OK, fair enough. Like the RX-8 and MX-5, this car has a limit that makes itself immediately known. Realizing this helped me to enjoy the Mazdaspeed6, but definitely put a damper on the level of thrills previously expected. Of course, if I lived anywhere near a racetrack, putting the
top-tier Mazda through its paces without worry of oncoming traffic on the left and/or deadly drop-offs to the right would be downright enjoyable. After all, there's nothing more fun than power-sliding a car around a corner, as long as a grassy field is all that lay between the edge of the track and any lack of skill.
Unfortunately my test week didn't offer any dry spells, so no comments can be made of running up the mountain without rivulets of water cascading down the tarmac. Instead I became very familiar with the variable intermittent speed sensing wiper system, extremely effective by the way, fog lamps and headlights, both quite capable of lighting up the roadway ahead.
Those headlamps are Xenon, incidentally, one of many standard Mazdaspeed6 safety features that also include ABS-equipped four-wheel discs with EBD, plus traction control (TCS) - the latter two available on regular Mazda6 sedans too. Exclusive to the Mazdaspeed6 are power windows with one-touch up/down capability at all four outside seating
positions, the switches themselves illuminated, alloy foot pedals, special Mazdaspeed floor mats, unique cloth upholstery, scuff plates, silver-colour interior door handles, a custom leather-wrapped shift knob, electroluminescent gauges with red nighttime illumination, and carbon fibre-like power window switch panels to match the same treatment on the centre stack and lower console surfaces.
A $2,800 leather package adds leather, no less, plus "pleather" door trim, a power moonroof, and Mazda's credit card-like Intelligent Key remote entry and start system, the coolest of its kind in the auto sector, so that the key and fob can stay in your pocket or purse at all times (I love this feature).
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| The fog lamps and headlights are both quite capable of lighting up the roadway ahead. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Unfortunately my test week didn't offer any dry spells, so no comments can be made of running up the mountain without rivulets of water cascading down the tarmac. Instead I became very familiar with the variable intermittent speed sensing wiper system, extremely effective by the way, fog lamps and headlights, both quite capable of lighting up the roadway ahead.
Those headlamps are Xenon, incidentally, one of many standard Mazdaspeed6 safety features that also include ABS-equipped four-wheel discs with EBD, plus traction control (TCS) - the latter two available on regular Mazda6 sedans too. Exclusive to the Mazdaspeed6 are power windows with one-touch up/down capability at all four outside seating
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| Mazda's credit card-like Intelligent Key remote entry and start system allows the key and fob to stay in your pocket or purse at all times. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
A $2,800 leather package adds leather, no less, plus "pleather" door trim, a power moonroof, and Mazda's credit card-like Intelligent Key remote entry and start system, the coolest of its kind in the auto sector, so that the key and fob can stay in your pocket or purse at all times (I love this feature).