Mazda Mazda6 2.0 SE 5dr Car Review - June 2013

The entry level Mazda 6 comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine that has 143bhp. This power plant comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox and 155lb-ft of torque. Those figures, at first glance, aren’t that impressive, but it is still good for a sub ten-second 0-62mph, doing so in 9.5 seconds. The downside is that the engine can become quite raucous if you need to push it hard, which you will, although wind and road noise is minimised. The Mazda 6 does offer excellent balance from the suspension and levels of grip to match, although the detached characteristics of the steering and the overly-firm ride do detract a little from the driving experience. The driving position is comfortable and supportive, and the dashboard is unfussy but doesn’t immediately impress in terms of quality.

The new Mazda 6 is a stylish large family car, and maintains the Japanese carmaker’s recent trademark of managing to be attractive but understated, with a lack of a strong image. The entry level SE trim comes with everything you’d expect in a car of the Mazda 6’s class, including the standard inclusion of power steering, central locking, dynamic stability control, alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front and rear windows, cruise control, alarm, immobiliser, bluetooth, and CD player with MP3 connectivity. The SE trim level can be enhanced with a range of optional extras, for example a metallic paint finish for £530 and satellite navigation for an additional £600.

The Mazda 6’s cabin is particularly spacious in the front, with acres of leg and headroom. There’s plenty of leg room in the back for fully-grown adults too, but headroom is at slightly more of a premium due to the drop of the roofline. The boot capacity is a healthy 483 litres, and the practicality is boosted further by the standard inclusion of split folding rear seats. The Mazda 6 comes with a full compliment of airbags too, including driver, passenger, and front side airbags. The new Mazda 6 will be aiming to improve upon the reputation of its predecessor, which received a lukewarm response from owners for its mechanical reliability when questioned by the influential JD Power customer satisfaction survey, although the car does come with a 3-year, 60,000-mile warranty.

At £19,595 the Mazda 6 2.0 SE is the entry-level model in the range. Running costs are impressive, even in this petrol-powered version, with a combined fuel economy return of 51.4mpg, and CO2 emissions figures of 129g/km which puts the Mazda 6 into Road Tax Band D. This is the most economical petrol-engine in the Mazda 6 range, producing running costs which are only bettered by the diesel options. Those running costs will make the Mazda 6 2.0 SE an attractive choice for company car buyers as well as private owners, and will also help to bolster resale values.