Safety

The Mazda6 features the normal array of airbags, including side-impact airbags for the front seats and side-curtain airbags. Stability control is also standard. The sedan received a top overall rating of Good in front and side-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but it received a Marginal overall score for rear-impact whiplash protection and an Acceptable rating in IIHS' new roof-crush test. Because of that roof-crush rating, the Mazda6 isn't an IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2010 — as the Chevy Malibu, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Subaru Legacy and Volkswagen Passat are — but apart from its whiplash rating, its scores are good.

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    Satisfying Drivetrain
    What you get for your diminished mileage is respectable but not exceptional acceleration. Though the 2.3-liter four-cylinder (to be replaced in the 2010 by a 2.5-liter) is pretty robust, the Mazda ...

    Going & Stopping
    Mazda reportedly may offer a more fuel-efficient, normally aspirated four-cylinder engine in the CX-7 down the line, but until then, the only available drivetrain is a 244-horsepower, turbocharged ...

    Interior
    The Tribute still has seating for five, and there's a center console storage compartment that Mazda says is big enough to hold a laptop. The rear seat is split 60/40, and the Tribute has just shy ...