Exterior

How could Mazda not get attention with a sedan this good-looking? My Sangria Red test car didn't necessarily draw stares, but it stood out when parked in my driveway on a suburban street. It looked like it came from another planet compared with the other family-haulers in my neighborhood.

The bulging headlights and radically curved front fenders are undoubtedly the features that most set the 6 apart in its class. Unlike a lot of recent designs, the 6 isn't a polarizing vehicle. It's more handsome than jaw-dropping, and I prefer the look to Ford's new Fusion sedan or the Chevy Malibu, let alone more staid imports like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima.

If you were shopping this class on looks alone, I think the Mazda6 might win outright.

    See also:

    Exterior
    Narrow headlights flank a large, five-pointed grille with a Mazda logo. The wheel arches and belt line are well defined. For 2008, Volcanic Red and Silver Metallic are new colors. Built on a 105 ...

    Mirrors
    Outside Mirrors Check the mirror angles before driving. Mirror type Flat type (driver's side). Flat surface mirror. Convex type (front passenger side). The mirror has single curvature on its su ...

    Suspension and Steering
    Mazda CX-7 facelift inherits the passenger-car-like MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspensions from the original model, refined for the facelift to deliver even more linear handling an ...