Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
It's a fickle market, and our arguing proves it!
Oh, and Backy...the mailman apologized. LOL.
Obvioulsy, a profit motivated(for shame) marketling ploy on Mazda's part! :sick:
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews
If the 6 was available in Dec 2011, I would have bought one. Really.
A friend owns a Blue Reflex Touring and I have the Soul Red Sport.
He has been commenting on the pleather showing scratches/scuffs.
I was going to buy the Sport in blue but found it too far to the slate end of the spectrum for my tastes.
Note the rim sizes. The 17's while not as stylish still fill the wheel wells just fine.
He claims the 19's did well in the late season wet snow in March but I still have my doubts.
We go back and forth with jabs. I told him I didn't want nanny lights blinking at me every time a car passes. He touts the Nitrogen filled tires (green caps) give a better ride (clueless:) I put red valve caps on mine, when he asked about it I told him I had them filled with Helium to "lighten" the handling.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/tundratom/2Mazdas_zps975f8f3c.jpg
But there are some of us who would prefer an Accord anyway. I've owned 2 Mazdas and 2 Hondas in my 33 year driving career, and although the Mazdas were good, I think the Hondas were higher quality in more areas.
Also, the Accord is built in the USA. Honda not only has a huge factory in Ohio to build the car, but huge separate factories to build engines and transmissions for the Accord. Plus there are other suppliers around the area building things for Honda, and all told Accord production employs tens of thousands of people in the Ohio area in good paying jobs. For some, this makes little difference, but for some of us this is a plus factor when buying a car to know that our money is flowing through the US economy in a productive way.
I've owned cars build in Japan, and Germany, and so that's not the be-all and end-all of a car purchase, but for some, as I said, it's a plus factor as long as the car is near or at the top.
I haven't read the test, or driven the Mazda, but for my tastes I'd probably go with the Accord.
But again, praise to Mazda for building an outstanding car. Excellent work. I think they'll sell a lot of them, and they deserve to...
Thanks for the pic's, and I now see what you mean by "tundra-dweller"!!
It is more than a coincidence IMO that your Soul Red Sport looks a LOT like my Spicy Red Optima EX, right down to the cargo net and the mud-guards. Get your windows tinted!!! It looks awesome on red cars. You will be happy you did! I am thrilled with mine.
Since this was an entirely new car from the ground up (which costs a fortune), and that it was such a make or break model for them in the U.S.; they kept production in Japan for Q/A purposes. ( Source: Automobile Weekly).
I hope in the future they will start making them here again, but since Ford owned the plant in Michigan and they no longer have a relationship, I doubt it will be in Michigan.
Maybe two.
Car and Driver tests and rates cars very heavily biased towards track performance even on cars like this that are family commuter cars.
The Mazda 6 is pretty noisy. Some of it is from the 19 wheels, but the car is generally lacking in sound insulation, so it will still be far from "quiet" even with the base model's 17 inch wheels. You will still have to deal with high levels wind, engine and road noise no matter which trim level Mazda 6 you get.
Accord (and many others competing in this segment) have a roomy back seat. Mazda 6 back seat is a bit tight for the size of the car.
The Accord's crash test results was better. It pretty much aced the test where as the Mazda got near the minimum score to get the ranking.
Mazda 6 is about track performance, getting .4 seconds faster 0-60 and the more adventurous styling. Just the type of attributes that would appeal to Car and Driver reviewers.
Having better looks and performance would be great if you didn't have to accept the noisy ride to go with it. It's not as if the new Accord has bad styling and bad performance. The new Accord looks pretty handsome and the styling will age well.
Even if you get 17 inch wheels, it will still be a noisy car.
In this case, the 19 inch wheels are not the primary source of the noisiness. If you get a Mazda 6 with 17 vs 19 inch tires, it will only be "less loud," not quiet or even "average" for the class.
The car just plain lacks sound insulation, so it is still going to be loud no matter what tires you get.
The Accord was pretty loud in the last generation and that is a major reason I never seriously considered buying one. That plus the styling was bad anyway.
The 2013 Accord is much quieter to the point where it is finally quiet enough for most people to not bother commenting on it having a noise problem. Some say the Accord Sport model is still noisy due to the louder 18 inch tires tires standard on that model.
Road noise has been repeatedly singled out as one of the worst or maybe the very worst attribute of the Mazda 6. The only thing mentioned as much or more is the small nav screen.
Of course, if the older car you are replacing was even noisier, noise won't seem bad in comparison.
Tell that to the many thousands of Accord owners who have had problems with automatic transmissions! :P
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/honda-transmission-problems-seem-to-p- ersist/
I've sat in the back of both cars and didn't notice a significant difference in room. The previous-generation Accord was roomier than the current one. Even the first-generation Mazda6, a much smaller can than the current one, had plenty of rear seat space for me.
Given how tough it is to get the IIHS Top Pick+ designation, I think claims that the Mazda6 got the "minimum" score to get that ranking is really pulling out the Big Nit Pick.
On my Optima, I have 17" rims and 215/55/17 V rated tires. I drove the SX Optima with the 18" rims, but I didn't feel enough of a ride difference that would kill the deal. I can tell the difference visually, and I really think the 18's are nice, but I think the 17's on my car are the right size for the cars mission as a sporty family sedan. I didn't get the turbo because I felt that it would hurt long-term reliability, and it was $5000 more for power I would rarely need and would almost certainly have cost me high insurance rates, not to mention a higher potential for speeding tickets.
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
Amen, backy!
The worst part of all was the flippant response and refusal to accept responsibility until class action suits forced them to do so. It was a page right out of the 70s-80s GM playbook!
When it was all said and done, the number of transmissions replaced was in the HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS!!! Many cars (more than half according to some sources) had multiple transmission failures, not just one.
I know a guy who was a Honda fanatic from the time he was a kid. He never even considered anything else. When he got the new car itch, it wasn’t a question of what kind of car to buy, but which Honda to buy! ‘
He leased a 2002 Acura TL Type-S in March 2002 for 42 months. The first transmission was replaced at 13k, then again right at 30k. At 37k, the third transmission went and it needed yet another replacement. There was only four months remaining on the lease and he demanded that they terminate the lease early. They initially said they would, but only if he made a lease or purchase of a new Acura.
That guy was me and I almost leased a 2005 TSX, which I loved and still think the ‘04’-‘8 TSX is a great car! But it was a matter of principle and, even if I ultimately decided to get a TSX, they were going to terminate the lease on the TL four months early UNCONDITIONALLY! It was either that or, when the finally put the fourth transmission in it, I would probably create a drive thru in their showroom! I’m only half-kidding; it was the most infuriating experience of my life.
The guys at the dealership were sympathetic, but they were powerless to do anything. The transmission replacements under warranty were ultimately handed on a regional level, like most significant warranty repairs are handled. But by 2004, they all had to go thru Corporate in Torrance, CA. And my car always had at least five or six others ahead of it waiting for approval and/or parts!
It may sound silly, but it felt almost like a death in the family when I walked out of the Acura dealership leaving my TL forever. I had a folder full of legal documents terminating my lease. They also required that I sign a release preventing me from taking future legal action, which was fine. They also ‘tried’ to get me to sign a “Non-Disclosure Agreement” preventing me from speaking to the media or anyone else about my experience. Thankfully, an old college buddy married an attorney and she went with me to handle the termination process. She warned me ahead of time that they would probably try to get me to sing a non-disclosure. I wanted to write something very vulgar on the signature line, but instead I let her tell them to shove it in “legal-ese”.
Before the TL, I had six other Hondas starting with an ’85 CRX when I was 15. The TL Type-S was sort of my realistic dream car and it turned out to be the worst automotive nightmare and lease reliable car anyone in my immediate family has ever owned!
I had the same sort of numbness and confusion that accompanies a death and the grieving process. So I followed the same advice experts give after a loss – DON’T make any major purchases or changes for at least 6-8 weeks, then discuss it with at least two people you trust before you actually do it. My mom had just bought a 2003 Explorer and her ’95 Grand Cherokee was retired to ‘extra’ car duty. So I had a vehicle to drive and could take as long as I wanted to buy a new one.
I actually loved that old Jeep and would have kept driving it longer than I did (about 10 weeks). But my daily commute was over 50 miles round trip, lots of stop-and-go and when I wasn’t in gridlock, my right foot tended to be quite heavy. I averaged 12.4mpg over 10weeks in the Jeep. I was paying a car payment just to put gas in it.
I decided to see what those “Zoom Zoom” commercials were all about and, long story short, I ended up with a 2006 Mazda3 s 5-door. My paternal grandmother’s family has a huge picnic every summer (she had 10 siblings) and they were all ‘Honda people’. When I pulled up in my Mazda, I felt like I might end up being hung for treason before the day was done. I made it out alive and over the next two years, I noticed fewer and fewer Hondas at the family picnic. The largest faction ended up with Nissans and now at least seven of them (that I know of) drive Infinitis. Two cousins copied me and got Mazda3s, but the both got sedans, so they’re not as cool as me!
Anyway, I have no intention of ever returning to a Honda or Acura product. I might have reconsidered after 8-10 years passed, but the way they’ve screwed so many out-of-warranty Honda owners since then is unforgivable...
Personally I noticed a slight amount more noise in the 6. Beyond that the driving dynamics, functionality and ergonomics were won by the Mazda. Styling being subjective as always but from any angle the Mazda absolutely smokes the Accord. It harkens to a 70's RWD muscle car with modern overtones. Suffice to say I bought one. Waxing it now....
Ultimately, there was a thundershower on I-95. Having already slid for almost 1/4 mile previously I slowed WAY down. I was doing 40 mph in the slow lane, with basically zero throttle input, and she hydroplaned at both ends, slamming me into the wall, bounced off a truck, and into the wall again. The car was crushed into a cube with wheels, but to Mazda's credit I drove it behind police to the off ramp (3 miles) where a tow truck could reach us safely.
I still have family that swears by them. Getting a completely reliable car seems to be a luck-of-the-draw kind of thing that no manufacturer can completely avoid. There are so many contractors making parts for vehicles, with contracts awarded to the lowest bidders, that failures are bound to happen. All we can hope for is that they happen infrequently.
Shuddering CVT's 4 cyl. - VCM problems with the 6 cyl. - radio, uneven body gap and paint issues:
link title
Not a Honda hater, I just didn't buy one...
If I were looking for a mid-sized car right now I'd definitely check out the Accord LX 6MT. But would look closely at the Mazda6 too. The others are down my list a bit, but lots of good cars in the class now.
Anyway, I though about my MPG problem, and decided to go to my local Shell to check. The fronts were 32 PSI left and 34 PSI right. So, I found that the max pressure was 45. so I set the machine on 42. TPMS didn't warn me because the pressure was within minimum specs I guess.
In short, WOW! What a difference. The vague steering I complained about is now a distant memory! I drove about 20 miles yesterday after the fix and I was pleased with the ride on highway and byways. Now I hope it will increase my MPG. I am going back to the station to fill the rears to match.
Have a good weekend guys, and BTW, the new Star Trek movie is incredible!
LOL.
There is a refresh for the 2014 Optima. If they choose to insulate the cabin better on the 2014s, I will probably add it to my list of cars to consider.
However, noise is not the ONLY reason I don't like 18 and 19 inch tires.
They are unusually expensive to replace and the tread life is short even if you get the longest lasting tires available in that size.
2013 Accord models are now reasonably quiet for the class (maybe except Sport with 18" wheels).
Also on average for every 10 degree change in ambient temperature tire pressure changes 1 psi. You may find them over inflated this time of year.
My car also handles better at 40 psi, gets better mpg and the tires last longer ( less flex = less heat and longer life.)
The stability control had to be reprogrammed due to a different tire being spec'ed on the car when new.
The door sticker on my Fusion specifies 37 psi front and rear.
The main problem for me choosing between these cars is that I'm not much of a discriminatory driver. All I really want out of a car is safety, something that's comfortable to drive, and fuel efficiency. I've been leaning less towards the Legacy of late but it's the only car with four wheel drive in the list and where I live (Cleveland), the winters can get pretty bad.
Does anyone have any tips for narrowing it down or other information that I should consider? I might also be moving away from the Altima because of the CVT which I don't feel entirely comfortable with. I've heard some mixed messages about its reliability and whatnot.
I assume an AWD car like the Impreza (better FE than the Legacy) will be too small for you. Oh, and the Impreza has a CVT too.
If you're looking for a comfortable car with real good FE, the Camry LE hybrid might be worth a look. Crash tests (and a few other things) not as good as the Accord, though. The Passat SE TDi might be worth a test drive also.
I don't have the tires set to max pressure and I am very much enjoying the way it drives/steers better now. I am looking forward to replacing them with better handling tires anyway, and I already have 18 k on my OEM Nexen Korean made units. I want Michelin's!!!
1) The Mazda will tell you a lot about traction (or lack there of) as it has been proven as having the best steering feel and chassis feedback. When you are driving in winter it is IMPERATIVE to know if the car has traction or not. (my family are from Buffalo).
2) Get a 6 speed automatic, not a CVT; as you can still select 2 or 1 for winter situations, and it might be better for rocking out from being stuck.
Also, keep in mind the the Hyundai (and the Kia Optima of course which has identical drivetrain) has an IN HOUSE BUILT 6 Speed. Why? Because their powertrain warranty is far longer than most competitors, therefore it had to be built right. Not saying others are built wrong...just know that Hyundai's 6 speed has a high reliability rating.
Now, what is really surprising is the the new Accord and the Mazda are both way louder than any car tested in May 2012. (C/D June 2013)
The 2013 Accord: 43, 68, 81 (idle/70mph/full throttle)
The 2014 Mazda 6 : 42, 69, 80
This means that the Accord and the Mazda are the loudest mid size sedans on the market!
Decibel readings don't tell the whole story. Camry, Malibu and the Fusion and Altima without ultra low profile tires are usually rated as quiet. The new Accord other than Sport has been mostly rated as quiet enough and very quiet compared to previews years.
Mazda 6 has been blasted for road noise in most reviews (even though the reviews generally overlook that in the end and recommend the car anyway for style and handling) and the Optima has a lot of complaints from owners about road noise regardless of decibel readings from one C/D test.
Yep, that would definitely come into play on the idle noise level.