The boom box techno look is becoming a bit overdone, though Mazda uses it here to good effect in combination with other elements to create an "in the moment" feeling sport sedan. As nicely built as it is, however, this is no Audi when it comes to fit or finish. Some gaps in the dash panels need attention, and I've seen higher levels of plastic trim pieces and materials in competitor's cars in this segment. Still the 6 feels true to its mission - nicely crafted, solid, and ready to dish out some open road fun! Light the wick on this puppy and you're rewarded with an eager growl that barks right up to the engine's 6400 rpm redline. What we have here is your wife's Ford Taurus Duratec V6 on steroids! Mazda screwed on their own continuously variable, multi-valve, higher compression head to this workmanlike, well proven block, upping the output ante to 220-hp @ 6300rpm and a maximum of 192 lb-ft of torque @ 5000.
The transformation is like putting a beehive in a barn - lots of excitement and energy to get things moving! There's a real rush to hitting the throttle that you'd be hard pressed to match in an Accord, Camry or previous generation 626 V6, though the 3.5-litre 240-hp V6 Altima runs with similar urgency. Lagging the Honda and Altima by 20-hp, but improving on the Camry V6's 192 hp by 28-hp, the 6 feels light on its toes and subjectively faster than the others, with its combination of chain driven, double overhead cams, excellent power to weight ratio, and gobs of thrust available down low in the power band. The whole is simply greater - and sweeter - than the sum of its parts.