just wanted to sign and comment on the host of the video/reviewer. i appreciate this guy, i take his videos and advice very seriously. he has won me over with a few cars that i originally didn't care for. he is thorough, clear voiced, open minded, charismatic with a sense of humor. thank you guy! lol
The accelerator has a passing gear that activates when you push the pedal down further than you think it can go. There's a click and it propels you forward...Its very fun to drive
I have one as a loaner car, loaded to the brim, but ya the transmission is always happy being in a high gear which is annoying for getting speed to pass someone
This car drives so much better than reviewed here, by the way any v6 motor is not a comparison to price because most manufacturers don't put a premium on the v6 due to the demand of better fuel efficiency.
I test drove this car, I wanted to drive a stick but they only had auto available (of course) but MAN was the automatic responsive as hell. It instantly knows what gear to change to and everything. I think it was more responsive than the DCT I have in my Lancer Ralliart as far as automatic shifting goes.
I've watched several reviews of this car on RU-vid, and Cooley is the only person who has complained that the transmission seems "rubber bandy". Everyone else has praised the 6 as being the choice in this segment for people who really enjoy driving. I guess spending so much time in the Infiniti or Lexus or BMW which he no doubt owns has made him look down on anything that costs less money.
It will be interesting to see how the new technology suite in the upcoming Mazda3 works. It appears to be a much improved and more robust system. It would certainly make sense for Mazda to then add the new system to the Mazda6 (and CX-5) once they go through their mid-cycle refreshes in a couple years since the space in the dash is certainly large enough to handle a better system with a bigger screen. I think this Tom-Tom unit was just a stop gap because their new system wasn't ready yet.
BTW, the one thing I do like on this car, much better than anything else in this class, is how Mazda sets up the pedals on this car. They love driving with a proper stick and it shows.
i spoke to a dealer today the reason why it has that front is because of collision control just as i had thought. i found a used axela in the yard too with the cassette player still in a 2004 model, piked my interest a bit, already can show you an example decaled and maybe modified in white. the mazda 6 is still too extravagant if it has wood trim even if it is imitation. i still feel like a rockstar when i drive a mid-nineties up market sedan for christs sake and it is 2013. keep it upcnet.
The center arm rest can slide forward to have more room to rest your arm on. So if it was "flinchy" it was because it was not settled from one end or the other. lol
I think the issue with the lack of enthusiasm from the engine is the fuel saving throttle mapping. We have a 2014 CX-5 with the same engine and a 2013 VW GLI. Once I realized I have to stab at the throttle to get it to launch quickly I was fine and it isn't as poky as you initially think. Now drive the GLI like that and you'll rear end someone or tear through your garage door.
Manual is available on both the Sport and Touring trims, just not the Grand Touring. Which was my ultimate deciding factor in purchasing this car as there are simply no other mid sized sedans in the price range that offer manual on any trim besides base trim
WuWei Xu Nah, you are mistaking. Option 1 is you love something and option 2 is you don't love it. There are no other option to have. If you "slightly dislike" something, that means you don't love it, so it falls under option 2 for you.
Well my brothers girlfriend for instance I don't like her but I don't dislike her. It's like meh. But on the car once I set in my Mazda 6 I instantly fell in love with it. Now it's in my garage.
Why would they have buttons on the side of the screen and a toggle switch with buttons all around it they have just did the toggle switch and make it a bigger screen
Liked the review, The only review I'd take seriously along with DrivenCarReviews. DrivenCar is more of everyday review (backseat, trunk, etc) and Cnet is straight up tech/engine. Even though I haven't test driven this, I know for a fact that Mazda makes one of the best Transmission (auto/manual) around so for you to say that it's its downside might be a little skeptical to me.
Why the hate to all the names?? Every car company spins things their own way,,,I did my intensive car search and landed with the touring,,,not once regretted picking up this beauty,,,and I checked the Shinara concept which inspired this design,,,all I can say if you dont want a regular Asian import then this is your car!!
I used to look forward in buying a car. Now there are too many choices. I heard the Mazda6 was a great choice though. It's either this or an Accord Coupe in my book.
To those making Q50 comparisons - this car has been out long before the Q50 (it was released domestically a year earlier), and Nissan loves to steal Mazda ideas. Just look at the "Pure Drive" emblem - straight rip off of the original Skyactiv emblem. But what do they say - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...
I love the all new 6 great job Mazda you've really done well and learned from your mistakes there are only two other cars in my book that are just as good looking as the Mazda 6 they would be 1) Chevy Malibu and 2) Ford Fusion. Also does anyone know when America will be getting the diesel version of this car?
That's really sad cause i was looking forward to the skyactiv-D From what mazda said it seems they were having performance problems with it so for now it looks like the diesel being put on hold but they haven't given up on it
Mr_2011 Chevy Mailbu Americans really don't like diesels due to America's past. Even if they do bring it here, I doubt it would be a hot seller. I wish they sold wagons in North America, those are the best cars ever!
WuWei Xu Yeah that's true but it seems Americans are changing their minds about diesels they seems to be buying VW's jetta diesel and chevy's cruze diesel. I know right i loved the mazda 6 wagon. The only wagon mazda has right now is the mazda 3 wagon (hatchback)
Mr_2011 Chevy Mailbu Yeah, slowly but surely. Thing is, German diesels have been respected by them for quite a while. It's American diesels that people still won't buy.
Funny how everything he says (positive or negative) is the complete opposite of EVERY review I have seen on this car. He just loves the sound of his own voice too much.
Everybody else that reviewed this model said that the transmission was fine and the experience with the powertrain was positive and sporty. Maybe it wasn't working properly when this guy drove it.
Good review Cooley, I'm a little confused though on the transmission review however. I heard from a lot of other reviews on other channels that the transmission was really nice. Is it possible for CNET to do a Sedan Showdown where you guys compare all the sedans in that price range and figure out the best bang for your buck? I think everyone shopping for a sedan would greatly appreciate it!
let me assure everyone interested in the interior quality who is interested in this car, the dash/interior materials are THE SAME for ALL trims, ie. I sat in a Sport (lowest trim) and the materials were still the same, and very high quality. the only material that does change is the seating material!
Exactly, and same with the ride and engine. There has been near universal praise for it, so Brian is basically against everyone. Maybe the car they sent him was broken or something? Maybe it was a pre-release review unit? :S
[Mazda6] "It's only a little ironic that the car cant read it's own brand name and has to spell that out." Probably because it detected numbers and letters in the same word and read it as a serial number. Putting Mazda 6 would probably work.
The moment a reviewer bashes a Japanese car all hell breaks loose. The I'm happy with my Ford Fusion with the SYNC system. The Mazda has to download your messages, seriously? Honestly, I think the Honda Accord and Ford Fusion are the best cars for the money.
My 2012 Kia Optima EX premium reads my texts to me as I drive and allows me to respond as by voice...I never have to remove my hands from the wheel...Super easy!
someone needs to teach this guy how to review a car.. maybe start by knowing what comes on each trim level as well as the grand touring model that he just drove.
I really like the look of this car. But when I tested drive the car, it wasn't as fun to drive. Skyactiv transmission seems to be in a hurry to upshift in order to maximize fuel economy. Would love if they'd offer something more powerful even if it results in mpg loss.
There is a lack of power with automatic, but get a stick / manual and you get a whole different animal. Test drove auto it was men....stick was driving a large miata.
He's right on the transmission. Drive it normally, like most people do, and it's somewhat like a CVT. It tries too hard to keep RPMs down, and when you step into it, the RPMs suddenly jump all the way up. If you thrash it, like most automotive reviewers do, then sure, it's a fine drivers car in this class. But in the real world? It's not as great as it's made up to be.
The price of this premium is perilously close the the cost of a loaded Accord EX-L v6, which will get you 100 more horsepower and more tech. Not a great value at that price. I'd have to settle for a lower trim since apparently they all have the same engine choices.
Wow...all other reviewed websites give this car "props & tops in class". Im in agreement with others that Cooley is biased on Mazda branding. Lexus & Mazda are rated most trouble-free brands. How many recalls for Mazda's have you heard or read about? Honda & Toyota just had major airbag recalls as of recent. If you own this car & it sucks, did you not test drive first? Get real.
Does this guy know anything about cars? Most of what he talks is garbage. This car is absolutely beautiful and so much fun to drive, as well as being a brilliant family car if you need to use it for family
