Mazda6 Sedan

jtkz13 · January 2003

But in that Motor Trend article they pulled a 14.46 @ 98mph out of the Altima. They proclaimed it as the "fastest fwd production car they've ever tested".

And to the people who say they dont like the way the Altima handles, I am curious as to how many of you actually drove one.

Yes the 6 is a little more nimble, but it's significantly smaller, inside & out.

I'm not bashing the 6 in any way though. I just wish it wasn't so impossible to find a V6 5 speed manual.

gee35coupe · January 2003

Very impressed with the "feel" of the car. It seems Nissan put all the money in the exterior styling and chassis and forgot to think about the interior styling and materials. The same with the G35. Who cares about .5 second difference or so in performance in the V6 when a majority will be 4 cylinder automatics. Very few Altimas/Camrys/Accords/6's will have numbers painted on the side and a driver's name on the door. In my opinion the first priorities should be the interior comfort, safety, and competent handling. Not necessarily sporty but competent.

johnclineii · January 2003

Yes, I drove an Altima. The one thing I came away with was this: What a cheapo interior. My GM car has a better one. I can't imagine entertaining business clients in this car. It was fun to drive, as long as one didn't look inside the car!

gee35coupe · January 2003

I just bought a new car last Friday and got the 4 cylinder since I couldn't care less about beating the guy in the next lane. Most sane drivers feel that way. As was posted in another forum only 15% of people choose manuals in this country and fewer than that will be in a family sedan. Edmunds seems to have garnered the market on gearheads who feel every car needs 700 hp to move. Well the Camry made it on a 135 hp 4 cylinder for years. Kept tons of people happy. It even had the sorriest V6 on the market if you did decide to move up. The eye candy of the exterior has helped the Altima get better sales(not saying much compared to before) but the interior is gonna kill it in depreciation when folk want to get something with better textures and looks later.

twoof1 · January 2003

It's funny how posting just a quote from an article can make a car sound appealing. Here are a couple more quotes from the same article you are quoting:

"In the Altima, reponses to driver input are over-boosted and lack feedback. The brake pedal offers no sense of how much grip the tires have left."

"Moreover, the steering gets especially light when weight is transferred either side-to side or reward. The long -throw shifter is certainly the worst feeling of these three, and we can't think of one that's possible more vague, lumpy, or poorly executed even in bargain-basement trim."

"When the Altima is at or near full throttle, the torque-steer effect is so severe you must be prepared to predict and compensate for its strong tendency to surge to the right. Conversely, stepping out of the throttle at speed produces an almost equally strong turn to the left."

"While the big car will do what it's asked, it's not something that comes naturally to a car in which the driver feels slightly disconnected."

If you read the entire article, I'm sure you noted that the staff picked the Mazda 6S at their top choice over the Altima 3.5 and the Jetta GLI V6

ncjudge · January 2003

I've read every post here for weeks, so I thought it was time to contribute.

I test drove a Mazda6 s auto today, w/o sport package. It was steel gray, and though I love the red, the gray was a good color. For the most part, I enjoyed driving the 6. I've driven an SVT Contour for 5 years that is a lot of fun to drive, but I found that the 6 compared very favorably. The 6 has the same hard-to-find balance between great handling and a comfortable ride. I need to take another drive on a twisting road, w/o the salesman, to really put it through its paces.

The back seat was a snug fit for my wife and I and our pre-teen son but comfortable. Two adults or three kids would be fine. Nice rear leg room for me, and I'm 6' 1". No headroom problem, even equipped with moonroof. Front seat comfort was good, and the seat backs were bolstered and supportive.

A couple of concerns, though. When quickly flooring the accelerator, I didn't get the kind of immediate acceleration that I was looking for. Mid-range acceleration was very good, though, especially darting in and out of lanes on I-40. And the "automanual" shifting seemed a bit slow to respond in manual mode, but it felt about the same in the G35 and Acura TL-S. Both concerns I think would be resolved with the manual transmission. I'll drive the manual before I buy.

Like many others, I think the spoiler on the sport package takes away from the clean lines of the 6. I like the 17" wheels and the gauges on the sport package, though. As others have written, it would be nice to be able to get these options w/o the spoiler.

There wasn't a 6s with sport package available to drive, so I would be interested to hear anyone's experiences comparing the ride and handling of sport vs. non-sport equipped.

Thanks for contributing good information to this board.

fowler3 · January 2003

shopping, I saw Altima after Altima going by, all 2.5L S models, and thought to myself...'in a year maybe there will be Mazda6's just as abundent on the streets and in parking lots.' Isn't it amazing how many people went for styling and accept the poor quality paint and tinny doors, not to mention the even lower quality interior trim?

Motor Trend even bashed the foil-wrapped taillights as "last millenium".

I have to admit, when the Altima came out I thought it was a nice car, until I got a close look at one. They must be made for people who trade often.

fowler3

fowler3 · January 2003

Were you testing a 6 in Greensboro?

I'm in NC, too.

Several new 6 owners have posted their cars loosen up considerably after 600 miles and accelerate quicker at low speeds.

Remember, in testing a new car, because the coolant gauge shows normal running temperature doesn't mean the oil is at normal running temperature. Drive it a while until everything is as it should be before pushing it.

fowler3

ainslb · January 2003

I stopped by the Mazda dealer tonight to look at the Tribute and saw the 6. They must be proud because there was a $2000 market adjustment to the price. The adjustment was up of course. Hard to believe.

ruski · January 2003

http://www.acura-cl.org/silverbullet/gto.html

chances are that by the time I have saved enough they will also bring the 4-door Holdens to the US.

theparallax · January 2003

I'm impressed by the new GTO.

Also, is that actually a high quality looking interior by GENERAL MOTORS?!??!?

Oh yeah, Holden designed it. GM, take a hint. Make all your cars look that nice on the inside and they'd be more appealing.

ameen6 · January 2003

Lots to talk about, but I will stick to things relevant to the Mazda6. If you have read my previous posts, youll know that I already test drove a 6s with 5-speed MT and that Im buying a fully loaded one in a couple of weeks.

Anyhow, I checked out the Accord at the show. Ive already seen the outside many times, and my opinion stands that the car is bland looking at best. Unlike before, Im beginning to dislike the interior; its also very boring. I actually think I like the interior design of my 98 Accord better. The interior quality fit and finish is at best marginally better than the mazda6. I think those people who say the interior quality of the Accord is so much better than the Mazda6 are making assumptions and have not actually sat in both.

I also spent some time in the Audi A4. I dont understand why people think the interior of the A4 is the gold standard. The quality is top notch, but everything is just so plain, firm and square. Its like a businessmans car.

It seemed like in all the cars I saw I either liked nothing about them (Pontiac Aztec for example) or I loved some aspect of a car but hated another (Acura CL, love the interior, exterior leaves a lot to be desired). Of all the cars that I saw the Mazda6 along with the BMW 3 series and the MB E-class were the only ones that I liked everything about. All in all I left the show feeling good about the Mazda6.

strager · January 2003

A colleague at work, who's a single female in her twenties and drives a Jetta thinks the Altima looks as bloated as a Cadillac: she called the Altima an "old man's car". On the other hand, when a group of us had stopped by the Mazda dealer at lunch yesterday, everyone (including her) thought the styling of the 6 was hands down the best and most youthful of the mid-size import cars.

blueguydotcom · January 2003

A colleague at work, who's a single female in her twenties and drives a Jetta thinks the Altima looks as bloated as a Cadillac: she called the Altima an "old man's car". On the other hand, when a group of us had stopped by the Mazda dealer at lunch yesterday, everyone (including her) thought the styling of the 6 was hands down the best and most youthful of the mid-size import cars.

Beyond baffled by the point of this post. What some random person thinks of a car should have zero to do with whether or not you personally like it. That same person bought a Jetta, she's hardly someone to consult for any tips on style...

altersys · January 2003

people have been getting so emotional about plain old comments. Personally I like reading about how person A likes X and person B prefers Y. It makes me question my preferences so that I can reassure myself of my decisions, or re-evaluate them. Why get so upset at differing opinions?

-Alt

jtkz13 · January 2003

I agree the interior of the Altima leaves a lot to be desired. However, I drive a 94 Mustang (crappy plastic interior, creaks & looks cheap) and a 2000 Taurus (ok interior, nothing special tho). Here's my opinion: If the car is fun enough to drive then a lot of things can be overlooked. I still enjoy driving my Mustang 10x more than my taurus. I thought the handling was about 2 significant steps up from my Taurus, and a small step below the 6.
Maybe I'm just one of the dying breed that places a lot of empahasis on power. :-I

doodle4 · January 2003

i think i have solved my back problem. linens 'n things has a lumbar pillow. it is a 3-panel design that wraps around the lower back and fills that gap at the seat back. i put the cars lumbar support at the lowest setting then place the pillow on the seat up against the seat back (not actually in my lumbar area). the color is charcoal grey so it fits my black interior and the best thing is it only cost $5 on sale.

on a side note-- lets all agree that each of us has a personal opinion about the styling of a car. for example, i think the mustang is a hot looking car but i would not buy one because it is rear wheel drive and my ex-wife bought one. see, real personal reason. lets get down to talking about the 6 and what it can and cannot do. i think those on this board looking to buy one will find it usefull in making their decision.

1wiseguy · January 2003

If so, what did you pay and where did you buy it? Since we don't have access to TMV for Canada and the on-line services are fewer in number (apa, cars4u, etc)we should band together to ensure that we early adopters dont get gouged.

youster · January 2003

I test drove both 6i and 6s auto without sport package. Yes, I found 6i does not respond quickly enough to instant accelerations. But 6s sure is a beauty to drive, very powerful and responsive. It is also quieter. I am getting a 6s to replace my 00 Passat.

jason777 · January 2003

Anyone tested the speed of the V6 Maxda 6

I would like to know how long it takes from 0-60

I tested the 4c (only one available at dealership)

My impressions were - styling = very good
interior quality = very good - even better than the honda.

Overall I felt the construction was of a very high quality.

I feel the transmission in the honda was much better -

I haven't tried the V6 but I tried a honda V6 and found it to be one of the best engines that I have ever tried.

I know the M6 engine is an improved Ford Duratec from the Ford Taurus and to be honest I think that is engine is crap compared to the Japanese Honda/Nissan engines, they are far superior.

I would imagine then that the Mazda 6 and the Honda Accord are a tie and for me the thing which decides which one I get is the price.

Jason.

glideslopes · January 2003

On our way to our MPV after dinner out last night we noticed a 6i parked near our van. Both vehicles were in the corner of the lot. : ) It was a manual, black in color.

As we were warming up we noticed a couple coming over. Naturally I could not resist, so I got out to say hi.

They had 1,100 miles on it in 3 weeks of ownership. They were very happy. They were prior Nissan owners. They looked at the Altima, and the new Accord. They admitted at first they were a little nervous about the "Mazda Badge", but after doing their research they came to the conclusion that all was well with Mazda. We did not discuss pricing.

The only gripe they had was that they would have liked a little more room in the back seat. However, it was the driving experience that sold them. They simple love to drive the car. They preferred the handling of the I4 over the V6.

We ended up discussing how we parked next to each other at the end of the lot. It was too funny, as they actually were checking out our MPV along with finding a "Mazda" spot to park.

Anyway, just thought I would post my encounter. They seemed in their late 20's, professional, no children.

Mark.

strager · January 2003

altersys - I agree with you, no need for anyone to get emotional about comments posted about a cars's styling.

Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda - everyone seems to want a younger customer. However, I strongly believe that the bloated styling of the Altima/Camry/Accord is not in tune with what younger buyers want, while the Mazda6 is. My unscientific survey of work colleagues helped to validate those beliefs.

pat · January 2003

Whew, you folks have been very busy in the last couple of days. ;-)

I need to mention some things regarding the last 100 or so messages:

If you are going to quote a source, you MUST provide a link to that source. If there is no link available, you may paraphrase but not quote. People copyright their material for a reason, and we are not free to violate copyright laws, y'know?

We have (as most of you know!) a whole board dedicated to comparisons. There is too much Altima, Accord, Maxima and whatever else carrying on in here. Those conversations should be taken to their respective topics on the Comparisons - Sedans vs. Sedans board. If a suitable discussion does not already exist, please feel free to create one.

I hope this comment is not necessary, but there is no way we are going to get into an SUV argument in here. ;-)

Lets try to keep our comments focused on the 6. Thanks for your cooperation.

pat · January 2003

Comparisons between the subject vehicle and other competing (and some non-competing!) vehicles are inevitable in any single vehicle topic. No problem with that. But when the comparisons take on an extended life of their own, it is time to go to the proper venue -- that is what has happened here recently.

We currently have very active comparison topics on the 6 vs. the Accord and the 6 vs. the Altima. We can have others if any of you are interested in other comparisons.

It just occurred to me that perhaps I should explain that part of my message above.

:-)

dinu01 · January 2003

They're coming out at the end of the mth. I'll need to do some brake svc on my Protege soon so when I do that I'll take a 6 for a spin.

Can't wait for it though.

Dinu

vadp · January 2003

I went to the same autoshow and got exactly the same impressions regarding the Accord interior/exterior and CL's interior.
You're right. Mazda6 stands out even when surrounded by dozens of other fine cars.

anonymousposts · January 2003

The 6 stands out? How? It has a basic dash design with a bunch of silver plastic covering the center dash. Is that what a car needs to not be considered boring? Also, the switchgear used for the climate control looks unfinished. All you have is that clear piece of plastic surrounding the knobs .. maybe they forgot to put something over it? Kinda the same way they forgot that a base 6i isn't supposed to get the black sport package interior?

dinu01 · January 2003

I think vadp was referring to the exterior.

Now don't get me wrong, the 03 Accord stands out too - for all the wrong reasons.

Dinu

rodlcw · January 2003

Thanks for the info. A store just recently opened here. I have not quite figured out what I need. I am a smaller person of 5' 7 and 145 lbs. and I do not fill the seat between the bolsters so I do not feel supported laterally.
I think over time, I may sink in and get a little more molded to the seat? I have the black leather of the sport package.

vadp · January 2003

An autoshow is a perfect place to compare the aesthetics, ergonomics and "static" feel of the cars.

pat · January 2003

... of off-topic posts have been removed.

I don't really think any of you need help finding the Honda Accord discussion, but there is a link for you, just in case.

I meant what I said about keeping the conversation on topic.

ncjudge · January 2003

I test drove the 6 in Winston-Salem, but I'm going to check out Parks Mazda in High Point and some other N.C. dealerships. Bob King had a dealer markup of over $900 over sticker listed on the car we drove. BTW, when I said I wanted to drive a manual before making a decision, a sales manager told the salesman that Mazda wasn't making the manual-equipped 6s yet--they would be in in a month or so. Right...

stretchsje · January 2003

That's 300 miles I've piloted- and today in the snow. The 16" tires stink on pavement, but do well in rain and in snow. They have a long treadwear and are quiet- but aren't very aggressive.

I pushed the car for the first time yesterday and it whipped around a turn with a hint of fun, fun slide, but no under or oversteer. It was quite amazing as the revs approached 5k in second gear- nobody was on the road, and I wasn't about to miss my left turn arrow for nothing. I know, 5k isn't even redlining it, but I've been so good to this car so far that I'm going nuts! The fun starts at 3k :-)

I can't wait until this silly engine break-in is over. I'm getting impatient. 200 miles left to go, per Mazda's owner's manual. I've tried pushing the car through some turns without gunning the throttle, and it just isn't the same. It's too predictable, with no lean- like driving a fast car slow.

It looks like I'm getting around 23mpg in about the worst city traffic you can imagine. That's not far off of my old 1.6l 4cyl Celica, which would get 40mpg on the highway for comparison. While 23mpg may seem low, I'm quite impressed given the circumstances.

The engine sounds better and smoother every day. I can't emphasize this enough. It's gotten quieter at all revs, and has a much more pleasing note when pushed. It's much more ignorable during day-to-day driving then when new, yet much more fun to listen to when pressed (to 4k rpm... sigh).

I put my first 'mod' on the car- a University of Delaware alumni license plate holder. Whew- it sure is tricked out now, eh? Mazda's 17" alloys are $125 each from the dealer ($150 MSRP), and I may do that. I wanted the alloys w/o the spoiler. The rear speakers are 5x7's, and it appears the fronts are too. I am still clueless as to whether or not the tweeter in the front can be replaced, but hope to replace that. Two easy installation jobs- wheels and speakers- and this initial $17,701 car will be my $18,500 dream machine.

To those who don't like this car- what's wrong with you!?! This car is incredible!

Unless, like my wife, you don't like the car because it means learning stick :-)

newcar31 · January 2003

"Mazda's 17" alloys are $125 each from the dealer, and I may do that."

That was the main reason why I liked the sport package, but I'm not really a fan of the body cladding or the spoiler.

fowler3 · January 2003

**...but I'm going to check out Parks Mazda in High Point and some other N.C. dealerships.**

Parks is where I bought my Protegé, good people to deal with, and they do NOT add on to the MSRP. Forget the Greensboro dealer, bad reputation. The Mazda dealership, in Ashboro, is also owned by Parks.

fowler3

mazda6s · January 2003

"I am getting a 6s to replace my 00 Passat."

Oh no, VW doesn't want to hear stuff like THAT!

andrewb2 · January 2003

I've been reading comments about the Mazda6 6 cyl. having a Ford engine, modified by Mazda. My memory might be wrong, but wasn't the Ford Duratec engine designed by Subaru. Or do I have this mixed up with something else.

johnclineii · January 2003

You have it mixed up with something else. Subaru, or Fuiji Heavy, is a GM affiliate...

the_big_h · January 2003

is actually an engine that Ford paid PORSCHE to design for them...

dinu01 · January 2003

What does Ford and Porsche have in common?

Dinu

the_big_h · January 2003

http://www.internetautoguide.com/reviews/2000/2000_Ford_Contour.html

2nd paragraph under "Driving Impressions"

glideslopes · January 2003

The Big H is correct. Ford contracted with Porsche in the early design phase of the Duratec.

Mark.

the_big_h · January 2003

... and Cosworth...

vadp · January 2003

LOL.
Good info.
From now on when someone starts bitching about the Duratec engine and how bad it is simply because of its Ford roots, we'll have enough of ammo to instantly shut them off.

dinu01 · January 2003

Well we might have ammo, but we're shooting blanks

No facts, logic or reason will make some people realize that the 6 and Mazdas in general are NOT the scum of the automotive ladder...

In other news, I came through this site:

http://www.desrosiers.ca/

This is an automotive consultant in Canada that analyzes the market and its preferences. There are some intereting articles - browse his reports (requires Acrobat - and it loads fast).

Dinu

ruski · January 2003

if Mazda has plans for increasing the HP in the future.

vadp · January 2003

I thought you've made your mind.
Was it the GTO, you were waiting for.;)

vocus · January 2003

I got a test drive offer in the mail for the 6 on Saturday. It was a $35 gift certificate to somewhere, but didn't look at it really closely. The eerie thing was that it came in my mother's name, who has never owned, test driven, or even requested information for a Mazda. She has also been dead for 2 years this past Friday...???

gee35coupe · January 2003

Gonna take em up on it and test drive it again. Got the same offer for the Pro5 when it came out. Got some nice CD's with it.

fowler3 · January 2003

black list, I never get anything from them. Nothing!

By the way, the tester for the Contour, Mitch McCollough, is the guy whom I exchanged e-mail with when I was test driving the '01 Protegé. He suggested I drive another one when the first car proved very rough-riding (wheels out of balance). He also said, "First impressions are usually wrong because you are having to look at so many things on the first drive." He was right about that, too.

Dive an I-4 and the V6, drive a beige trimmed model and a grey trimmed model before deciding, give your senses a chance to evaluate your wants and needs. Check the stereos, check the handling differences. You aren't buying a new toy.

fowler3

Mazda6 Sedan

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