Faults:

Beyond the oil changes and consumables the car never gave me any major problems worth mentioning here. The biggest issue was rust, which lead to the death of the car in its final year with me.

General Comments:

The Mazda 6 introduced in 2002 is a good looking and sharp to drive saloon/hatchback car. My 2004 model in blue looked the part, the styling of this car was great.

TS model is about mid range and had all the electrics you would expect like electric windows and mirrors, air con, etc. Well equipped car, and the boot space was huge. Very comfortable seats and nice interior. Bit of annoying blind spot when reversing, but you get used to it.

To drive the 1.8 petrol was not bad, performed OK and averaged about 38 mpg. I have heard this is the best all round engine to go for and the diesels should be avoided as they are problematic.

Overall it was a decent enough car until the last couple of years at MOT's I kept getting advisory after advisory from my mechanic that bad rust was starting under the chassis everywhere, and this would eventually lead to failure. Strange because I kept the car looked after, cleaned garaged and serviced, just as I always do.

My previous Mazda 626, which was a reliable car and was the reason I bought this 6 on the strength of the older car, lasted 13 years with no rust; I only got rid of the old 626 because the engine blew a gasket, but it did have 170K miles on it. Basically the Mazda 6 was an improvement or at-least as good as the older model in every area except rust protection!

At 10 years old with nearly 120K on it I decided to scrap it, not worth much money, and not worth repairing.

Faults:

Brake discs warped at around 12000 miles. This snapped anti-rattle clips. Found it very difficult to convince dealer that there was a problem, although to be fair this was a Honda dealer who sourced this car from a Mazda dealer to be able to provide company car of my choice.

General Comments:

This car has serious performance for a diesel. I've driven some comparable cars (Mondeo, Accord etc) and the Mazda has the edge.

Leather powered seat option on mine, really comfortable.

Xenon self adjusting headlights on this model are excellent.

Some cars feel like your sat ON them. This car really feels like you're part of it. Everything seems very natural when driving.

Absolutely great looking car, the rear spoiler on the Sport model (or optional on others) really makes the car. I think mine is titanium grey, which also adds to the looks.

Not too keen on the radio controls - and I still haven't really got the hang of the air-conditioning etc after a year, but probably just needs a little homework.

The dash is very stylish.

Bose sound system is amazing, 6-disc 'in-dash' multi-changer, sub woofer contained in the space saver wheel surprised me during my first puncture.

I would buy the car on looks and performance alone, but the rest of the car just adds to that value.

I'm just handing this car back in as I leave the company, so this is not a biassed review. I loved it.

I've just bought a Mondeo (cheaper) - but not sure it will be able to live up to the Mazda.

General Comments:

The Mazda 6 has to be the motor industries best kept secret! I was in the market for a roomy family car; something which was both practical and something I could be proud to own and enjoy driving.

This car, unlike any of its rivals, seems to have it all. When you buy a car you normally have to make some compromises - don't you? Well, this car gives you the impression that Mazda have considered everything people want in a family car, and built it.

The looks are eye-catching, both inside and out. It has a huge boot and clever rear seats which fold flat, so that you can fit in the kitchen sink, and the bath if you want to. There's class leading legroom in the back, airbags in every direction and a top rated security system.

Other standard features include climate and cruise control. I don't have the optional BOSE stereo system, but the sound quality is still excellent. If you want it to, the volume will automatically adjust as your speed changes, to compensate for road noise. There is a bit of that, but nothing too excessive.

The seats are very smart and comfortable, and unlike many other family cars, actually do seat 3 adults comfortably in the back.

The steering wheel is fully adjustable for that perfect driving position.

If you're not impressed yet, you will be when you take it for a spin. I've driven many cars in this class, but this is by far the best in terms of handling. Seriously, you'll be searching for the windiest roads, because this car straightens them out!

The 2 litre engine isn't the pokiest, but gives a respectable performance.

Other reasons to buy this car include a modest insurance group, cheap to buy new, build quality and reliability, (Mazda were recently voted the most reliable manufacturer), and very low depreciation.

On the downside... this car isn't quite as cheap to run as Mazda would have you believe. It has a 64 litre tank which, on average does about 450 miles. I'm told that servicing isn't cheap either, although I've only had mine for about six months and have had no need as yet to go anywhere near a dealer.

The climate control seems to have a mind of its own! But it can also be controlled manually.

This is a car I'm proud to own. It looks good, feels like quality, and eats up time and miles. Even after a long journey you'll want to just keep driving.

In my opinion, and I accept it is just my opinion, unless you're looking for a prestigious marque, I don't know why anyone in the market for a family car would consider buying anything else.