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:

    Automatic Transmission Controls
    Various Lockouts: Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal to shift (The ignition switch must be in the ACC or ON position). Indicates the shift lever can be shifted freely into any positi ...

    SeatWarmer
    The front seats are electrically heated. The ignition must be in the ON position. Press the switch to turn the seat warmer on or off. When the switch is in the ON position, the indicator light w ...

    Convertible Commentary
    As mentioned, our test car had the retractable-hardtop roof, and Mazda's implementation of this type of roof has a few advantages over those from other manufacturers. First of all, it's fast; it ...