However, after a few days I had mastered the controls learned to park the Mazda without fuss and was becoming enamored with its quiet ride and effortless to shift five-speed manual transmission. The 6 was becoming very user friendly. Indeed, I was growing possessive of it making sure I had the keys safely hidden from the others after I was through with my evaluations.
Although the body lean of the Mazda was too much to make it a worthy canyon runner, the 6 was competent enough to make me at ease when mountain driving. The strong safety features augmented that feeling. Although the steering is fairly precise, when you accelerate strongly there is noticeable torque steer. In normal driving this is not experienced at all.
In terms of safety items the new Mazda S has four-wheel disc brakes, whiplash-reducing front seats, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, and traction control with optional side airbags for front occupants and full-length side curtain airbags. The government test scores Mazda got mixed reviews with the best ratings coming in front impact crashes.
Overall, the 6 was more fun to drive than its competition, especially with the great shifting transmission and nice soft clutch. I can't wait for the wagon.
Young working woman's view: An ample supply of standard equipment on the base Mazda 6 makes it a noteworthy consideration. You get a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, air conditioning, six-speaker CD stereo, steering wheel redundant audio controls, cruise control and power windows, mirrors and locks. Stepping up to the smooth V6 brings with it the 220 horsepower engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, and automatic climate controls. I think that the base four-cylinder engine has enough power for me with 160 horsepower. The 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine moves 60 more horses under the hood. I found the five speed standard transmission painless to live with, but the four-speed automatic would probably be my first choice for daily commuting. The problem was that the larger engine carries with it a premium of over $3000 US
The most interesting options are the $1500 luxury Package with leather upholstery, a power driver seat, very difficult to read reddish electro luminescent gauges, and heated seats and rear view mirrors. The Sport Package adds fog lights, an underbody kit, fake titanium interior trim and a very heavy rear spoiler for around $700.