Mazda6 Wagon

revka

From Edmunds' recent coverage of the 2002 Geneva Auto Show: 2003 Mazda 6 Sport Wagon, by Christian J. Wardlaw. What do you think?

Thanks for your comments!

Revka
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Hatchbacks & Station Wagons Boards

ateixeira

Sleek, handsome, elegant. Nice color, nice wheels. Can't find anything about it I don't like to be honest.

-juice

the_big_h

it looks just as good, if not better, than the Passat wagon, the current standard bearer

ateixeira

IMHO it makes the Passat look boring. Even the Altima is bland next to it.

True story - VW and Mazda were right next to each other at the NY Auto Show, and the Mazda stands were crowded, while VW wasn't.

-juice

maltb

It's about time Mazda...

northroad

Sorry Mazda, I couldn't wait any longer for the 6 to arrive. I purchased a Volvo V70T5, Nice ride.

Good Luck with the Sportwagon. The pictures so far look great.

I added Blizzaks to the V70 for the last blast of winter they really help!!

ateixeira

In fairness VW wasn't showing anything new. Audi had the Avantissimo concept, but it too didn't seem very crowded. Nissan and Mazda drew the biggest crowds while I was there.

Congrats, Peter, the T5 is sweet. Plus you're still in the Ford/Mazda/Volvo family.

-juice

carspy01

OK, here we go. A link to the official German Mazda 6-galleries. Play around and have fun. Please make sure to hit "Allgemein" for some pictures and videos. They take a while, but video 2 shows some of the interior.

As always, at your service.... :-) carspy01

http://www.mazda6.de/de/gallery/default.asp

carspy01

The videos are available on the Mazda USA-site as well on Quicktime. Sorry.

bac111

mpg5

make mine silver w/grey cloth,v6,manual, sunroof, sport suspension (or maybe it's set up like the pro5 and won't need upgrade option), in dash cd changer, and 18" alloys.

carspy01

I can hardly wait to see and drive it. I was always a wagon/hatchback fan, and I never understood why Mazda did not give us the 5-dr hatch and wagon 626 here in Northamerica as well, while being so popular in Europe. So far, I've read several "coming to the US"-dates, mostly August/Sepember 2003, but some other sources indicated it might be spring/early summer 2003. The earlier the better. I hope they keep the rear adjustable headrests, as this really bugs me with some offerings over here, where companies just leave the bench type rear seats without proper headrests, you know, the breakyournecktypesincasesomeidiothitsme...
I doubt, though, that the AWD will be available upon introduction, but surely at a later stage. In regard to engines/specifications/features etc. I think most of our "wish list" topics will be covered by Mazda, and rightly so. Let's hope MI doesn't mess with the quality....

nautiker

Just got my June issue of C/D and the have a brief review of the 6. States that all 3 models are coming stateside for a fall delivery. Probably the 4dr followed by the 5dr and then the hatch. Great looking car. I think it has a look similiar to the Audi A4 with its high beltline except not as bulbous looking. Inside looks ergonomically friendly and up-to-date. Nice job on the front end. . very aggressive. C/D states that they had 4cyl 5spd's to test. . .they think that conering and handling will put the VW Passat and Honda Accord to shame. . the current accord that is. I'm definately looking to compare this vehicle w/ the redesigned Honda Accord once it come out in Sept. Should be an interesting comparo. A little hesitant on the Ford-based 3.0L V6--even if it does have VVT. Not a fan of Ford products and hope the Mazda engineers massaged the engine a bit. for additional smoothness and low end torque. .

ateixeira

The Duratec engine has been good. Mazda's MPV has been reliable - more so than the Odyssey, for example, and they've used Duratecs.

But given Mazda applied S-VT to it, I imagine they're only borrowing the block itself from Ford.

-juicer

johnclineii

Any idea when the wagon will show up in the US and Canada?

qbrozen

looking for it soon. Mazda has typically not been like many other companies out there. Meaning that they haven't been pushing up their model year releases. For instance, you could have gotten a 2002 WRX wagon in April of 2001. We probably won't see the 03 mazdas till fall of this year.

maltb

nah, they do it too.

The 1999 Miata was first sold in Feb 1998.
The 2000 MPV sold in May 1999.
The 2002 Protege5 sold in May 2001.
The 2004 RX-8 is due in March or April of 2003.

qbrozen

maybe your right. I was kind of guessing based on my 626 purchase (got a '98 leftover in August '98 cause they were making room for the '99s) and because no '03s are around yet (looking at trying to get a good deal on one of the many leftover '01s a local dealer has). As far as the releases you refer to, I have no idea. Almost a full year ahead for the Miata? Really? I really hate that. Makes buying a used car tougher and tougher. Here you think you're getting a car that is so many years old .... ah, that's another discussion.

ateixeira

Wait a sec, the first model year for the Miata was 1990. Do you mean Feb 1989?

-juice

maltb

There was no 1998 Miata and 1999 was the long awaited refresh. So the 1999 first retailed in Feb 1998.

ateixeira

OK, I'm a decade behind you, sorry.

-juice

dayokayode

http://www.mindarrow.net/Mazda6/Static/Mazda6.asp?cid=739&mid=56

nwng

I bet those great looking front seats will not make it to our shore, looks too supportive and very well bolstered (i.e., our asses are too big to fit in those). No horsepower rating on the engines though.

dinamo73

hi
my name is andy
i got a 1991 mazda 626 station (not electronic, has a carburator and choke start) and i have a transmission problem.

the car is not changing gears right, i have it in over drive OFF and here its supposed to have 4 gears...
but i only changes up to third, fourth gear is not coming up... it does somethimes but not all the time, almost never...
what can the problem be? i wanna take it to the shop but i wanna have an idea first.
can you help me out? do you need more info?

thanks
Andy

revka

This discussion is about the upcoming Mazda 6 wagon, not the Mazda 626. I think you'd do well to post (copy/paste) your message in this Maintenance & Repair Mazda 626 problems discussion. Good luck.

Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Station Wagons Boards

ateixeira

Andy: if it's an automatic, it has 4 speeds, one of them overdrive. If you have the overdrive off, it won't use that 4th gear.

-juice

pippin

Still no word that Mazda will bring the wagon and hatchback versions of the 6 in this fall. If not, everyone will have to sit tight until spring '04. If it is true, Canadian dealers will be extremely happy since Canadians tend to have more euro tastes when it comes to autos.

Hatches and wagons have always been more popular here. I know that the Canadian dealer network is pushing Mazda Canada hard for a AWD version of the wagon. Still no word yet and the powers that be will likely wait and see how successfully the 6 sells before committing to an expanded model line-up.

taylor47

After seeing some of the Mazda models available in Europe I can't help wondering why there isn't a 6 version of the Protoge 5.
Lots of people love the Protoge 5 but want a bigger version.
Now that you're out of the luxury car market provide an alternative the the Lexus IS 300 at a price people can afford.

mazdafun

I don't care too much for the IS300 Sportcross. Looks like the rear wagon portion was an afterthought (like a poorly executed P5).

joe2617

Mazda is definetly bring 3 versions of the 6 to the US. The sedan in fall 2002, the 5 door hatch late winter 2003 and the wagon most likely fall 2003.

mazdafun

I wanna compare the hatch and wagon side-by-side against the current P5.

Besides, my wife's Saturn may not last long enough.

If Mazda NA Marketing is lurking, please bring the hatch and wagon over EARLIER!

spencer327

I had hopes for the mazda 6 wagon. BUT
How can a manufacter take a vehicle designed for versatility and mess it up? Put an antenna on the middle of the roof with a roof rack? Whats the big deal about making the rear window open independently from the hatch? Unfortunately Mazda is not the only one to do this. Please bring back my old Chevy Caprice

mazdafun

Your cargo really shouldn't be hanging over any part of your car anyway. But if it is, just unscrew the antenna. It looks like the one on the current P5.

I really don't care about the glass opening separately from the hatch. Used vehicles with both set-ups. Don't have a strong opinion on either since it's just a wagon (so the hatch isn't huge, like on a minivan or SUV), but the separately-moving glass means more mass, complexity and rattles.

jfigueroa1

Hello to all of you in the forum:
any idea of pricing for this new mazda wagon
i looked at the p5 and it goes for around 17 or so any body have a good guess.

greetings from sunny Miami.

qbrozen

ooo .. guessing? Hell, I can take a guess. Don't hold me to nothin, though. Well, let's see... the P5 would be little indication other than in relation to the Protege. I think its most closely equipped to a Protege LX, so let's use that. The ProLX is based at $15,5 and, like you said, the P5 is $17.

Now, since the new mazda wagon will be part of the family that replaces the 626, we can probably expect it to be in that kinda pricerange. The current 626 LX-V6 is based at $20,5. Hmmmm... adding in that $1500 difference from the Pro to the P5, that would bring us to $22K. So, that's my guess for a base V6 model. Take off about a grand if you get one with a 4-banger. Anyone else wanna play?

kenoka

http://www.mazda.com/publicity/public/200206/0620e.html

"Mazda Motor Corporation has added a 4WD model to all-new mid-size "Mazda Atenza SPORT WAGON." Boasting enhanced handling stability and driving dynamics for slippery and snowy road conditions, the SPORT WAGON 4WD will go on sale on August 1 at Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealerships throughout Japan."

the_big_h

sporty AWD wagon, Passat Wagon and A6 Avant, you got company!!!!

qbrozen

Drool. I REALLy hope this comes here. More than that, I hope they will offer the V6 with 4wd. I'm getting even more excited about this car. But I certainly won't count on getting the 4wd here in the states until they announce it.

kenoka

From ApexJapan:

Mazda Atenza/6 MPS AWD wagon

As predicted, Mazda will be gunning for a piece of the AWD wagon market dominated by Subaru for so long. With sales of the wagon having only started on the 24th, Mazda has announced this new model for August 1 release.
The Atenza/6 AWD wagons will have a new system called "Active Torque Control Coupling" that takes inputs form various sensors to decide where to send torque. In cruise it would direct very little to the rear to limit driveline losses and increase fuel economy. If a corner were encountered or evasive action taken, the diff quickly apportions toque to maintain stability as much as possible (Dynamic Stability Control and ABS stand waiting if required).
Another really nice feature will be the 5 speed automatic box that comes with this model. ActiveMatic will give the car an extra boost to overcome the extra weight which should keep things sprightly, while also keeping fuel economy respectable with a taller top gear.
The 2.3 engine will power this version, with 175ps at 6500rpm (3ps less than the FWD cars) and torque of 21.7kgm/4000rpm (0.2kgm down) performance should not suffer much at all (taking into account the ActiveMatic transmission).
The 23C will carry a list price of 2.3million yen, while the 23S will run 2.5million.
If the handling is as good as the cars we have tested to date, we have something to look forward to.
http://www.apexjapan.com/news/mps/mps.html

mazdafun

If only they'd bring some of that action over here.

chanoot

Don't be afraid to let Mazda USA know of your enthusiasm for Mazda Atenza/6 AWD wagon or something similar for the US market. I've already dropped them a few notes and they've been quite responsive.

http://www.mazdausa.com/contact/contact_ns.asp

thanks

cb70

unsure of whether or not they were going to bring the wagon to the U.S. They were very responsive and pleasnt to deal with as opposed to Nissan of America. Nissan knows it all, do not try to suggest anything. They have all the answers, that's why they have been floating in a sea of red until recently, lol.

I will e-mail them right now, thanks chanoot.

dcuccia1

Great idea chanoot. Thanks for the link. I just emailed them. The faster they get the 6 wagon here, the quicker they'll score with the crossover market. I'm considering a Jetta or Passat wagon right now. Things might be different if that 6-cyl 6 wagon were here!

mazdafun

Announced in this issue of Zoom Zoom magazine.

Really looking forward to it. (zoom zoom)

qbrozen

Another year??! I really hate all the waiting around for vehicles these days. You get all excited about cars that are introduced and talked about and, by the time they actually arrive, the hoopla has peetered out quite a bit. I mean, look at the 350Z. It is coming any day now and I've heard less talk about it now than last year.

mazdafun

They were originally thinking November 2003 for the hatch and wagon.

yugoboy

I pray every night before i go to bed that the wagon will be brought over, it really is the only affordable, but yet stylish fullsize wagon on the entire market(if they were to bring it over)!!! I think the lines of the wagon are better than both audi and saab!!!! The only real Japanese competition would be subaru, but the legacy does not have the sexy line's like the mazda 6 wagon does!!!! Take a look for yourself
http://www.edmunds.com/future/2003/mazda/6/4drstationwagon/photo_4.html
and
http://www.edmunds.com/future/2003/mazda/6/4drstationwagon/photo_2.html

kenoka

I agree the 6 is the best looking wagon out there. Don't count Subaru out yet though; they're planning a refresh of the Legacy line-as long as you don't mind waiting for the 2005 model year. You don't mind waiting do you?

yugoboy

I cant even wait till 2003 never mind 2005, i still dont think that subaru will offer as much as the mazda 6 wagon!!!!! On looks alone i would still take the 6!!!!

markjenn

I think the problem with the waiting game is that by the time you've waited the year or so for the new model to appear, your tastes have changed or there is something on the horizon that is even better. Car purchases are a bit of an immediate gratification thing - if you think about it too long, you get cold feet.

Having said this, a US version of the sporty Mazda 6 five-door hatch (or perhaps the wagon) looks like a car I could wait for and still like a year from now. All the other mfgs seem to nibble on the edges of the truly sporty wagon/hatch I want, but never quite get there. The Protege5 has too little power and handling, the Passat really isn't very sporty, the Sportscross doesn't have the manual tranny, the WRX is too small and just looks weird, etc. etc. etc. The 1.8t A4 Avant (or S6!) is the closest to my desires, but it is awfully expensive, Audi/VW reliability just isn't high enough and the dealers are snotty as hell. AWD isn't important to me either - I don't dislike it, just don't want to pay for it in $$$ and weight.

It's funny, but I saw an old test of the 626 hatch from the 80's and that still is an unusual and desirable car. This speaks well of how the 5-door hatch will wear over the years.

Mazda needs to pitch this as Euro sportiness and class with Japanese value and reliability. Attacking the Accord, Camry, and Altima is a futile frontal assault - they need to get in the back door and go after the A4/A6's and Passat. If they do this effectively, they'll be successful.

- Mark