2010 Mazda6 Review
SEE ALSO: Mazda Buyers Guide
SEE ALSO: E-Carmony: Is a 2011 Mazda6 Your Perfect Match?
2010 Mazda6:5-Passenger Zoom-Zoom
by Larry Nutson
Senior Editor
Chicago
Bureau
The Auto Channel
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There are many choices in the mid-size sedan segment, some being fairly
generic 5-passenger haulers. I’m taken with the exterior of the
Mazda6. This car was all-new in ’09 and improved significantly in
that makeover. It’s got tons of features and is both practical and
fun.
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Two engine choices are offered. A 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine is available with 170 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque. EPA fuel economy is 21 city/30 hwy with automatic and 20 city/29 hwy with manual transmission. Also available is a 60-degree 3.7-liter V6 engine, designated MZI, with 272 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Mazda says the MZI V6 is the most powerful engine in its class. Mazda engineering tests show that it's also quieter than its competitors at full throttle. EPA fuel economy is 17 city/25 hwy with its standard-equipment automatic transmission.
In my drive of the Mazda6 i Grand Touring I was getting around 27 mpg in mixed use driving which is better than the EPA 24mpg Combined Fuel Economy.
The MAZDA6 i SV, Sport and Touring are equipped with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission that lets the driver exploit all the performance provided by the 2.5-liter MZR engine. Also available is an electronically-controlled five-speed automatic with overdrive ratios for the top two gears and also has a manual shift mode. A six-speed automatic with manual shift mode is standard in the MAZDA6 s.
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The MAZDA6 s models come equipped with the 3.7-liter V6 with 6-speed automatic transmission. MAZDA6 s Touring Plus adds chrome dual exhaust outlets over the i Touring Plus model. MAZDA6 s Grand Touring offers 18-inch alloy wheels with P235/45R18 wheels and chrome dual exhaust outlets over the i Grand Touring model.
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The “sport” characteristics of the Mazda6 still yield a compliant and comfortable ride. Handling is crisp and responsive which is especially desirable in defensive driving and evasive maneuvers. On city street there is no bone-jarring harshness and at highway speeds I got a great sense of confidence behind the wheel.
Base prices start at $18,600 for the Mazda6 i SV and top out at $28,540 for the Mazda6 s Grand Touring. The Mazda6 i Grand Touring I drove had a base price of $25,935 and with the options and delivery totaled $30,665.
All 2010 Mazdas come with a comprehensive three-year/36,000-mile warranty covering every part on the vehicle except those subject to normal wear. Also, all 2010 models receive a five-year/60,000 mile power train warranty and a five-year/unlimited-mileage corrosion warranty. Mazda has over 700 dealers throughout the United States.
Final word: A fun, driver’s car that will handle the family transportation chores very well, plus you won’t see yourself at every stoplight like with some other mid-size cars.
© Larry Nutson