General Comments:
I found these reviews interesting when we were deciding which car to buy, so I'm returning the favour.
We've just bought the 2005 classic wagon and are delighted. It's the new 'face-lift' model with 5 speed auto transmission and 'activematic' which isn't entirely dissimilar to driving a manual.
Being used to larger 6cl cars, I was concerned that a 4cl car would seem slow. However, I'm pleased to report that the 4cl 6 appears to have plenty of go (enough for me anyway). It actually feels pretty gutsy at 3000rpm plus.
The interior is great. Everything is quite conventional and easy to operate. The quality of the fit-out appears to be high. The display panel combines air con, trip computer, audio and outside temperature info. For me this works really well. The seats are comfortable and the cabin is roomier than I had expected.
It seems to me that the 6 is not as quiet as an Accord, but it certainly isn't noisy. It actually seems to have quite a pleasant, throaty noise when you rev it up a bit. Ride seems to be smooth and comfortable.
The cargo space accommodates bulky prams etc without any drama.
All positive so far. What's the downside? The grille assembly seems a little fragile - time will tell how durable it is. Also, I don't seem to be able to adjust the tilt of the drivers seat (not the seat back - the seat). Seat is v. comfortable nonetheless. Leg room in the back seat is tighter than in a full-sized family car (no surprise I guess). The floor of the cargo space is plastic and may not be strong enough for any lunatics planning to cart bricks around in it.
Bear in mind that this is the opinion of a non petrol head, but to summarise: I love it and can't see the novelty wearing off for some time.
It's only been a few days, so if I become aware of any significant shortcoming I'll post another comment.
29th Oct 2006, 01:21
I recently spent around two weeks test driving a whole range of cars.
One of the first I drone was the mazda 6 wagon (classic 2006 model). It was fantastic - I had been driving a V6 commodore before that so the power difference was noticeable, but not as great as I thought it would be. The Mazda 6 actually surprised me in terms of it's power. Though not mind-blowing, it is more than adequate for a great driving experience.
The fit out inside was well thought through and delivered with quality. The handling is what really blew me away - It drived more like a BMW than anything else. Taking corners is effortless and extremely comfortable. The transmission is a little frustrating once you are around 100km/h and want to overtake - there is considerable delay from pedal to power (but it still surprises considering it is a 4 cyl). NB: I have a few friends that recently bought a 6 wagon and a SP23 and they both found a noticeable increase in power and response time after about 3000 ks. I was obviously test driving a dealer vehicle with 100ks on the clock.
The space is incredible in the back. The seats are comfortable and the general experience was fantastic. We unfortunately had to put our purchase off for a little while, but I can thoroughly recommend this car to anyone looking for a solid family (yet cool and sporty) ride.