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| 2006 Mazda Mazdaspeed6 Review | |||
| Whether you're about to spend $40K on a brand new car, or half that on a used car, it is always important to learn as much as you can about the used car. Read these car reviews to learn about all aspects of the vehicle. Each of the usedcar reviews cover interior and exterior features, options, road tests, and more. | |||
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Introduction
| Road Test
| Inside & Out
| Other Thoughts
| Last Word
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| Inside & Out | |||
If there's a majority opinion on the base Mazda 6 being the coolest-driving midsize sedan, it's borderline unanimous that it's the most sensational to look at, with a body that's got "SPEED!" written between its classy lines. Too bad there was zip-zero disagreement on the MazdaSpeed touches transforming it into a gawky dud. The dull gray 15-spoke wheels seem more fit to a Chrysler minivan (spokes are contrary to aerodynamics anyway), the stick-in-the-roof antenna adds clutter, the blackened taillights are just nasty, the bulge in the hood (needed for the top-mounted intercooler) was deemed disgusting by all, and if you look closely, what appear to be two grand exhaust pipes are no more real than Pamela Anderson's two most recognizable assets. At least the lip spoiler proves more functional than the wing-type on the standard 6.Get past that and all 6s, MazdaSpeed or not, continue to enjoy one of the more interesting interiors around. The sporty 3-spoke wheel is a great driver's tool, the instruments have passionate red backlighting, and the strategic use of blacks, whites, grays, silvers, chrome, and aluminum pieces breathes new life into the concept of monochrome. Check out the aluminum pedals and disco-style map lights, and notice how all controls are lit at night (less common than you'd think). Nothing short of the Passat can touch it for style. And the 6 has always been special by being roomy enough for nearly any driver yet snug enough to remain personal (unlike the big, poofy-looking Accord or Camry cabins). It feels driver-centric, with all controls in short reach and snappy motions in most of them. Six-foot-plusers may run into the roof in sunroof-equipped cars, but the rest of us should easily find a place behind the firm, supportive cockpit and tilt-telescope steering wheel. The back seat also followed the roomy-enough-yet-snug approach (the 6 was always smallest among the midsizers), with comfortable, firm seats for two average guys or three slim ones, good toeroom, and nice armrests. The only fault to find is with the slightly low cushion, but that's more common than not in this class. Mazda shielded the cabin from the toll of the all-wheel-drive components, directing all penalties to the gas tank (down from an 18-gallon capacity to 15.9) and trunk (down from 15 to 12.4 cubic feet, and in the name of higher body rigidity, the back seat doesn't fold). And on the MazdaSpeed 6 Grand Touring, you now enter this environment without ever reaching for a key. That's right, this 6 comes with Advanced Keyless Entry, and Mazda got every detail right: locking/unlocking is done by a button right on the outer handle, the ignition switch works normally, and the credit card-sized remote fob is as slim as they come (the only reason to reach for it is to use that neat remote window opener feature). For better or worse, this system comes packaged with German lock logic: never again can you use the inner power lock switches to lock the car after a drive, and the trunk now counts as a door. Fine, then. As far as the generally fine main ergonomics, the main gripe remains the strip of information at the top-center of the dash that contains the clock, stereo info, and climate control status all at once - it's a bit cluttered and miles away from the systems themselves. All 6s get some slight 2006 redecorations, most notably a new stereo faceplate (works as well as the old one) that successfully puts an end to the confusion with the friendly climate knobs below. The new center stack plastic now casts strong reflections like in the Ford Fusion, but to these eyes works better than the old fake-metal look. Storage cubbies are still plentiful and cupholders work well. Surprisingly, the shifter got longer. All MazdaSpeed 6s get the 200-watt 7-speaker 6-disc Bose stereo that's optional on normal 6s. Bass isn't all it's cracked up to be in light of the 100-watt subwoofer in the back shelf (the four main speakers are in the doors), but the sonic stage is decent overall (by Bose standards) and reasonably balanced across the spectrum. The only factory option is Sirius radio for $430; Mazda is unfortunately serious about making you pay your local dealer $300+ to install a 30-cent chip to enable MP3 playback in the CD player. As for the blank slot at the base of the head unit, that's for adding a dealer-installed tape deck or a MiniDisc player, in case anyone still uses those. Also new for all 6s this year is Mazda's navigation system, whose screen elegantly folds flush into the top of the dash and can be tilted several degrees. Designed with the usual Japanese nav system logic, it's pretty quick and should be easy to use for anyone. It shares with Nissan the joystick that doubles as the Enter button (bad idea), but shares with Honda the QWERTY keyboard layout (good idea). Best of all, the controls on this unit are on a detachable remote to make inputs easier for you and possible for all passengers (a good thing since the shifter and parking brake hinder access); why didn't anyone think of this before? Like most automakers, Mazda doesn't allow use while driving, defeating much of the benefit, but this navigation system still stands with the best. |
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