Mazda6: Mazda’s midsize must-see

The 2014 Mazda6 adds to the evidence that Mazda is creating its most compelling lineup yet. Thanks to its standout design, a comfortable, well-outfitted interior and stellar fuel economy (38 mpg highway/26 city), the 6 ($21,665, including destination) deserves a spot on every sedan shopper’s must-see list. Better-than-average handling and responsiveness — Mazda’s zoom-zoom bona fides — are icing on the cake. The Mazda6 is new from the ground up. Its new unibody is lighter, safer and more rigid. Smaller on the outside than its predecessor, it has a longer wheelbase, creating a more spacious cabin and a smoother ride. An extended roofline caps aggressive new sheet metal. A shorter front overhang and longer hood create a cab-rearward stance that evokes a rear-drive sport sedan. Muscular shoulder lines and a newly assertive grille are meant to suggest a jungle cat in motion. Front-seat occupants share a cockpit-style space surrounded by sculpted, soft-touch surfaces. Seats are supportive, well bolstered and comfortable. Rear-seat passengers enjoy near-full-size leg- and foot-room. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is smaller in diameter than expected and steering feel is a bit heavier and more precise than the class norm. Like most steering systems in this era of fuel efficiency, the 6’s is electrically assisted, though with better results than most others. The feel is linear, turn-in is quick and accurate and on-center feel is dead on. The optional touch-screen TomTom-sourced navigation system is slower, less elegant and more difficult to manage than some competitive systems but provides excellent spoken turn-by-turn directions. On upper trims, a console-mounted knob — a la BMW’s iDrive — simplifies matters by duplicating the touch-screen’s functionality. The 6 is the third new Mazda to incorporate the company’s Skyactiv energy initiative, a suite of mechanical and aerodynamic measures that could point to industrywide solutions, much as Audi’s direct-injection breakthrough has. Skyactive involves the esoteric (its novel approach to torque conversion in automatic transmissions) — and the predictable (greater use of lightweight materials). With the ’14 6, Mazda reveals yet another tactic. i-ELOOP is a regenerative braking system that captures the energy (remember, friction equals heat) produced during braking and stores it in a capacitor. Though it has less storage capacity than a battery, the capacitor stores enough juice to power the electrical accessories for short periods and is quickly recharged. The result is less demand on the engine to run the alternator and, consequently, reduced fuel consumption. The only engine currently available is a 184-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline four, which can be mated with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. In our tester, the automatic produced quick, smooth shifts without any of the languor that attends many modern, fuel-efficient gearboxes. Quick to shift down under heavy throttle, it also held its gear during long sweepers. Ordering the stick will save you $1,615 at the outset but cost you 1 mpg in both city and highway driving. With either gearbox, the 6 does the 0-60 sprint in a factory-tested 8.4 seconds, which all but the most aggressive drivers will find acceptable. Later in the year, Mazda will introduce to the U.S. a new powerplant, a 2.2-liter diesel fitted with a two-stage turbo. The engine will make 173 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque. As Japan’s fourth-largest automaker, Mazda’s products are often overlooked in the States. Skyactiv and the new 6 present a case for themselves that shouldn’t go unheeded. Don Adair is a Spokane-based freelance writer. Contact him at don@dadair.com. 2014 Mazda6 i Grand Touring Vehicle base price: $21,039 Trim level base price: $29,495 As tested: $31,490 Options: The only options on our top-line i Grand Touring tester were Soul Red paint, radar-based intelligent cruise control and Forward Obstruction Warning. EPA ratings: 26 city/38 highway Regular unleaded fuel is specified