Driven: Mazda 6 Sport4 AWD

Inevitably with an introduction like this, the Sport4 does not live up to its billing. You've guessed it: it's not really very sporting at all. The 2.3 engine, very pleasant in conjunction with the slick manual gearbox (and still pretty good with the standard auto 'box and front-wheel drive), has its power comprehensively sapped by the not-very-Activematic, AWD transmission. Even allowing for the high altitudes at which we tested it, it struggled up mountain inclines, had to be revved really hard for rapid responses, and generally failed to entertain or reward nearly as much as its two-wheel drive counterparts. Although the handling is still direct and precise, the four-wheel drive set-up accomplished and the electronic control systems (DSC) as unobtrusive as can be expected, the power simply isn't there to exploit this to the full, and the misplaced automatic gear ratios don't help either: the gaps between the first three gears are far too wide, no good for pushing on, refinement or indeed, for pulling anything behind. The upchanges are inappropriate and, just as importantly, kick-downs are less than intuitive, meaning that negotiating twisty bits at speed in fully auto mode happens with more of a scrabble than a swooping curve. The Sport4 was happy to cruise on the motorway, however, giving some hope for the nation's long distance caravan clubbers, but we wouldn't want to get stuck behind one towing up any more demanding terrain.