Category: Large Family 
Price Range: £15,685 to £22,460
High levels of refinement, good to drive, low running costs.
Gearchange not as slick as rivals, some road noise, poor ride quality with 18" wheels.
Punchy, refined diesel is pick of the 6 range.
Mazda's 6 might offer a class-leading drive, but in the ride department it's outclassed by the Ford. It simply lacks the suppleness of the Mondeo, especially when it is fitted with the largest 18" alloy wheels.
The 6 also allows fractionally more road noise to filter though, hindering high-speed refinement.
As far as kit-count goes the 6 is among the best in class.
Five trims are available: the range kicks off with the base S model that gets six airbags, ESP, 16" alloys, aircon and an auxiliary jack for MP3 connection.
Upgrade to the TS model (£1,000) and cruise and climate control are added. Spend another £1,200 for TS2-spec and you get 17" alloys, blind spot sensors, a 6CD changer and auto wipers.
Fancy something a little sportier? Look no further than imaginatively named Sport trim (£1,800). With that you get a bodykit, 18" alloys, bi-xenon lamps, half-leather sport seats and a powerful BOSE sound system.
Finally, the range-topping SL offers electric leather seats and a sunroof, while deleting the attention-seeking Sport bodykit.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mazda Mazda6 Estate
wrote on 15 10 2006
wrote on 20 07 2006