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 105.3-inch wheelbase, the Mazda6 sedan is 186.8 inches long overall. Base sedans get standard 17-inch tires, but 18-inchers are optional.

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    The Drive
    The Mazda5's 2.3-liter four-cylinder has to rev pretty high to get the car moving quickly. Our car had the optional five-speed automatic transmission, which adds $1,440. The five-speed manual migh ...

    Safety
    In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, the CX-9 earned the top score, Good, in frontal and side-impact tests. It hasn't been tested for rear impacts or for roof strength, an indica ...

    Hazardous Driving
    WARNING: Be extremely careful if it is necessary to downshift on slippery surfaces: Downshifting into lower gear while driving on slippery surfaces is dangerous. The sudden change in tire speed ...