleveland Indians. The Mazda Mazda6 is in the Festivus group among midsize sedans “for the rest of us.”

Being in this group is no disgrace. It includes such standout cars as the Volkswagen Passat, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima. Shoppers who don’t bother doing serious snooping-around in this group do themselves a disservice.

The five-passenger, front-wheel-drive Mazda6 has been redesigned to the max for 2014. Its body has bold new musculature that looks good from every angle. The stylish, well-made interior of my tester, a top-of-the-line Grand Touring model, rivals that of some mid-luxury sedans. But even the interior of the least-expensive Mazda6 model looks almost as lush, certainly far from bare bones.

The 2014 Mazda6 incorporates SkyActiv Technology, Mazda’s name for its suite of engine, transmission, body and chassis components that are performance-oriented and fuel-saving. SkyActiv Technology first appeared on the 2012 Mazda3 and is also found on the 2013 CX-5.

A lively 2.5-liter SkyActiv four-cylinder engine propels the new Mazda6. It generates 184 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque, which is 8 percent more horsepower and almost 11 percent more torque than the engine used in the 2013 model, yet fuel economy is improved to an impressive 26 mpg city and 38 mpg highway when equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, delivering 25 mpg city and 37 mpg highway.

My Grand Touring tester with automatic transmission befriended me by responding to acceleration demands pronto and with enthusiasm, shifting seamlessly, handling twists and turns without leaning in the least, providing a comfortable and reasonably quiet ride at freeway speeds, and having well-placed, easy to use controls. Its 5.8-inch touchscreen display could stand to be bigger, but we got by.

Good rear-seat legroom and a good-sized trunk were other appealing qualities.

There are three Mazda6 trim levels: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. Base pricing, including a $795 destination charge, starts at $21,675 for the Sport; $25,290 for the Touring; and $30,290 for the Grand Touring.

Standard features on the Sport with manual transmission include push-button start, air conditioning with a pollen filter, power windows with a driver-side one-touch up/down feature, tilt-and-telescopic adjustable steering column, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise control functions, 17-inch alloy wheels, and USB connection ports. A Sport model equipped with the optional automatic transmission adds Bluetooth phone/audio connectivity, a 5.8-inch color touchscreen display, rearview camera, HD radio, Pandora, Radio Broadcast Data System program information, SMS text message receipt/delivery, E911 automatic emergency notification and audio voice command.

The Grand Touring version practically groans with standard features, including everything on the other two models plus platinum silver 19-inch alloy wheels, a power moonroof, rear lip spoiler, bi-xenon HID headlights with auto leveling, heated front sport seats, eight-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support, four-way power front passenger seat, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and Sirius satellite radio.

An optional Advanced Package available for second-half 2013 includes a lane departure warning system and i-Eloop, Mazda’s capacitor-based brake energy regeneration system designed to deliver even better fuel efficiency.

Also due during second-half 2013 is the option of a 2.2-liter clean diesel engine. Pricing and specifications have not been announced yet.

The 2014 Mazda6 is built in Japan.

2014 Mazda Mazda6 Grand Touring

Base price, including destination charge: $30,290

Price as driven: $31,490

Mary Lowry is a freelance automotive writer who has been reviewing cars for more than 20 years. She is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a board member of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturers as a one-week loan for review purposes only. In no way do the manufacturers control the content of the reviews.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Black Press Media operates Sound Publishing, the largest community news organization in Washington State with dailies and community news outlets in Alaska.
Black Press Media concludes transition of ownership

Black Press Media, which operates Sound Publishing, completed its sale Monday (March 25), following the formerly announced corporate restructuring.

Maygen Hetherington, executive director of the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association, laughs during an interview in her office on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Snohomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Maygen Hetherington: tireless advocate for the city of Snohomish

Historic Downtown Snohomish Association receives the Opportunity Lives Here award from Economic Alliance.

FILE - Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs poses in front of photos of the 15 people who previously held the office on Nov. 22, 2021, after he was sworn in at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Hobbs faces several challengers as he runs for election to the office he was appointed to last fall. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs: ‘I wanted to serve my country’

Hobbs, a former Lake Stevens senator, is the recipient of the Henry M. Jackson Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Mark Duffy poses for a photo in his office at the Mountain Pacific Bank headquarters on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Mark Duffy: Building a hometown bank; giving kids an opportunity

Mountain Pacific Bank’s founder is the recipient of the Fluke Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Barb Tolbert poses for a photo at Silver Scoop Ice Cream on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Tolbert: Former mayor piloted Arlington out of economic brink

Tolbert won the Elson S. Floyd Award, honoring a leader who has “created lasting opportunities” for the underserved.

Photo provided by 
Economic Alliance
Economic Alliance presented one of the Washington Rising Stem Awards to Katie Larios, a senior at Mountlake Terrace High School.
Mountlake Terrace High School senior wins state STEM award

Katie Larios was honored at an Economic Alliance gathering: “A champion for other young women of color in STEM.”

The Westwood Rainier is one of the seven ships in the Westwood line. The ships serve ports in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast Asia. (Photo provided by Swire Shipping)
Westwood Shipping Lines, an Everett mainstay, has new name

The four green-hulled Westwood vessels will keep their names, but the ships will display the Swire Shipping flag.

A Keyport ship docked at Lake Union in Seattle in June 2018. The ship spends most of the year in Alaska harvesting Golden King crab in the Bering Sea. During the summer it ties up for maintenance and repairs at Lake Union. (Keyport LLC)
In crabbers’ turbulent moment, Edmonds seafood processor ‘saved our season’

When a processing plant in Alaska closed, Edmonds-based business Keyport stepped up to solve a “no-win situation.”

Angela Harris, Executive Director of the Port of Edmonds, stands at the port’s marina on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Leadership, love for the Port of Edmonds got exec the job

Shoring up an aging seawall is the first order of business for Angela Harris, the first woman to lead the Edmonds port.

The Cascade Warbirds fly over Naval Station Everett. (Sue Misao / The Herald file)
Bothell High School senior awarded $2,500 to keep on flying

Cascade Warbirds scholarship helps students 16-21 continue flight training and earn a private pilot’s certificate.

Rachel Gardner, the owner of Musicology Co., a new music boutique record store on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. Musicology Co. will open in February, selling used and new vinyl, CDs and other music-related merchandise. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Edmonds record shop intends to be a ‘destination for every musician’

Rachel Gardner opened Musicology Co. this month, filling a record store gap in Edmonds.

MyMyToyStore.com owner Tom Harrison at his brick and mortar storefront on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burst pipe permanently closes downtown Everett toy store

After a pipe flooded the store, MyMyToystore in downtown Everett closed. Owner Tom Harrison is already on to his next venture.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.