When the first-generation Mazda 6 arrived in 2001, it had a lot of weight to carry on its shoulders.  For one, it was the car that will spearhead the revitalized Mazda brand back into the mainstream.  Second, it was the first car to be designed wholly with the "zoom-zoom" philosophy in mind. Roughly 6 years and multiple awards (including back-to-back class wins and 1 overall Philippine Car of the Year trophies) later, an all-new Mazda 6 is set to ignite the spirit of "zoom-zoom" once again.

The moment it debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt International Auto Show, the 2008 Mazda 6 quickly earned praise for its sporty design and excellent fit and finish. The new 6 is designed with Mazda's new "Kizuna" philosophy in mind.  Kizuna, for those who don't speak Japanese, simply means "emotional connection", and what an emotional connection this new car brings. From any angle, the 6 simply more athletic and sporty than the already sporty predecessor it replaces. There's an interplay of flowing curves and prominent edges throughout the car. In Europe (and most probably in Japan), the Mazda 6 will be available with 3 body styles: sedan, hatchback and estate--a unique selling point when compared to its other Japanese counterparts such as the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord (well, the Euro-Accord does have an estate).

Inside, the same sporty and athletic treatment follows with a fighter cockpit-like environment akin to the BMW sedans.  Everything from the gauges to the controls have been designed to keep the driver in complete control at all times. Like the exterior, the 6's cabin conveys a sense of high quality feel thanks to bold use of textured paints, new materials and improved craftsmanship.

Of course, the Mazda 6 won't be a proper flagship Mazda without an involving driving experience, and to this end, the engineers have delivered as well.  The biggest change is the larger bore and longer stroke of the 2.3-liter MZR inline-4 engine.  As a result, the range-topping European Mazda 6 has a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine under the hood.  The resulting power is roughly the same as the outgoing 2.3-liter unit (170 hp @ 6,000 rpm), but torque figure itself sees a 10 percent improvement (now 226 Nm at 4,000 rpm) as well as a wider torque band.  Though initially available with a 6-speed manual transmission only, it's a pretty sure bet that Ford's 6-speed automatic unit will find its way onto this engine.  The old 2.0-liter engine (the original 6's Philippine powerplant) still shoulders on, largely unchanged, but now benefits from a 5-speed automatic.

Under the hood, the 6 continues on with the same platform as before, but featuring large improvements to its Double Wishbone / Multi-Link set-up.  For instance, the high-mounted Double Wishbone is mounted on a sub frame now, attached to the body via 6 points to the previous 4.  This allows for better steering feel as well as reduction on road noise and improved ride comfort.  Like the Mazda 3 and RX-8, the 6 also gets an electric power steering system with variable speed assist. This allows for reduction in fuel consumption as well as a more natural steering action.

next page >