Fairly new to this discussion (some of you may remember me as jmlagasca from more a year ago...).
After seeing other Tribute owners going through their trials with that Ford manufactured product I was wondering if anyone here looking to get a Mazda6 had any concerns with the 6 being produced out of Ford's Flat Rock, MI plant. I don't know much about the plant itself and the quality of the cars coming out the plant but I think the quality of any car that rolls out of a Ford plant remains questionable.
Just playing devil's advocate. I'm elated that Mazda is beginning this "comeback" with the 6. Hopefully it'll be benchmark vehicle for the company.
"Overall, driving the car is a blast. The Mazda 6 is more fun than most midsize sedans on the market. Plenty of the credit for this goes to its superior blend of steering, brakes, suspension and driver comfort. It's like a Protegé ES, pumped up a couple of sizes. Lots of fun, and we can't wait to sample the V6."
The review is pretty positive, but I wonder why Mazda isn't planning to offer the anti-spin feature (the "stability control")? Especially, if everyone else in the world will get it.
It rains a bit here in the Northwest and my next car is going to have that. If Mazda doesn't offer it, I'll get a Passat or an A4 which will.
For an all-new design car and especially since the car is going to have the option all over the world, I wouldn't get one without the stability control either.
interior? Anyone else feel the same way? This ruins an otherwise EXTREMELY attractive product. I hope Mazda can offer black, or even a darker grey but production economies probably won't allow multiple options. Thumbs up: exterior styling. Thumbs up: driving dynamics sportier than Accord. Bravo: offering manual V-6 engines!!!
I saw the 6 on display at the NY autoshow. First thing that hit me was how low to the ground this car was. With the bad streets and highways in this City I'll be hesitant to drive it around. The doors were locked so I couldn't go in but it will require you to kinda squat down into the seats based on the height of the openings. Anyone know if the wagon version will be raised abit? Other thing I didn't like were the headlights which I don't think would throw out go spread of lights (but that's based on layout of the headlights.)
I haven't seen the car in person, but it is really not a mainstream vehicle like the Accord, Camry or Altima, but rather a sport sedan. This explains the low stance. I looked up the ground clearance and it is supposed to be 5.1 inches, which compares to Altima's 4.2 and Camry's 5.4. The ground clearance of the hatchback and wagon are listed as the same in carseverything.com. The seats are height-adjustable, but if the door opening is too low for you, you either get used to it or look elsewhere. The effectiveness of the headlights remains to be seen (or unseen, as the case may be.)
The Flat Rock plant has been producing 626s since the late 80s/early 90s. Quality of the previous generation 626s seems to be fine (except for the CD4E auto transmission). I have an 93 (first year of the model) 626 which is the first foreign branded car classified as a domestic (based on contents). It was manufactured in 12/92 and has been reliable with zero recalls.
I picked up the August 2002 CAR magazine tonight hoping to find a real road test or comparison with other UK mid-size sedans. No luck. The car isn't even in the buyer's guide section yet or mentioned under "worth waiting for" (where it was listed last month).
Anyway, there is a two page spread on pages 18 and 19 The pic takes up the top 4/5s of the page and shows a blue sedan cruising along an urban street from left to right at a slightly up angle. In the glass building behind the street is the reflection of a blue MX-5. The tag line reads "Where does the sports car end and the new Mazda6 begin?"
The ad lists the price as 14,995 pounds including metalic paint, VAT, number plates, delivery, 12 months road fund licence and 1st registration tax. I love trying to read this magazine...
I'm glad I'm not buying a car for just over two years -- too many choices! Mazda 6, or maybe a Honda Accord (again), or maybe the JDM/Euro Accord to be sold here as an Acura. Looks like lots of test drives are in order!
all of the tests we've read about, including the one in CAR, were from the press preview staged in Rome. I was hoping for an actual production car, maybe the hatch...
The Protege is no sport sedan either, but it handles almost like one. I owned 2 of them, and they both had great handling for their price class.
From what the First Drive article here on Edmund's said, the 6 was created in the same regard. I haven't read the reviews in CAR magazine yet, but I am sure they say something about the handling. Just keep in mind that the US market vehicles usually have different suspensions, because of the different (worse) roads here in the States.
"The Protege is no sport sedan either, but it handles almost like one."
Almost? With some dedicated summer performance tires, a Protege ES will hang with just about any sport sedan. Have you seen the slalom speeds that the Protege ES is capable of with ALL SEASON tires? Heck, the MP3 lays waste to many so called "sport sedans" when it comes to handling.
They obviously have some in the states already, since it appears the 6 video (3 metallic silver sedans playing follow-the-leader) was taken at the Mazda Laguna Seca track.
And the Protege sedan can hang with or beat many "sport sedans" in the twisties. The only thing it lacks in comparison is straight-line acceleration. Bring that up to par (as with the Mazdaspeed version) and it'll put many vehicles costing much more to shame (especially when you figure reliability and integrity into the picture as well...for instance, the last A4 [a vehicle that easily costs 2-3X more upfront] requires replacement of the front control arm every 30k miles or they may catastrophically fail...they call it "normal" maintenance...yeah, right).
Although I have never driven the ES 2.0L/5sp combo, I think half the fun in driving a car is knowing your engine, how it responds, and hearing it rev. So what that the Pro isnt the quickest in a straight line- from what I have read, its got decent pull and IMO, a little extra shifting never hurt anyone. You just gotta know what the car is capable of. ~alpha
Mazda really hasn't done any marketing of the 6 yet(web site/auto show are exceptions). All the comments about it are coming from the automotive press. Take issue with them and leave the SA remarks aside.
Hmm, looks like a few people have read more into my statement then there was or seemed to take it personally. I have more interest in it's utility side.
Smaller volume trunk than the Camry, but no strut towers intruding into the trunk and no trunk hinges either!
Hatch should make carrying bulky items more feasible than the sedan format.
Wagon's a wagon (albeit a slightly shortened tail, but that's to keep the driving dynamics more sporty by keeping all that extra mass closer to the center of the body).
The sedan's probably the tightest-handling and tightest feeling of the three since they can more easily stiffen the rear suspension and you don't have the large hatch opening.
The cabin space is supposed to be larger than what it looks like from the exterior which is a plus. The previous generation Protege had this going for it as well (not sure of the recent as I haven't been in one yet.
Please clarify. Exactly why is the new Mazda 6 not a "sport sedan". This will require you to give the definition of "sport sedan". Don't just say "BMW" either, I want the attributes and qualities that makes a sports sedan a sports sedan.
Based on the preview specs and those from the UK website, the Mazda6 is comparable in interior volume size to the current Honda Accord.
The sedan claims to have 17.something cubic feet of trunk space. The hatch is a little smaller because the car is shorter.
The double hinges for the trunk are a big plus. Passat has them. Camry doesn't have them and it looks like the '03 Accord won't either. I don't know about the Altima.
Lets not start this whole "whats a sports sedan" debate. It is easier to say that the Mazda6 will top comparable sized/priced cars in most performance measurements...
"By July 1, combined orders for two versions of the Atenza reached 6,000 units, six times an original monthly sales target in Japan, Mazda said in a statement. The company began selling the car in Europe under the name Mazda6 from early June and has already booked about 30,000 orders. The Sport Wagon, for its part, achieved its domestic monthly sales target of 1,500 sales in the first two weeks after launch. As a result, Mazda has lifted monthly production capacity at it Hofu No.1 plant in Yamaguchi to 14,500 units from 10,000. It hopes to keep the pace of sales high in Japan by released a four-wheel-drive version of the Sport Wagon in August."
And now the bad news:
"The Atenza/6 is will go down as Mazda’s most important model worldwide, and especially in North America. In the US market the bland 626 and Millenia are winding down and will soon be completely phased out. All new tooling for the 6 is being installed at Mazda’s assembly plant at Flat Rock, Michigan and locally built four-door sedans will hit American showrooms in the fourth quarter. The five-door hatch and station wagon will go into production at Flat Rock about a year later."
The 60-degree V6, though it's based on Ford's Duratec 3.0-liter, uses the addition of the S-VT system to produce 219 horsepower compared with the 200 hp normally generated by this motor. Maximum torque, however, is only slightly increased over the standard-issue Duratec with 202 pound-feet available at 4,750 rpm compared with 200 lb-ft at the same rpm. These ratings give the 6 a 27-horsepower advantage over the 2002 Camry V6, but leave it 21 ponies shy of the 240-horse Altima 3.5SE. The Mazda 6 is also short on torque, with the Camry generating 209 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm and the Altima producing a whopping 246 lb-ft. at 4,400 rpm. We think Mazda's got some more work to do on the Duratec V6.
I have to say that any bad criticism on the 6's V6 is unwarranted.
The following are what I consider decent sport sedans(and some I just threw in for comparisons sake): BMW 2.5L 6 - 184hp, 175ft-lbs BMW 3.0L 6 - 225hp, 214ft-lbs Audi A4 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 221ft-lbs Acura TL 3.2L 6 - 225hp, 216ft-lbs Acura TL-S 6 - 260hp, 232ft-lbs Lexus IS300 6 - 215hp, 218ft-lbs Infiniti G35 3.5L 6 - 260hp, 260ft-lbs Jaguar X-Type 3.0L 6(I think its the Duratec too) - 227hp, 209ft-lbs Jaguar X-Type 2.5L 6 - 191hp, 180ft-lbs Lincoln LS - 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 215ft-lbs Mercedes C-Class 2.6L 6 - 168hp, 177ft-lbs, pfft Mercedes C-Wagon 3.2L - 215hp, 221ft-lbs Maxima SE 3.5L 6 - 255hp, 246ft-lbs Saab 9-5 3.0L 6 - 200hp, 229ft-lbs Subaru WRX 227hp, 217ft-lbs(4 cylinder) Poopssat GLX 2.8L 6 - 190hp, 206ft-lbs(just for S&G) Volvo S60 5 cylinder 2.4L - 197hp, 210ft-lbs Volvo V70 5 cylinder 2.3L - 247hp, 243ft-lbs I got them all from this site.
Based on the above I agree with Mr. Edmund that the MAZDA6's V6 is short on torque, but not really hp. And I also agree that Mazda could probably do some more work on the Duratec, for no other reason than the above examples.
Also, I think the MAZDA6 styling is probably more aggressive than most of those cars, but not all.
Even more, the following cars do not have a manual transmission option for the listed engines: Acura TL Infiniti G35 Lexus IS300 - only the base model comes with manual... so I guess that passes, so I shouldn't list it here I have to say that any bad critizism on the 6's V6 is unwarranted.
The following are what I consider decent sport sedans(and some I just threw in for comparisons sake): BMW 2.5L 6 - 184hp, 175ft-lbs BMW 3.0L 6 - 225hp, 214ft-lbs Audi A4 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 221ft-lbs Acura TL 3.2L 6 - 225hp, 216ft-lbs Acura TL-S 6 - 260hp, 232ft-lbs Lexus IS300 6 - 215hp, 218ft-lbs Infiniti G35 3.5L 6 - 260hp, 260ft-lbs Jaguar X-Type 3.0L 6(I think its the Duratec too) - 227hp, 209ft-lbs Jaguar X-Type 2.5L 6 - 191hp, 180ft-lbs Lincoln LS - 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 215ft-lbs Mercedes C-Class 2.6L 6 - 168hp, 177ft-lbs, pfft Mercedes C- Wagon 3.2L - 215hp, 221ft-lbs Maxima SE 3.5L 6 - 255hp, 246ft-lbs Saab 9-5 3.0L 6 - 200hp, 229ft-lbs Subaru WRX 227hp, 217ft-lbs(4 cylinder) Poopssat GLX 2.8L 6 - 190hp, 206ft-lbs(just for S&G) Volvo S60 5 cylinder 2.4L - 197hp, 210ft-lbs Volvo V70 5 cylinder 2.3L - 247hp, 243ft-lbs
Based on the above I agree with Mr. Edmund that the MAZDA6's V6 is short on torque, but not really hp. And I also agree that Mazda could probably do some more work on the Duratec, for no other reason than the above examples. Also, I think the MAZDA6 styling is probably more aggressive than most of those cars, not all.
(tangent)Why oh why was the RX-7 ever removed from the US!
Even more, the following cars do not have a manual transmission option for the listed engines, which I think is a huge minus (and automatically removes them from my list of purchasable cars): Acura TL Infiniti G35 Lexus IS300 - only the base model comes with manual... so I guess that passes, so I shouldn't list it here Jaguar X-Type 3.0L Mercedes C-WagonJaguar X-Type 3.0L Mercedes C-Wagon Saab 9-5
But then the MAZDA6 is not RWD, which would be cool. I personally don't like FWD cars. RWD is much for fun to me. But supposedly theres an AWD 4cylinder with a ton of hp to come out in the future, but it doesn't really count for now. But it does come in hatchback which is a really cool+. I'm sold on hatches, as I've had more hatches than any other car. A mid-sized hatch, neato! Those wild and crazy guys.
I'm sure there are tons of cars I left out, but I have to work and stuff in the morning
Anyway, I think the 6 will be an excellent alternative to the other "stuff" that is currently on the market, I won't mention names. I've always liked Mazda for the spirit they put into their cars (which is currently lacking but comin back - Miata and Protege). And right now, the 6 is #1 on my list of new cars to purchase(having test driven nothing hehe). So unless it drives and feels like a POS and the competition doesn't...
Great post! I see you caught the repetition within a couple of minutes. For future reference:
"While you cannot rewrite history, you will have 30 minutes to make any changes or fixes after you post a message. Just click on the Edit button that follows your message after you post it."
Anyway, I can't wait to test drive (and probably buy) a Mazda6. Like many of you, I wish the hatch and wagon were coming out the same time as the sedan.
I didn't post the text from the Edmunds preview to dismiss the Mazda6, but rather to show how it is more than the Camry (and likely Accord), but less than Altima in raw performance attributes.
A while ago I asked if anybody knows why the Mazda6 has four headlights. The obvious are one low beam, one high beam, and one amber signal. Reading a review of the Renault Vel Satis may give a clue as to the fourth. The Renault has a separate halogen bulb for a "flash to pass" function. In the pics of the Mazda6 from Autoweek where the lights are on, the inner most bulb is larger and more yellow in color that the outboard ones. This light could also be for DRLs as well as flash to pass...
It gets tiring to see people compare HP's in cars with engines that differ in 10% or less. In all probability, the Mazda 6 will 'feel' quicker than the Altima, because its going to be less porky.
And then again, the BMW 325i (admittedly stick shift) felt WAY quicker than the Altima (automatic) when I test drove them.
In any case, I seriously think the 180+ range is a washout, and 180 or thereabouts is all you really need to merge/pass with a loaded (4 passengers and stuff) sedan! But then again, that's just me - I'm making do just fine with a sub-100hp 4-door sedan, and frequently take 5 or 4-person road trips with loads of hiking/camping gear ;-)
In fact - my config of choice would be - Mazda 6 - 4 cylinder - Sport Hatch - 5 speed - Sport suspension
Mazda makes each vehicle a holistic experience. The Miata is not going to be tops in drag races, but then again, that's not its purpose. And you can't argue against its success.
The current Protege is similarly rewarding to drive and makes a fine daily commuter and small family vehicle as well.
FYI, the last RX7 was pulled for both lower-than-expected sales (got too expensive I think, like the Nissan 300ZX and the Toyota Supra), but they couldn't make the emissions clean enough for EPA either. The Renesis rotary will beet EPA emission regulations and be a bit more fuel-efficient too, mostly by moving the intake and exhaust ports to the sides of the combustion chambers than the outer faces (too much unburnt fuel was sent out the exhaust). You can read on Mazda's site about the developments and improvements to the rotary.
Still, even though they pulled it out of the US, a few "grey-market" ones have been imported. They look nice.
I'll take mine the same way in white or shiny silver. I'm hpping you can get the car without the ground effects because I think it looks more clean. The UK website isn't really helpful because we'll get different configurations with the V-6.
Mazda says it's not going to compete in the numbers game. While this won't help armchair drivers, the real world drivers will be more than happy, I think, with the 219hp in a car that can take a corner or two.
I'd love to have it, but there have been conflicting reports over whether it'll mkae it as a feature (or even an option) to the US.
Oh - and make mine yellow please (although I'll probably end up choosing either of the yellow or the red or blue when the 6 is released!)
I sat in, and played around with the gadgetry, folding seats, controls etc in the yellow hatchback at the NY Auto Show - and it was sweet! Everything just where I'd like it, with the promise of exceptional (or at least better-than-vanilla) handling, and some exclusivity - although they could loose some of that plasticanium!
Comments
After seeing other Tribute owners going through their trials with that Ford manufactured product I was wondering if anyone here looking to get a Mazda6 had any concerns with the 6 being produced out of Ford's Flat Rock, MI plant. I don't know much about the plant itself and the quality of the cars coming out the plant but I think the quality of any car that rolls out of a Ford plant remains questionable.
Just playing devil's advocate. I'm elated that Mazda is beginning this "comeback" with the 6. Hopefully it'll be benchmark vehicle for the company.
"Overall, driving the car is a blast. The Mazda 6 is more fun than most midsize sedans on the market. Plenty of the credit for this goes to its superior blend of steering, brakes, suspension and driver comfort. It's like a Protegé ES, pumped up a couple of sizes. Lots of fun, and we can't wait to sample the V6."
sounds good to me!
It rains a bit here in the Northwest and my next car is going to have that. If Mazda doesn't offer it, I'll get a Passat or an A4 which will.
The effectiveness of the headlights remains to be seen (or unseen, as the case may be.)
I have an 93 (first year of the model) 626 which is the first foreign branded car classified as a domestic (based on contents). It was manufactured in 12/92 and has been reliable with zero recalls.
This is beautiful. First pleather, then plood and now plasticanium.
Folks, you saw it on Edmunds first. thanks for the chuckle VC.
Anyway, there is a two page spread on pages 18 and 19 The pic takes up the top 4/5s of the page and shows a blue sedan cruising along an urban street from left to right at a slightly up angle. In the glass building behind the street is the reflection of a blue MX-5. The tag line reads "Where does the sports car end and the new Mazda6 begin?"
The ad lists the price as 14,995 pounds including metalic paint, VAT, number plates, delivery, 12 months road fund licence and 1st registration tax. I love trying to read this magazine...
I'm glad I'm not buying a car for just over two years -- too many choices! Mazda 6, or maybe a Honda Accord (again), or maybe the JDM/Euro Accord to be sold here as an Acura. Looks like lots of test drives are in order!
From what the First Drive article here on Edmund's said, the 6 was created in the same regard. I haven't read the reviews in CAR magazine yet, but I am sure they say something about the handling. Just keep in mind that the US market vehicles usually have different suspensions, because of the different (worse) roads here in the States.
Almost? With some dedicated summer performance tires, a Protege ES will hang with just about any sport sedan. Have you seen the slalom speeds that the Protege ES is capable of with ALL SEASON tires? Heck, the MP3 lays waste to many so called "sport sedans" when it comes to handling.
"The Mazda 6 is no sport sedan."
Why isn't it? Because it's FWD?
the funny part is the Mazda 6 is everything it has been represented as and more.
Some people have had the benefit of driving the Mazda6 and it will exceed 95% of consumer expectations.
And the Protege sedan can hang with or beat many "sport sedans" in the twisties. The only thing it lacks in comparison is straight-line acceleration. Bring that up to par (as with the Mazdaspeed version) and it'll put many vehicles costing much more to shame (especially when you figure reliability and integrity into the picture as well...for instance, the last A4 [a vehicle that easily costs 2-3X more upfront] requires replacement of the front control arm every 30k miles or they may catastrophically fail...they call it "normal" maintenance...yeah, right).
~alpha
Mazda really hasn't done any marketing of the 6 yet(web site/auto show are exceptions). All the comments about it are coming from the automotive press. Take issue with them and leave the SA remarks aside.
Hatch should make carrying bulky items more feasible than the sedan format.
Wagon's a wagon (albeit a slightly shortened tail, but that's to keep the driving dynamics more sporty by keeping all that extra mass closer to the center of the body).
The sedan's probably the tightest-handling and tightest feeling of the three since they can more easily stiffen the rear suspension and you don't have the large hatch opening.
Feel free to clarify your statement...
The sedan claims to have 17.something cubic feet of trunk space. The hatch is a little smaller because the car is shorter.
The double hinges for the trunk are a big plus. Passat has them. Camry doesn't have them and it looks like the '03 Accord won't either. I don't know about the Altima.
Lets not start this whole "whats a sports sedan" debate. It is easier to say that the Mazda6 will top comparable sized/priced cars in most performance measurements...
"By July 1, combined orders for two versions of the Atenza reached 6,000 units, six times an original monthly sales target in Japan, Mazda said in a statement. The company began selling the car in Europe under the name Mazda6 from early June and has already booked about 30,000 orders.
The Sport Wagon, for its part, achieved its domestic monthly sales target of 1,500 sales in the first two weeks after launch.
As a result, Mazda has lifted monthly production capacity at it Hofu No.1 plant in Yamaguchi to 14,500 units from 10,000. It hopes to keep the pace of sales high in Japan by released a four-wheel-drive version of the Sport Wagon in August."
And now the bad news:
"The Atenza/6 is will go down as Mazda’s most important model worldwide, and especially in North America. In the US market the bland 626 and Millenia are winding down and will soon be completely phased out. All new tooling for the 6 is being installed at Mazda’s assembly plant at Flat Rock, Michigan and locally built four-door sedans will hit American showrooms in the fourth quarter.
The five-door hatch and station wagon will go into production at Flat Rock about a year later."
For the complete article:
http://www.auto-asia.com/viewcontent.asp?pk=7343&full=yes&char=421
Rich
(which also appeared in print two or three months ago)
The 60-degree V6, though it's based on Ford's Duratec 3.0-liter, uses the addition of the S-VT system to produce 219 horsepower compared with the 200 hp normally generated by this motor. Maximum torque, however, is only slightly increased over the standard-issue Duratec with 202 pound-feet available at 4,750 rpm compared with 200 lb-ft at the same rpm. These ratings give the 6 a 27-horsepower advantage over the 2002 Camry V6, but leave it 21 ponies shy of the 240-horse Altima 3.5SE. The Mazda 6 is also short on torque, with the Camry generating 209 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm and the Altima producing a whopping 246 lb-ft. at 4,400 rpm. We think Mazda's got some more work to do on the Duratec V6.
The following are what I consider decent sport sedans(and some I just threw in for comparisons sake):
BMW 2.5L 6 - 184hp, 175ft-lbs
BMW 3.0L 6 - 225hp, 214ft-lbs
Audi A4 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 221ft-lbs
Acura TL 3.2L 6 - 225hp, 216ft-lbs
Acura TL-S 6 - 260hp, 232ft-lbs
Lexus IS300 6 - 215hp, 218ft-lbs
Infiniti G35 3.5L 6 - 260hp, 260ft-lbs
Jaguar X-Type 3.0L 6(I think its the Duratec too) - 227hp, 209ft-lbs
Jaguar X-Type 2.5L 6 - 191hp, 180ft-lbs
Lincoln LS - 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 215ft-lbs
Mercedes C-Class 2.6L 6 - 168hp, 177ft-lbs, pfft
Mercedes C-Wagon 3.2L - 215hp, 221ft-lbs
Maxima SE 3.5L 6 - 255hp, 246ft-lbs
Saab 9-5 3.0L 6 - 200hp, 229ft-lbs
Subaru WRX 227hp, 217ft-lbs(4 cylinder)
Poopssat GLX 2.8L 6 - 190hp, 206ft-lbs(just for S&G)
Volvo S60 5 cylinder 2.4L - 197hp, 210ft-lbs
Volvo V70 5 cylinder 2.3L - 247hp, 243ft-lbs
I got them all from this site.
Based on the above I agree with Mr. Edmund that the MAZDA6's V6 is short on torque, but not really hp. And I also agree that Mazda could probably do some more work on the Duratec, for no other reason than the above examples.
Also, I think the MAZDA6 styling is probably more aggressive than most of those cars, but not all.
Even more, the following cars do not have a manual transmission option for the listed engines:
Acura TL
Infiniti G35
Lexus IS300 - only the base model comes with manual... so I guess that passes, so I shouldn't list it here
I have to say that any bad critizism on the 6's V6 is unwarranted.
The following are what I consider decent sport sedans(and some I just threw in for comparisons sake):
BMW 2.5L 6 - 184hp, 175ft-lbs
BMW 3.0L 6 - 225hp, 214ft-lbs
Audi A4 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 221ft-lbs
Acura TL 3.2L 6 - 225hp, 216ft-lbs
Acura TL-S 6 - 260hp, 232ft-lbs
Lexus IS300 6 - 215hp, 218ft-lbs
Infiniti G35 3.5L 6 - 260hp, 260ft-lbs
Jaguar X-Type 3.0L 6(I think its the Duratec too) - 227hp, 209ft-lbs
Jaguar X-Type 2.5L 6 - 191hp, 180ft-lbs
Lincoln LS - 3.0L 6 - 220hp, 215ft-lbs
Mercedes C-Class 2.6L 6 - 168hp, 177ft-lbs, pfft
Mercedes C- Wagon 3.2L - 215hp, 221ft-lbs
Maxima SE 3.5L 6 - 255hp, 246ft-lbs
Saab 9-5 3.0L 6 - 200hp, 229ft-lbs
Subaru WRX 227hp, 217ft-lbs(4 cylinder)
Poopssat GLX 2.8L 6 - 190hp, 206ft-lbs(just for S&G)
Volvo S60 5 cylinder 2.4L - 197hp, 210ft-lbs
Volvo V70 5 cylinder 2.3L - 247hp, 243ft-lbs
Based on the above I agree with Mr. Edmund that the MAZDA6's V6 is short on torque, but not really hp. And I also agree that Mazda could probably do some more work on the Duratec, for no other reason than the above examples.
Also, I think the MAZDA6 styling is probably more aggressive than most of those cars, not all.
(tangent)Why oh why was the RX-7 ever removed from the US!
Even more, the following cars do not have a manual transmission option for the listed engines, which I think is a huge minus (and automatically removes them from my list of purchasable cars):
Acura TL
Infiniti G35
Lexus IS300 - only the base model comes with manual... so I guess that passes, so I shouldn't list it here
Jaguar X-Type 3.0L
Mercedes C-WagonJaguar X-Type 3.0L
Mercedes C-Wagon
Saab 9-5
But then the MAZDA6 is not RWD, which would be cool. I personally don't like FWD cars. RWD is much for fun to me. But supposedly theres an AWD 4cylinder with a ton of hp to come out in the future, but it doesn't really count for now. But it does come in hatchback which is a really cool+. I'm sold on hatches, as I've had more hatches than any other car. A mid-sized hatch, neato! Those wild and crazy guys.
I'm sure there are tons of cars I left out, but I have to work and stuff in the morning
Anyway, I think the 6 will be an excellent alternative to the other "stuff" that is currently on the market, I won't mention names. I've always liked Mazda for the spirit they put into their cars (which is currently lacking but comin back - Miata and Protege). And right now, the 6 is #1 on my list of new cars to purchase(having test driven nothing hehe). So unless it drives and feels like a POS and the competition doesn't...
"While you cannot rewrite history, you will have 30 minutes to make any changes or fixes after you post a message. Just click on the Edit button that follows your message after you post it."
Anyway, I can't wait to test drive (and probably buy) a Mazda6. Like many of you, I wish the hatch and wagon were coming out the same time as the sedan.
A while ago I asked if anybody knows why the Mazda6 has four headlights. The obvious are one low beam, one high beam, and one amber signal. Reading a review of the Renault Vel Satis may give a clue as to the fourth. The Renault has a separate halogen bulb for a "flash to pass" function. In the pics of the Mazda6 from Autoweek where the lights are on, the inner most bulb is larger and more yellow in color that the outboard ones. This light could also be for DRLs as well as flash to pass...
And then again, the BMW 325i (admittedly stick shift) felt WAY quicker than the Altima (automatic) when I test drove them.
In any case, I seriously think the 180+ range is a washout, and 180 or thereabouts is all you really need to merge/pass with a loaded (4 passengers and stuff) sedan! But then again, that's just me - I'm making do just fine with a sub-100hp 4-door sedan, and frequently take 5 or 4-person road trips with loads of hiking/camping gear ;-)
In fact - my config of choice would be
- Mazda 6
- 4 cylinder
- Sport Hatch
- 5 speed
- Sport suspension
The current Protege is similarly rewarding to drive and makes a fine daily commuter and small family vehicle as well.
FYI, the last RX7 was pulled for both lower-than-expected sales (got too expensive I think, like the Nissan 300ZX and the Toyota Supra), but they couldn't make the emissions clean enough for EPA either. The Renesis rotary will beet EPA emission regulations and be a bit more fuel-efficient too, mostly by moving the intake and exhaust ports to the sides of the combustion chambers than the outer faces (too much unburnt fuel was sent out the exhaust). You can read on Mazda's site about the developments and improvements to the rotary.
Still, even though they pulled it out of the US, a few "grey-market" ones have been imported. They look nice.
Oh - and make mine yellow please (although I'll probably end up choosing either of the yellow or the red or blue when the 6 is released!)
I sat in, and played around with the gadgetry, folding seats, controls etc in the yellow hatchback at the NY Auto Show - and it was sweet! Everything just where I'd like it, with the promise of exceptional (or at least better-than-vanilla) handling, and some exclusivity - although they could loose some of that plasticanium!