- hatchback 112,971
- 7,200 overpriced
- Portland, OR
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- autoshopper.com
2005 mazda mazda6 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. The sportiest of the mid-size. introductionthe mazda6 is sportier than other mid-size sedans, both in its appearance and in its handling and driving dynamics. It's more agile and holds the road better than the toyota camry, honda accord, or nissan altima. It's lighter on its feet and stops quicker, too. In short, it's a better driver's car. It's also the best sedan for the money that mazda has ever built. V6-powered models feature the sophistication of a six-speed automatic transmission. a five-door hatchback and a sport wagon were added to the mazda6 line last year. For its part, the wagon provides even more cargo-hauling versatility while maintaining the 6's sporty demeanor. Money magazine named it 'best mid-sized sedan,' and the insurance institute for highway safety called it a 'best pick.' the mazda6 ranked among car and driver's '10 best' cars and automobile magazine's 'all-stars.' and it was the highest-rated new vehicle nameplate in the j. Power and associates apeal study. for 2005, mazda made abs and traction control standard on all mazda6 models. Side-impact and side-curtain airbags are standard on all but the base sedan, where they are optional. Sirius satellite radio can be added to any mazda6. The hatchback comes in sport trim only. all mazda6 models are well equipped. Even the base 6i sedan 18,995) comes with air conditioning; abs; traction control; cruise control; six-speaker am/fm/cd audio; tilt and telescope leather-wrapped steering wheel; leather wrapped shift knob; advanced dual-stage front airbags; power windows, mirrors and door locks with remote keyless entry; and 16-inch steel wheels. Side-impact and side-curtain airbags 450) are optional. A package combining a power glass sunroof with a seven-speaker 200-watt bose sound system is available 1335). moving up to the 6i sport sedan 21,495) and 6i sport hatchback 22,025) adds an eight-way power driver's seat and front side-impact and side-curtain airbags, plus sporty exterior items such as fog lights, bright-tip exhaust outlets, side-sill extensions and a wing-type rear spoiler. Wheels and tires upgrade to p215/50vr17 on aluminum rims. The hatchback comes with a rear wiper and washer. The sport bits are dropped, but available as options. the 6s sport sedan 23,295) and 6s sport hatchback 23,995) are identically equipped to their 6i counterparts except they come with the v6 engine. Sirius satellite radio is available and cassette, mp3, and mini-disc players can be added. A wide range of appearance and convenience accessories are also available. walkaroundthe mazda6 represents one of the sportiest exterior designs in the mid-size sedan class. Visually, it has more personality than the accord and more spunk than the camry. It has a strong front-end treatment that's consistent with other mazdas. Cat's-eye headlamps and big tail lamps that feature multi-element designs enhance the action at each corner of the car. the mazda6 benefits from a kind of muscular conservatism inside and out. Everything in, on and under this car makes sense, and it all looks good doing it. The relationship of the lower body to the upper body looks perfect, yet the roof shape is designed for people, not for style. Its sporty profile makes the mazda6 look smaller than it is. the shape of the mazda6 is truly fetching when painted a hot color and accented by sport-level trim, which includes a body-color front grille, gray headlight bezels, clear-lens halogen fog lamps, dual oval exhaust outlets, front and rear air dams, and side sill extensions. The outside door handles are well designed and easy to grab. the hatchback features an extended rear roof pillar sloping rearward into a raised deck lid. As mazda says, it looks fast even when standing still. Casual observers may not notice the difference between hatchback and the sedan. the wagon features aggressive styling, though it doesn't look as sporty as the hatchback. interiorthe front seats are comfortable through a wide range of adjustments. We found them suitable for hard driving, with good upper body support and enough lower back support with the optional lumbar adjuster for all-day comfort. The leather package 1,240) adds cowhide to all the right places, with thankful perforations on the seating surfaces. The mazda6 interior is designed to be comfortable for front and rear passengers in the 95th percentile of all body shapes. the rear seats are quite comfortable, whether sedan, hatchback or wagon. The seat pockets and door pockets are huge. The optional electroluminescent gauges are illuminated in red light, but are conventional white-on-black during the day, with nice, large and pleasing graphics. Switchgear is labeled equally well, legible during the day and illuminated in red at night. the sedan's trunk is a good size at more than 15. 2 cubic feet, and the trunk lid is designed with hinges that do not impinge in any way on the storage space. The compact, lateral-link rear suspension allows for a perfectly flat trunk floor. The standard 60/40 split rear seat folds to expand luggage space. The release levers are in the trunk, a plus for security and convenience, and the seats themselves are spring-loaded so they fold instantly with just one pull of the release. the rear liftgate of the hatchback opens to reveal a covered cargo compartment with 22. 0 cubic feet of space, nearly 50 percent more than that of the sedan. Cargo space more than doubles to 58. 7 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded. As in the sedan, the 60/40 split seats fold with the touch of a button, and there is no need to remove the head rests for a near-flat cargo floor. Cargo tie-downs and two hidden compartments in the side panels add to the hatchback's versatility. the rear compartment of the wagon provides 33. 7 cubic feet of luggage space with the rear seats up and a generous 60. 4 cubic feet with them folded. Adding greatly to its utility are a retractable cargo cover shade and a barrier-type net, or dog fence, that emerges from the floor and attaches to the interior roof. Tie-downs are provided. driving impressionwhen it comes to sporty handling, the mazda6 is among the best in the class. The camry feels genuinely lethargic by comparison and the altima feels like a bigger car. The mazda's handling is even sharper than the honda's. mazda tells us that no sport-tuned suspension or handling package is offered on the mazda6 because the standard suspension is already tuned for sporty handling. In other words, mazda6 comes standard with a sports suspension. Indeed, the mazda6 doesn't lean much in corners; body roll is nicely controlled by the front and rear anti-roll bars. AM/FM✔ Power Windows✔ Cruise Control✔ Air Conditioning✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Leather Seats
7,200 Portland, ORPortland, OR at autoshopper.com