Mazda6 Estate

THE FAIRER SIX?
Mazda clearly hasn’t listened to the script with its 6 estate. It’s anything but frumpy - as Andy Enright reports

The second generation Mazda6 is a much bigger car than its predecessor which lends itself well to an estate variant. This one’s extremely good with a full 519 litres of space behind the rear seats and a massive 1,751 litres with the seats folded. Factor in a great chassis and some very good engines and you have a formidable package.

2002 turned out to be a very pivotal year for Mazda. Prior to that, the only Mazda model most people would give the time of day to was the MX-5 roadster, which rather limited the Hiroshima company’s aspirations as a global player. With the launch of the Mazda6 everything changed. Over 450,000 sales were registered in Europe alone and success built on success, with hits like the RX-8 sports coupe, the all-new MX-5 and the Mazda2 supermini following suit. The second generation Mazda6 moved the game on further again and in estate form, it’s up against some serious rivals.

When these rivals include the likes of the Ford Mondeo, the Honda Accord and the Renault Laguna, it’s clear that the Mazda6 estate needs to be something more than reliable and affordable. It needs a personality and appeal all of its own.

Although I cringe every time I hear it, I can understand what Mazda are driving at with their zoom-zoom tagline. The company has decided that its cars need a little zest and spirit and this suffuses the latest Mazda6. Just when you think it’s got all grown up and sensible, it has the capacity to surprise, either with steering that’s just that little bit quicker than it has any right to be, a chassis that feels alive and playful and less weight in its body to keep its responses sharp. But is any of this relevant to estate car buyers? It is if you need an estate but aren’t yet ready for the pipe and slippers.

So, there’s a fully independent suspension system delivering improved ride comfort and reduced road noise. The old rather woolly hydraulic power steering set-up has been ditched to be replaced with the Mazda RX-8 sports car’s electric system in order to achieve optimal steering assistance at the widest number of speed variations. The six-speed manual transmission offers an especially precise shift operation. Greater performance from engines like the latest 2.5-litre petrol motor has led to the need for more stopping power, so the latest Mazda6 is fitted with larger front brake discs and a larger-diameter master cylinder to enhance both the outright braking performance and the brake feel. As a result, the stopping distance from 60mph is just 39m on dry surface, amongst the best in its class

"A long wheelbase and a high roofline both bode well for luggage carrying duties…."

The Mazda6 Estate might drive very well but we’ve seen countless ‘sports’ estate models that can’t hold anything much bigger than a week’s grocery shopping. In order to really make a mark in the conscience of estate car buyers, this model needs space and lots of it. The initial impressions are promising. A long wheelbase, a subtly teased out rear overhang and a high roofline all bode well for luggage carrying duties. With the rear seats in place, there’s a full 519 litres of space and 1,751 litres should you fold them flat.

The Karakuri fold-flat seating system is accompanied by an automatic tonneau cover that moves upwards as the tailgate is opened, eliminating the need to handle the cover every time cargo is loaded or unloaded. What’s more, the Mazda6 Estate features one of the segment’s widest openings at the back of 1,066mm, while the load floor is 1,926mm long – up 45mm on the old Mazda6 Estate. Body panel gaps have been greatly reduced and higher quality materials introduced for a greatly improved premium feel. New safety equipment includes an Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS), parking sensors, an active headrest that protects your neck in a crash, collapsible brake and clutch pedals and extensive pedestrian protection measures.

There’s a premium of around £700 for Estate variants over their five-door hatch counterparts. That means prices that kick off at £17,330 and top out at £22,040 and value looks fairly keen. Mazda has been keen to keep prices competitive and the markups over the old Mazda6 Estate have been minimal. The engine choices aren’t that broad with petrol buyers getting a 147bhp 2.0-litre unit or the beefy 2.5-litre four-cylinder powerplant that generates 170bhp. The 120bhp 1.8-litre engine that acts as the entry-level petrol powerplant in the hatchback models isn’t offered with the estate. Diesel customers get a single 140bhp 2.0-litre MZR-CD 2.0 turbo diesel.

The driver and passenger benefit from independent air temperature controls, and the optional keyless entry system includes the currently fashionable engine start-stop button on top of the instrument panel. An eight-speaker, BOSE premium sound system, and a Bluetooth hands-free mobile-phone interface are options that most customers will want. We also liked the way that the driver’s seat armrest can slide backwards and forwards until you find a comfortable position to rest your elbow on it. Trim levels begin at TS and run through TS2, Sport and range-topping SL.

The market positioning of this Mazda6 Estate is slightly hazy. Mazda’s marketing would seem to suggest that this car is a rival for estate versions of the Honda Accord and Volkswagen Passat but the pricing suggests otherwise; the Vauxhall Vectra and Ford Mondeo looking more likely rivals. Either way, ongoing running costs are decidedly mass market. Economy figures are class-competitive, with even the 2.5 petrol flagship able to return over 30mpg in normal use. The diesel returns almost 50mpg on the combined cycle.

Some modest improvements in carbon dioxide emissions have been realised, this despite the body of the Mazda6 Estate getting noticeably bigger. The 2.0-litre petrol variant that many customers will buy emits 171g/km which is not a standout figure. Pair it with an automatic gearbox and the figure rises to 185g/km. Perhaps greater investment would have been merited here. The same is true of the economy improvements made to these engines. The 2.0-litre diesel continues to represent the best all-round choice for affordable running costs if you can get a deal that reduces the £600 or so premium over the comparable 2.0-litre petrol unit.

To be brutally frank, I thought Mazda would ruin the latest 6 and it has come as a refreshing surprise to find that the spirit of the original car has been retained, in this instance blended with the added practicality of a very good estate version. So many second generation cars get prematurely old and fat but Mazda have guarded against that happening. They’ve very carefully retained much of what was good about the old car, namely its driving manners and its price, and have improved its perceived build quality, practicality and equipment level.

What the Mazda6 Estate will have difficulty doing is projecting its personality onto prospective buyers who have yet to get behind the wheel. My guess is that if you test drive this car, you will probably buy it. It’s getting bums onto seats in the first instance that may well prove to be the biggest hurdle.