A confident performer
Road Test
Reduced CO2, improved looks and generous equipment makes the revamped Mazda6 a serious contender in the upper-medium car segment. Angela Pisanu takes the 2.2D Sport for test drive.
The refreshed Mazda6 was released this Spring with better looks, fuel economy and lower emissions – making it stand out amongst the competition. Its striking and sleek appearance, strong performance and endless mod-cons gives it a premium market feel that turns heads. It is therefore surprising that the range-topping 2.2D Sport 180ps that I drove is a modest £23,185.52.
While on paper, power has reduced 5ps since its predecessor, thanks to modifications to the turbocharger, Mazda have skillfully kept performance as strong as ever, with the added benefit of reducing CO2 emissions from 149g/km to 142g/km. The fuel economy figure of 52.3mpg (combined) is good and realistic as I achieved 52.2mpg on a 50 mile round trip.
Generous Equipment
The cabin is spacious and comfortable and has all those wish-list gadgets that make driving as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. These include heated seats, cruise control, Bluetooth, hill hold assist, and parking sensors, to name just a few. What strikes me about Mazda is their generosity when it comes to the equipment fitted as standard, while other manufacturers have such gadgets as costly extras.
In terms of safety, Mazda has all bases covered, with an extensive list of safety features including Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control, Emergency Stop Signalling, and numerous airbags.
Strong Performance
The acceleration is excellent, sprinting effortlessly to 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds. For a large car, the Mazda6 feel quite light to drive, but at the same time it feels sturdy and confident at high speeds, with good handling and response, and little road noise.
The reduction in CO2 also has the added benefit of knocking the 2.2D Sport down a BIK band, which is good news for company drivers.
Looking across the range, it's worth noting that the CO2 emissions level goes down as low as 138g/km for the entry-level 2.2 diesel, putting it in the 19 per cent company car tax bracket in 2010/11.
AT A GLANCE:
Mazda6 2.2D Sport 180ps
Engine: 2.2D
MPG: 52.3
CO2g/km: 142g/km
RFL: F
P11d: £23,005.52
BIK: 20%
0-62 mph: 8.7 seconds
Model price range: £17,428.65 to £23,821.98
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