Since Mazda launched the 6, its competitors have gone under the knife for some pretty major plastic surgery. If you follow the visual lineage of the Accord, Altima and Camry, you might agree that it was only after the latest face-lift that any of them really pushed the styling envelope.
For a long while, affordable Japanese sedans were about as exciting to look at as your unshoveled driveway after a snowstorm. You might agree that the fun and energetic styling of the Mazda 6 sort of paved the way for Japanese sedan coolness when it came out for 2003.
Stylin'
"Man, I love those!" one friend told me after laying eyes on the black 6 Sport test car. I never ask this, but this time I did.
"Why's that?"
"They just look awesome. Those wheels are great, they have dual exhaust, nice lines, it's just a great looking car."
Fair enough.
The tester came with fog lamps, 17" wheels, and a spoiler as standard- putting sporty looking accessories into the sort of machine where they're usually optional, if available at all.
The chrome-ringed, multi-lens projector headlamps work towards an exciting look, and protruding black-masked tail-lamps suggest the sneaky mischievousness of a baby raccoon. Add in the hatchback's sculpted lines, and you'll find that the 6 Sport is one of the worthiest contenders for your buck in the looks department.
Top notch interior- but just a touch too small
Inside, it's much the same story. In places where vinyl and plastic usually suffice, 6 offers a well-trimmed textural tour-de-farce. The leather steering wheel and chrome-accented leather shifter put a premium feel where your fintertips will spend most of their time, and the all-soft-touch dashboard completes Mazda's efforts to make sure that the 6 has the right materials in all of the right places.
Three complaints inside, though. First, the entire selection of interior lighting is garish bright orange- numbering, indicators and all. It's an orange overload after dark, and you've got to be a real fan of the color to appreciate it.
Second, the doors don't open quite as far as some will like, and I always found the aperture was just a touch too small. Taller rear seat passengers complained of inadequate headroom as well.
For a long while, affordable Japanese sedans were about as exciting to look at as your unshoveled driveway after a snowstorm. You might agree that the fun and energetic styling of the Mazda 6 sort of paved the way for Japanese sedan coolness when it came out for 2003.
 |
| The 6 Sport is one of the worthiest contenders for your buck in the looks department. |
Stylin'
"Man, I love those!" one friend told me after laying eyes on the black 6 Sport test car. I never ask this, but this time I did.
"Why's that?"
"They just look awesome. Those wheels are great, they have dual exhaust, nice lines, it's just a great looking car."
Fair enough.
The tester came with fog lamps, 17" wheels, and a spoiler as standard- putting sporty looking accessories into the sort of machine where they're usually optional, if available at all.
The chrome-ringed, multi-lens projector headlamps work towards an exciting look, and protruding black-masked tail-lamps suggest the sneaky mischievousness of a baby raccoon. Add in the hatchback's sculpted lines, and you'll find that the 6 Sport is one of the worthiest contenders for your buck in the looks department.
Top notch interior- but just a touch too small
Inside, it's much the same story. In places where vinyl and plastic usually suffice, 6 offers a well-trimmed textural tour-de-farce. The leather steering wheel and chrome-accented leather shifter put a premium feel where your fintertips will spend most of their time, and the all-soft-touch dashboard completes Mazda's efforts to make sure that the 6 has the right materials in all of the right places.
Three complaints inside, though. First, the entire selection of interior lighting is garish bright orange- numbering, indicators and all. It's an orange overload after dark, and you've got to be a real fan of the color to appreciate it.
Second, the doors don't open quite as far as some will like, and I always found the aperture was just a touch too small. Taller rear seat passengers complained of inadequate headroom as well.
 |
| The all-soft-touch dashboard completes Mazda's efforts. |