Great interior, excellent styling, diesel engine a standout
Petrol engine underpowered and noisy when pushed
The updated 2015 Mazda6 was first seen towards the end of 2014, on the back of the Mazda CX-5 re-launch Mazda Australia have just introduced the updated Mazda6 in to their showrooms.
The flagship model in the Mazda range the Mazda6 was first released back in December 2012 and since then ha gone on to sell over 120,000 cars. The updated interior and new exterior styling on the latest Mazda6 takes an already ready impressive car to another level.
2015 Mazd6 Overview
Behind the locally built Toyota Camry the Mazda6 is the 2nd best selling mid-sized car in the market – actually it allows Mazda to claim the title of “Australia’s best-selling mid-sized import “
Mazda has improved the overall package by changing the exterior design, improving the interior quality & and adding safety features across the range. There has been no engine or running gear changes for the 2015 Mazda6
The 2015 Mazda6 line-up and pricing:
| Mazda6 Sport | $32,540 |
| Mazda6 Touring | $37,280 |
| Mazda6 GT | $42,720 |
| Mazda6 Atenza | $46,420 |
Wagon: $1300 extra. Diesel: $3200 extra (available from Touring onwards) Soul Red Metallic Price Premium $200
2015 Mazda6 Engine
No changes to the engines on offer for the Mazda6, it comes with a choice of either the 2.5-litre SKYACTIV-G petrol or 2.2-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel.
The petrol engine is good for 138kW at 5,700rpm and 250Nm at 3,250rpm matched to a six-speed automatic fuel consumptions is a claimed 6.6L / 100km and C02 emissions are 153g/km (sedan) / 155g/km (wagon).
The twin-turbocharged diesel engine produces 129kW at 4,500rpm and 420Nm at 2,000rpm and is paired to a six-speed automatic that sips just 5.4L / 100 km and has C02 emissions of 141g/km (sedan & wagon).
CarShowroom.com.au had the opportunity to sample 2.5-litre petrol engine on our drive route around Albury and it was flawless on both urban and country roads. Under hard acceleration the petrol engine does produce a fair amount of noise and can feel a little underwhelming.
2015 Mazda6 Interior
The Mazda6 is no different to the latest cars to come out of the Mazda stable. The interior fit, finish and quality are class leading.
The big news inside just like the CX-5 is the replacement of hand brake with an electric park brake. This has allowed Mazda to introduce the MZD Connect and Active Driving Display across the new Mazda6 range.
Besides the entry level Sport variant the rest of the range has leather seats in either black or white.
Rear seat accommodation provides plenty of legroom and the rear air events will be a welcome addition. The rear seat split-folds 60:40 for when you need to carry larger items.
With the seats in place there is 474 litres (sedan) and 506 litres (wagon) or 1,648 litres (wagon, seats folded).
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2015 Mazda6 Exterior Styling
The updated 2015 Mazda6 has had a few slight changes to the exterior. The subtle changes have a made the already outstanding Mazda6 look even better,
The grille has received a make over with new fins helping shape the signature Mazda6 wing. Mazda has added LED lighting to the rear and has reshaped the shark fin antenna.
Mazda has also updated the wheel design on the 19” alloy wheels to give them a more premium look.
Mazda has added two new colours to the 2015 line-up Sonic Silver and Titanium Flash Mica the other 6 colours are carried over from the 2014 range.
2015 Mazda6 On the Road
On the media preview in Albury, CarShowroom.com.au got to spend time behind entry level sport and mid-spec Touring.
First impressions on entering the car is the level of luxury that is available in the entry-level sport, just like Volkswagen and BMW the standard level fit and finish is top notch across the range.
As we only had the chance to drive the Sport and Touring models which both come fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels we found when pushed hard in to corners the Mazda6 does become a little lively but never unnerving.
The 17" wheels handled large potholes and secondary roads as expected, there were no major jolts felt inside the cabin.
Mazda have made some changes to the front and rear damper and have also redesigned the front seat frames. In another effort to improve comfort the occupants they have also added new seat cushioning.
Standard safety across the model grades is as expected however the higher you go the better the equipment gets. On the Mazda6 Atenza buyers get a Mazda first with new Adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH), Lane-keep Assist System (LAS), Mazda Driver Attention Alert (DAA), which can recommend timely rest, breaks and finally Smart City Brake Support has now been upgraded to work with rear sensors instead of just front sensors.
Improved NVH by increasing the sound absorbing materials around the car and they have also bolstered the door seals. These changes have reduced noise in the cabin by 10 per cent when driving on rough roads and by almost 25 per cent on highways
2015 Mazda6 Issues
The petrol engine can feel somewhat underpowered when wanting to drive in a more spirited manner.
2015 Mazda6 Competitors
The medium sized car segment has taken a bit of a sales hit in the past few years. The rise of the smaller car like SUV’s has really started to attract the buying public.
If you are considering a mid sized sedan or wagon you need to stump up at least $30,000 large.
Make sure you add the Toyota Camry (from $ 30,490), Ford Mondeo (from $31,490), Subaru Liberty (from $ 29,990), Kia Optima (from $31,490) and the new Hyundai Sonata which is launched soon and will be priced from $29,990
2015 Mazda6 Verdict
The Mazda6 wasn’t in need of a makeover but the product lifecycles of car manufacturing dictated it was time.
The improvement that Mazda has made to the 2015 Mazda6 has stepped up the levels of luxury and refinement to another level.
If you are in the market for a mid sized sedan or wagon then the Mazda6 should be at the top of your test drive list.
