7th place - 2010 Mazda6 GT-I4 (74.6%)
Surprised? At first, we would have never thought that the 6 would come in last, but at the end of the day, the Mazda simply fell short on several counts. Predictably though, the category that hurt it the most was comfort. The seats, with their large lower cushions, and the proper driving position fared well but it was the suspension, often credited as being sporty, that really injured the rating.
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| It turns out that the Mazda6 is a median car. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
In fact, on some roads, the lack of compliance from the independent suspension had us doubting that this car's chassis was as firm as everyone has always believed. We noticed more body movement, including roll and less control over uneven surfaces than its highway surefootedness would have led us to believe. Despite the negative remarks on the Mazda's over-stiff ride, most appreciated the direct, sensitive steering, peppy yet noisy 170-hp 2.5L and responsive 5-speed autobox. Its quickish sprints to 100 km/h were better than average, as was its fuel consumption. The brakes managed our stopping exercises with little or no drama and overall pedal feel was good.
It turns out that the Mazda6 is a median car. Had we not pitted the 6 against the six others, we would have believed that this car was tops. It does have large passenger quarters, a good-sized trunk, a pleasant and ergonomic dashboard, but they're all "regular". Mind you, there is nothing wrong with that. The car's best marks came in the aesthetics department, where everyone agreed that the current 6's muscular appearance and sleek RX-8 inspired lines do it justice.
"Mazda has yet to blow me out of the water but I see them making some notable waves, especially in the recent past. Unfortunately, the Mazda6 will not be the vehicle to wow me. While the sedan has respectable power, and seems to have the spirit that 'GT' is meant to invoke, but you feel EVERY bump and jolt." - Donna Mei-Ling Park