Driving Impressions

The Mazda6 is pleasant to drive and sportier than some of its rivals. This sedan takes curves confidently with modest body lean and satisfying grip. Moderate steering effort is accompanied by good feel and feedback.

Though it's no powerhouse, a V-6 sedan with the manual transmission exhibits spirited performance. The clutch is a bit touchy and the gearbox a tad notchy, but it's easy to manipulate.

Overall, the well-built Mazda6 is quite refined and exhibits excellent panel fit. Front and rear headroom is adequate, but space is just passable in the center rear position. Legroom is very good all around.

    See also:

    Brake System
    Foot Brake Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes that adjust automatically through normal use. Should power-assist fail, you can stop by applying greater force than normal to the brake pedal. But ...

    Storage Compartments
    WARNING: Keep storage boxes closed when driving: Driving with the storage boxes open is dangerous. To reduce the possibility of injury in an accident or a sudden stop, keep the storage boxes cl ...

    Two Strikes Against
    The two strikes against the 2009 Mazda3 are its crash tests and its gas mileage. With the crash tests, the problem isn't the results, it's the lack thereof. The Insurance Institute for Highway Saf ...