Test Mazda6 Wagon 2.0 Skyactiv-G 145 CV Zenith
Mazda continues to create a gap between the well-known premium brands, and best of all, it is doing it with firm step. Its strategy goes through very careful and elegant designs, good interior qualities, comfortable but dynamic cars and a good amount of equipment at a price that is much tighter than its rivals BMW, Audi or Mercedes. The results are obvious, with notable commercial growth year after year.
Only a few months ago, the Hiroshima brand presented the update of its model for segment D, the Mazda6 2018 . It is not a generational change, but a restyling soft but remarkable, slightly changing its aesthetics, improving the interior qualities, adjusting its mechanics and offering a greater technological endowment. We just tried it on the Wagon body, with the Zenith finish and with the 2.0 Skyactiv-G petrol engine with 145 HP. Do you come up with us?
I would not like to start testing this model without informing you very briefly of the clear growth of the brand in recent years. While in 2013 Mazda registered some 5,800 units, with a market share of 0.8%, in 2017 they sold just over 18,500, achieving a 1.5% share. Regarding the Mazda6, in 2013 it settled for 1,100 units, significantly increasing its sales until approaching 1,500 in 2017.
Increasing your exterior elegance
Now yes, we go with the test of the Mazda 6 Wagon, and we started talking about its aesthetic changes . As I said before, the variations are not great, because it maintains the main forms. Rather they have taken care of polishing details to convey a more elegant image that brings them closer to rival premium models.
Even though you have to look, the Front changes a lot and now conveys a greater sense of width. The bumper changes completely, receiving a new grille larger, deeper and with a new screen. It highlights the chrome trim that brings that touch of elegance to which I referred, guarding the Full LED headlights and "holding" the large grill at the bottom. The fog lights also disappear from the bottom, integrating into the main headlight.
Dimensions : The Mazda 6 Wagon measures 4,805 mm long, 1,840 wide and 1,480 mm high, with a battle of 2,750 mm. Interestingly, the Sedan body is longer (65 mm more) and also has a longer wheelbase (80 mm more). We do not know what the reason is and, honestly, we do not understand it either, but that's the way it is.
In the side view the only variations come from the tires , as they have been updated designs In the lower finishes are 17 inches, while in the upper are 19. In our unit, with Zenith finish, are 19 inches and finished in the tone "Bright Silver". I would like to emphasize that this model also updates its color palette , introducing the new Soul Red Crystal tone to replace the Soul Red. For me, this is the most successful color for this model, and not the gray one Metallic of our unit.
If there are few changes in the side, in the rearguard there are no great news either.Of course, the paint of the body now reaches the bottom of the bumper, which previously did not happen. As noted, I recognize that I really like the location and size of the two exhaust exits , something unusual nowadays because many manufacturers hide or simulate them. Let's go inside.
More quality, better finishes and new equipment
Already in the passenger compartment, the new Mazda6 receives us with a renovated interior . We have more padded surfaces and, in those that were already, you can see a better touch and quality of the materials. Our unit, which includes the equipment package " Pack White " (1,900 euros) looks very cozy. This package adds white upholstery, front seats with electrical settings and memory for the driver's, as well as heating and ventilation for the sidewalks, without forgetting a Head-Up Display that projects information on the windshield.
Practically everything, here inside, presents a very nice touch , transmitting a lot of quality sensation. The instrument cluster now uses a small digital screen in the center, and although its customization is very small, it has good visibility. This screen is combined with traditional watches on the sides.
Presiding over the dashboard we have another screen, this time dedicated to the infotainment and navigation system. Regarding the predecessor version, it increases its size from 6 to 7 inches . It has tactile handling, but only in stopped, being handled by means of a joystick in the central tunnel to which we adapted in few minutes. The images collected by the external cameras , including an overhead view, are also projected on this screen, although it is true that their quality is quite improvable .
In the central tunnel, more backward of the aforementioned joystick, we have a couple of hollow bottle holders that can be hidden. This has forced Mazda to delay the armrest too much, so much so that, unless you are very tall and drive in a backward position, you can not support the elbow naturally strong>. And since we talked about slots, I must mention that there are enough, but it would be better if the front doors were a little larger.
Habitability and trunk
Regarding habitability in the front seats , as is usual in practically all cars in the C segment up, tall and corpulent people will have no problems of space or comfort. The seats allow good settings and the steering wheel is also adjustable in height and depth, although a little more telescopic adjustment would not have been bad in my case - because of my usual driving position, I like to get enough out of it. steering wheel -.
We move to the rear seats , where the quality is hardly reduced in the materials for trim and upholstery. Two tall adults can travel perfectly without problems of space although the occupants of the front seats are also high, because the space for the knees and the head is good.Of course, neither in the front seats nor in the rear can be charged wirelessly. - @mazdaespana #mazda # mazda6 # mazda6wagon #smartphone #charge
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Here behind we have air vents in the central position, although we can not regulate the temperature (it does not have a trizionair conditioner), something that is possible in other models of the competition. On the other hand, the backrest of the central square collapses and becomes armrests, but does not leave a trapdoor that connects with the trunk to, for example, be able to load some skis.
And speaking of the > trunk , we open the gate and we receive 522 liters , 480 if it was the sedan body. It is not the largest compared to other sedans of the segment D in family body, but the truth is that we have been enough, that not too much, for a trip of four adults with a suitcase and a small backpack each In the upper part, in addition to a blind, we have a grid that allows to separate the cargo with the passenger compartment at the top if we travel loaded "to the top", thus preventing objects from entering the passenger compartment in case of braking.
Range mechanics
The Mazda6's mechanical offer consists of two petrol engines , 2.0 and 2.5 liters with 145 and 194 HP respectively, and a engine Diesel of 2.2 liters that is offered in versions of 150 and 184 HP. All of them can be associated with a manual transmission of six gears or an automatic transmission of the same number of relations with the exception of the most powerful gasoline, which only comes with an automatic transmission. The most powerful of the diesel can be front or total traction. No hybrid versions .
The unit tested uses the least powerful engine in the range, the 2.0 Skyactiv-G of 145 HP. As you know, Mazda does not resort to overfeeding in its gasoline mechanics , using high compression ratios (more typical of diesel engines than gasoline) to improve performance.
Motor 2.0 Skyactiv-G 145 HP
This Skyactiv-G 2.0 engine, like all others, uses direct injection, 16 valves and chain distribution. Between its homologated data we find a performance of 145 CV to 6,000 laps and a maximum torque of 213 Nm to 4,000. In the family body it can reach a maximum speed of 206 km/h and it takes 10 seconds to cover 0 to 100 . Meanwhile, its declared mixed consumption is 6.3 liters at 100 and, as you will read below, it is quite realistic.
Impressions behind the wheel
In view of the theory, it is time to move on to practice. The Mazda 6 Wagon is, like the Sedan model, a perfect ally to cover long distances. During the test week I traveled a 1,400 kilometers with him , mainly on fast roads, but also on secondary roads and city. Go, I've been able to test it thoroughly.
This saloon shows a practically faultless behavior of its part cycle, the engine I'll talk a few paragraphs below.The comfort is commendable , and that is that the Hiroshima brand has recalibrated its suspension (McPherson front and multibrazo behind), in addition to replacing the previous seats with more comfortable ones.
Also found well insulated from the outside, having improved and increased the insulating materials to create a quieter passenger compartment. It is one of those cars in which, to perceive rolling and aerodynamic noises, you have to look for them, and that's great news.
Meanwhile, in twisty roads , the The touch of the steering is as pleasant as it is precise, giving the driver enough confidence. A confidence that is due, in large part, to the suspension does not allow remarkable body inclinations unless we go too far.
If the terrain is somewhat broken and bumpy, the suspension "swallows" everything without problems, not losing the line at any time. If we do a little "the brute", the limit of adherence comes in a progressive and smooth, without being anything drastic and without making any stranger. Exemplary.
And now I am going to talk to you of your engine . As I mentioned before, this 2.0 of 145 CV is atmospheric , so its behavior is far from the gasoline engines with supercharging that we have become so accustomed to quickly. The response in the low and middle part of the tachometer is poor, although much smoother than in turbo engines.
It's not that the car "does not run" but, if you want it to, you have to play with the change and be careful not to fall below 4,000 laps, which is when you offer your maximum pair. I understand that certain people, especially those accustomed to diesel engines or gasoline with turbo, this behavior may not please them too much.
It is usual, when we drive by loaded motorway and face a steep slope
strong>, have to reduce to fifth, fourth and sometimes it is almost necessary to enter third. Although I repeat, four people and the trunk loaded more can not. Without load the thing changes, but the sixth one is clearly a relief march. In its favor it has the sound of escape at high rates, without becoming sporty, it is nice.Although it may seem counterproductive in a car with relatively large atmospheric gasoline engine weighing about 1,400 kilos, the consumptions of this model are enviable and close to those of many similar models of diesel engine.
So much so that, on the journey of about 1,000 kilometers between roundtrip at normal pace, very loaded and with air conditioning trying to cool a cabin while outside the temperature was around 40 degrees, the consumption has always been below 7 liters, ending with an average of 6.7 l/100 km. The second partial, at the end of our total test, totaling 1,400 kilometers, registered an average of 6.8. For me, taking into account the conditions, the data is excellent.
Conclusions
Drawing conclusions from the Mazda6 Wagon is quite simple. It is true that it is more expensive than many similar models of generalist companies with equal equipment, but we can no longer consider Mazda as a general brand.If we talk about the price and equipment, the Japanese wins by a landslide. Our unit, in Zenith finish and with the extra exterior paint and the "Pack White" package, has a price of about 35,500 euros.
Our unit comes practically "full equipe" in terms of equipment but It's about 1,000 euros cheaper than a BMW 3 Series Touring and an A4 Avant access, and about 7,000 euros cheaper than the cheaper C-Class Estate . And also, in favor of the Mazda, the equipment is quite superior - right here below I leave you the equipment of each level of finishing, as well as the prices of the different versions.