The new Mazda6 is such a seductively smooth machine that it could encourage a tattooed thug to sing along with Sade: “No need to ask, he’s a smooth operator… Smooth Operatoor.” And when that bare-knuckle bouncer opens up his tonsils while driving home in the pre-dawn light after a satisfyingly bloody night taking care of the club, there’ll be little to drown out his horribly missed notes and chainsaw-like tones.
For this car purrs as sweetly as the torch singer himself, at noise levels that would make a luxury brand proud. Turns out Mazda didn’t need the ill-fated Xedos/Eunos ‘premium’ line-up in the ‘90s to match up to the likes of Lexus in terms of refinement. The latest Mazda6 takes care of that.
At the risk of offending quite a few devotees of Malaysia’s present crop of quasi-luxurious large cars, allow me to pause and shout a “Hallelujah, it’s about bloody time!” at this point. Big D-segment cars have always offered comfort, interior space and decent style factor, but they’ve never before delivered these must-have class values with so much decorum.
The Mazda6 is the equivalent of a Neil Patrick Harris happily discussing the joys of fidelity and the meaning of life with the director in between takes, and doing so in the soothing tones of a seasoned newsreader, with not a hint of a cuss or stale cigarette smoke on his breath. It really is that couth.
It is the Mazda6’s fine drive that really makes its presence known when you drive one for the first time. But it’s the distinctive look of this fine-cut moving sculpture that creates the first impression. Instead of the chunkiness expected of a large D-segment car, this one offers visual finesse.
And when you see the car in natural light, there is no mistaking it for that of any other make. It’s proudly Japanese; very distinctively Mazda. Taking heavy cues from the recent CX-5 SUV while not straying too far away from the stunning Takeri concept, the Mazda6 is a wild, yet attractive compilation of complex curves and prominent lines that exudes class and demands presence. There are hints of the Sonata at the back, though that is more of a compliment for the Hyundai rather than a styling complaint.
The overall look won’t be to all tastes, but those present at the press drive gave it their full approval – and even the single dissenter had to applaud Mazda for going into emotive design territory where the likes of Camry and Accord currently fear to tread.
Inside, the Mazda6 looks and feels almost identical to the CX-5. Much of the switchgears are carried over and the overall shape and structure of the dashboard is a dead ringer to the SUV’s. That’s not such a bad thing quality-wise, though silently you’d wish for a more adventurous cabin to match the bold exterior. It’s packed full of kit (complete equipment list below) and the space available in the lavish cabin is par for the course in this vehicle class.
The CX-5 connection is not only skin deep, as the majority of the running gear is shared between the two models. The base 2.0 litre engine is identical to the one fitted in the SUV, as is the 6-speed automatic SkyActiv-Drive transmission. Power is rated at 151 bhp at 6,000 rpm, with peak torque of 200 Nm generated at a heady 4,000 rpm.
Moving up to the range-topping 2.5 litre variant gives you class leading 183 bhp and 250 Nm of torque at 5,700 rpm and 3,250 rpm respectively. That’s all mightily impressive, especially when you consider that Mazda engineers have had to effectively detune the engines to suit our fuel quality.
That said, the difference in engine outputs between Malaysia-borne cars and the equivalent European models are minimal. The 2.0 litre engine in fact gains 3 bhp over its European-spec cousin, though losing 10 Nm in the process. The larger and more advanced 2.5 litre SkyActiv-G engine sees a more significant drop in outputs, as compared to the quoted 190 bhp and 256 Nm of torque enjoyed elsewhere.
The relatively high rpm of the engines’ power peak gives real insight into the drivability of the Mazda6. Moving off from a standstill, the 6 appears to suffer from low-rev lethargy; much like the CX-5. It sure feels like it could use more low-end torque, and that applies to both engine variants. The 2.5 litre engine doesn’t feel particularly any stronger than the smaller motor. Not at low revs at least.
But, the ‘feel’ here is just an illusion to your senses. The Mazda6, in either guise, offers more than respectable performance. When called upon, that is.
You see, the SkyActiv-Drive gearbox is heavily tuned to promote fuel efficiency over performance. With long gears and pre-programmed fuel-friendly shift pattern, the drivetrain is designed to offer just enough accelerative force to get you going as efficiently as possible. Nothing more and nothing less. That’s why both the 2.0 and 2.5 litre variants feel more or less identical when driven sedately.
At a cruise, the gearbox would hug the top gear as soon as it can and would continue doing so for as long as it’s physically possible. It would so hesitantly drop a gear or two to accelerate smoothly yet positively, again adding to the illusion that it’s underpowered.
When questioned, a top Mazda brass directly involved in the 6’s powertrain development admitted as much, that he himself would have preferred a more reactive and shorter gears to enhance the perceived performance. Yet, Mazda’s company-wide uncompromising pursuit of efficiency dictated otherwise.
It’s only when you ask more from the engine through your heavy right foot that the gearbox opens up to unleash all the available power. Here, there’s no hiding the fact that the larger engine is in fact significantly more powerful. Mid-range thrust is commendable on both engines, though again it’s the 2.5 litre that stands out more, eeking out more of a smile on your face.
Out goes the ‘underpowered’ illusion, replaced by a solid awe of speed. That the Mazda6 will out accelerate all of its Japanese and Korean rivals is a no-brainer, given its class-leading outputs and lower weight (more on this later). The way it does so, however, is mighty impressive.
This is a car capable of smooth and effortless overtaking performance, yet one that also possesses a cone of silence. While the Mazda engineers have managed to extract more power and torque while keeping to its economical approach, the new car’s refinement is simply astounding.
The SkyActiv-G engines never utters anything more than the most endearing and cultured snarl, even under full throttle tests. And even the 2.5 litre variant with its rubber-band 225/45 R19 tyres offer no more than a hushed, near-silent drive while comfort levels are kept wonderfully elevated. High speed cruisers would love this car, eating highway miles without eating into their physical energy.
Fuel consumption continues to be Mazda’s forte. The CX-5 might have performed well in my earlier tests, and is by far and away the most economical SUV in its class, but my anecdotal road-test evidence suggests the new Mazda6 will do even better. Cruising at mean traffic speeds on the open road can result in consumption falling to a small car-like 13 km per litre. And that’s on a barely run in car with less than 1,000 km on the clock.
Mazda claims class-leading 17.4 and 15.6 km per litre fuel consumption figures for the 2.0 and 2.5 litre models respectively, measured in the Japanese-standard JC08 Mode Test Cycle – currently the best figure of all comparable Japanese sedans.
You can thank Mazda’s raft of SkyActiv technology, encompassing the engine, transmission, chassis and body ancillaries for the headlining figures. Designed from the ground up with absolute efficiency in mind, the Mazda6 is said to be up to 30% lighter than a conventional vehicle of the same capability and size. 30%. That’s a saving of over 400 kg!
Aside from effective acceleration, stopping and fuel use, the Mazda6’s dynamic ability is the main contributor of its additional substance, with big dividends in terms of steering precision and ride quality. There’s a distinct solidity and sophistication about the outer borders of the performance envelope of the 6’s chassis that is rare for a large Japanese car.
The Mazda somehow combines compliant long-travel suspension with tenacious grip levels. The steering wheel exhibits sharper turn-in quality than its flex-ier rivals, and delivers a greater sensation of front-tyre traction. The Mazda6’s cornering ability is inevitably defined by understeer, which is only to be expected in a big front-driven car.
The big surprise is the cornering speed this supple-suspended car can achieve before the push threatens to nudge the nose wide, and the manner in which the finely calibrated traction control system (standard across the range) jumps into action to keep the car on track. With a squeal of protest from the front tyres, the Mazda6 simply carries on railing round the bend.
Turn the traction control off, and the results will be a slower drive off the corner as the pilot needs to ease the throttle to quell the understeer. The lift produces sudden weight transfer, yet the 6’s tied-down rear end acts like a storm anchor to steady the ship, and keeps the driver’s heart rate below the redline.
Representing a lustrum of progress over the previous Mazda6, the new car makes the packaging of six airbags and a bevy of active and passive safety systems across the range. Other notable standard equipment includes leather seats, multimedia system with Bluetooth connectivity, Tribos surface protective system (paint, alloys, glass, interior upholstery), powered front seats, push start button, auto headlights and wipers, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, and Mazda i-stop (automatic engine start/stop function said to improve fuel economy by 5%).
The range-topping 2.5 litre model adds auto-levelling bi-xenon lights with DRL, 19-inch wheels over the standard 17s, steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, sunroof, integrated TomTom satellite navigation, 11-speaker Bose premium sound system, keyless entry, and the clever i-ELOOP regenerative braking system.
Not listed on the official spec sheet but present and tested on the 2.5 litre models are the comprehensive i-ACTIVSENSE active safety features. Among others, this includes the Smart City Brake Support, which brakes the car automatically to prevent or limit the damage of low-speed impacts between 4 and 30 km/h.
As reported earlier, estimated prices have been officially released by Bermaz, pegging the 2.0 litre SkyActiv model at RM159,440.20 and the 2.5 litre SkyActiv sedan and Touring (not present at the press event) at RM187,659.30 and RM191,763.30 respectively (all prices on the road, with insurance).
The final pricing will determine the Mazda6’s impact on the Malaysian market, but we’ve been tipped to expect no real surprises at the car’s official debut in March. The new model is a far better car than the model it replaces, and first impressions suggest that it has what it takes to redefine the value that has made Japanese large sedans so popular in this country.
This complete and competent big car could not have come at a better time for Mazda and Bermaz. But with so much of a car company’s position being the result of perceived thinking, don’t just take my word for it. Experience it for yourself and post your comments here.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with myTukar.
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Yes Sam, all the way to the market!
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Hahaha. Preve vs mazda 6?
Golf GTI vs Kia Rio as made by maserati.
This place is filled with practically shit for brains ppl. Heck, even my shit has more brains than some of the ppl here.
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My horse is still better than preve
My ox cart is better than Preve.
And our friend here who tried to in some scarsm here has been misunderstood…? Hey, at least u get slightly higher votes than Sam loo at the moment….
Wait when these cars are crash tested. Watch the RV of Toyotas drop.
Toyotas are low-middle-class people’s cars full-stop. For people who don’t know much about cars and don’t care about safety.
Beautiful things are for people with taste.
Safer things are for wise people.
BTW, please do not omit ESP and other safety features in Mazda6.
well said!
Agreed. For those against the brand, I wish that they really look at the crash test of Mazda vehicles and try to test drive one. I wasn’t a fan of Mazda till I drive one.
Its by far the best offer from Japanese auto maker, but pricing wise might be a bit high. Wonder which dealer I could seek for a test drive now
Camry with Sam loo together! Without VSC !
why u still alive?
Always will have this resale-value-and-Camry kind of guy. Haihsss
Why u so butthurt?
Go away! Mazda is the best looking Japanese car that they make! RV is not important than safety,handling and the style!
Who give a mongkey about resale value? Money earned is to spend, if you want high resale value stuff, buy a property will guarantee you 100% in return in 10 years time.
im sorry david, but if you are a car lover who might change a car 5-7 years, you might need to think the resale value. for me,the resale value is just important as fuel consumption and maintainence.
If you are a car lover, you need a car you will love…
I go with your stand…if one expect prize of cars to sky-rocket then they should properties and not hot wheels…bravo…well said.
I think Sam loo is quietly enjoying the all the attention by making this “unpopular” remarks…look at the number of votes he’s gathered….don’t fall for his trap..! hehe..
Congratulations to Mazda. You have created so many jealous clowns and it just shows how good your car is.
toyota ichiban !!!
Stop you BS!!! I only diss kimchi-cars not sushi brethrens.
Don’t pretend that you’re me.
interesting car..
but then the perception of D segment Mazda in Malaysia is still so so as people tend to go for Accord or Camry and now people tend to try on the Sonata..
can see from sales figure and number of car(s) on the road..
in term of engine power figure is nothing to proud about; if u compare to D segment Conti..
but these days i’m seeing more mazda3 than the new elantra. this skyactiv mazda6 might be the car that mazda needed to win hearts to its brand, basically all of the reviews i have read online praise this new 6. this new 6 will sell well, just like the cx-5 does all around the world.
Civic and altis is more then Mazda 3….
besides Mazda 3 NO ESP/TCS..
where else Civic, Altis and even korean has ESP :)
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Teana? LOL…
Did you just said Teana has the best interior?? Teana interior is mother of all uncle cars…
Teana looks like conti design wor, very luxurious shape
4 years later…….. Teana is almost non-existent on Malaysian roads. LMAO
Yea, just like the 1malaysia thing that continuously and everywhere tells u all the numbers like 200 clinics being built here n there bla bla bla…and u r wowed by the numbers, “waaaah…Ada power”…u think..
Have the look, but lack the grunt of 2.3 Turbo of CX7 & Mazda3
Hopefully beautiful car come together with good after sales service..
Consider one of the best engine compare to same segment Camry,Accord or sonata. highest HP, higher Torque. The technology of the car is far more advanced or rather more “item” given compare to other same segment(around the price) car.
for malaysian spec yes this Mazda seems bit king for Jap/Kor.
but for international spec no.
becoz a YF 2.4 GDI sonata produces 200HP/252NM.
no need turbo some one..
only 2.4…
so go figure :)
you miss the point
True, no clues. Still young, good luck.
why malaysian here love being keyboard warrior?
no money to buy so shut up la.
type2 also no point just helping PT to get bandwith full only..
nothing productive here; too much typing.
ended up mazda still not doing sales :)
Then what for we vote? Its not like we are about to become MPs anyway.
The fact that we are not buying means we cannot talk about it? DO you look at beautiful artists/singers? What for u look them? Its not like u are going to be with them.
The logic of some ppl here are simply out of this world. In malay, its called otak tahi.
Yaaaa i drove the Sonata recently and the driving pleasure is hopeless , numb steering feel , interior quality does not take abuse well , it tends to understeer a lot into corners . I think people buy them for looks and size alone or maybe lower price and better specs . Cheers
First of all it’s silly for you to even compare models sold overseas with models sold here. Secondly car manufacturers all factored in the weather, fuel quality and most importantly fuel efficiency before they tune the car to suits that particular country. By tuning for higher hp which eventually affect fuel economy and we all know how Hyundai/Kia lied again and again on their fuel economy. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-mo-autos-hyundai-fuel-economy-lawsuit-20121108,0,6023411.story.
One most important thing people failed to understand Mazda Skyactiv is that they don’t need higher hp and yet you will feel more powerful. By reducing weight and improve the transmission efficiency Mazda 6 will easily beats the heavy and inefficient Sonata even with less hp.
Finally a Japanese car company that understands how to make a car. The rest are just pure crap, pathetic…kudos to Mazda.
Don’t forget about Subaru, the Impreza and Legacy are awesome cars too.
Yes, love Subaru, if it is offering Malaysians highest standard of safety specs. Run fast must know how to protect.
subaru’s design team are high on schroomies. Have you seen their current gen cars? God they look terrible.
Yeah. If they continue like that I’ll call them honorary contis.
still prefer Suzuki for JAP coz its owned by VW :)
VW and Suzuki already split.
Suzuki Motor Corporation: Volkswagen AG completed the purchase of 19.9% of Suzuki Motor Corporation’s issued shares on 15 January 2010, Volkswagen AG is the biggest shareholder in Suzuki (WIKI).
http://paultan.org/2011/11/25/suzuki-wants-to-divorce-vw-taking-the-dispute-to-court/….ok they maybe still together. But so far there is no Suzuki with TSI and DSGs unlike Skoda and Seat. But I will admit there is nothing wrong if prefer the Kizashi over MAzda6.
clueless….
Why don’t u just get a VW instead of Suzuki?
already have :)
Current Camry resale value will drop further… esp the old tech 2.5v model. What a shame blood sucker co.giving all ‘junk’ outdated models!
don’t forget the 4-speed transmission..
Drop or not dropping. Who cares? This car is bringing more joy to its owner!
The car is no doubt improve rather impressive compared to the predecessor.
Having said that, after took into account the CX-5’s price as well as depreciation of 23% of Japanese ¥ from corresponding period; the pricing is the thing that deter many to embrace Mazda6-especially the 2.0 variant.
In Japan, the price gap of the two variants is RM16600. When it come to our sh
Don’t know whether you are ready for Mazda6 if you are aiming the 2.0L variant, complaining over small amount of money. You better buy Camry.
Mazda6 is simply one class higher, equivalent to Passat. Think about the reasons I said so.
When it come to our shore, the bigger cc will be taxed higher but the buyers seemingly subsidized the 2.5 if he opt for 2.0. Let alone he/she will forgo for better equipped car in 2.5.
The punishment should be lift and slap a RM149,000 or below is a way to reflect more realistic price-tag. The CX-5 SUV is cheaper than 2.0 model is hard to swallow. Unless Mazda substitute the Diesel engine instead of rather convincing SkyActiv gasoline: my guesstimate- better go for VW Passat 1.8 with better after-sales service network than Mazda.
In fact, if VW Group’s Skoda bet their latest Octavia 1.4tsi with lower price-tag than cousin VW Jetta, certainly will affect Mazda’s sales.
I’ve no complaint with the 2.5 pricing but the same couldn’t be said to the 2.0. Really far from sensible pricing with less amenities to live with.
It’s really a seventh looking car with the front that is more distinctive Asian samurai looking than European. I mean that grill and headlights looks almost like the upright crescent on a samurai helmet, though I wish the interior could be better, the only bummer in this cars design, looks almost boring.
I think when the writer (the mobile version did’t state the writer) said that the bigger engine felt significantly more powerful, I think its because of the I-Eloop tech found in the 2.5 model that reduces the engines job of powering the electrical equipment. That tech alone is worth the asking 170k price itself. And when top gear reviewed it (euro version), they say it could even threaten german for sportiness.
Overall, great car, great looks , great specs for a reasonably great price with its asset covering its only bummer (dat interior) . It will be the nail in the camry coffin. Now all we need is a decently speced 6-airbags, VSC Honda accord to really put the final nail, the PHEV version will do the burial.
* seventh ? sevelt
there are countless reviews out there that states the interior looks dull on photos, but in real person, the quality shines. i have no comment on that though, since i haven’t seen or touched the car yet.
I have no doubt on the quality. Though I have’t seen the car yet, but judging on the interior of the 3, RX-8, CX-5 and MX-5, it should be great.
I challenge anyone to get anywhere near the claimed mileage figures!!!
Why don’t you compare the fuel consumptions of Mazda6 with your Camry? Who cares about any slight differences in figures as long as it is very much class-leading, approaching hybrids.
Are you sick dude? We wanna avoid Camry
In case you misunderstood,
any slight differences in real life fuel consumption vs figures on paper, not slight differences between Mazda6 and Camry, Mazda6 leads by a huge distance.
Skyactive vs old tranny? With similar pricing. Of course is zoom zoom!
just go to fuelly and track the fuel consumption, but from reviews overseas, they get pretty close to the advertized mileage, or maybe you can track cx-5’s fuel consumption at fuelly too.
i’d like to see how it stacks up to the new accord once it arrives, the accord also got many rave reviews in the US , though ours will be CKD
CKD with 2 to 4 airbags + ESP that’s all. Don’t expect more, not for our Malaysians, history tells everything.
thats why….
its really dissapointing if that happens…
look at the new camry… base spec , 2 airbags, no esp, and its 150k, 2.5 costs more than a passat…. ridiculousness …
I just hope Honda malaysia wont screw up with the accord , 2.0, 2.4 and 2.4 sport ( with black leather perhaps compare to the US black fabric)
I don’t see the dashboard almost identical to CX-5 but it is CX-5 dash !
wait, test drive review bfore launching??
It should be preview,like what PT did it with the Kia Rio.
BTW,it is fantastic.
is the grey model is 2.5?
Yes.The alloy wheels tell you the variant.
2.0 model gets 17 inch,like the red car(2080),while grey colour 2.5(9080) gets large 19 inch rims.
So far this is the most impressive D-Segment car, new technology with extreme good active and passive safety. Where to find? Oh I forgot in Only in Malaysia Camry which is almost kosong spec can compete with this car. Ppl think Camry is so good that kosong spec can also save life! Hahaha….Toyota Camry means quality and safety ma…if u drive a Camry is very safe lo.. no need tc, vsc, no need airbag, no need abs, ba, no need what ever activesense , as long as got brake then enuf.
How’s the feel of the iELOOP?
I’ve driven the Honda Civic Hybrid and I must say that regenerative braking feels really annoying
The i-ELOOP system works well in the sense that you won’t feel it at all. Braking, in all scenarios, felt natural enough.
Mazda claims that it increases fuel efficiency by up to 10%. There’s no way to prove it, but the Mazda6’s headlining economy figures adds weight to the claim.
Hei hafriz, good to see u here. What a car intellect u are. Been reading autocar magazine for years now. Great overview overall.
This car is a clear departure from the boring ones coming from Honda and especially Toyota.
I’m sure buyers will not be dissapointed with the car…hope customer service is on par.
my advise to whoever bought the new camry is sell the camry now and buy this mazda6
u wont lose much since toyota RV is so high
Nope, Camry is for people who are not active in changing cars. People wha are in the relatively richer groups will change vehicles frequently and they don’t care about resale value. May one day you get the luck to frequently experience the boredom driving vehicles of 3-year old.
brilliant car..
however, am i the only one like reading a fantasy story book?
i think the author’s english is too powerful. lower it down, make it easy understand and illustrate.
I second that. Feels like reading Shakespeare. I prefer a no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point review.
Your English must be terrible.
My English really not on par ~ Can only understand normal one :p
I couldn’t agree more! After I read the first paragraph I called my english teacher, she also couldn’t comprehend what’s the writer trying to express ter, so she went to the National Library to dig out a 100 years old Webster Dictionary…
I m still waiting for her call…
Michael Jackson once said, language is for communication purpose, not for showing off individual english literature talent lol..
me too… my english level is terrible, I admit.
Only those moron will still buy toyota.
Exterior: go for mazda 6, k5
Interior : H accord 2013
Performance: again mazda 6
Specs: m6 and accord 2013
Safety : not camry yo!
Camry owner please dont regret too much. Its still A reliable car.
Buying pre-owned? Go for K5 or Sonata, very dai mai
eh Hafriz, didn’t know you write for Paultan also. Are you still with Autocar?
No mate, I’m with paultan.org full time now :)
Experienced it myself indeed and before I continue with my views of the car, I am struck by a sense of curiosity on when did the editor of Autocar Malaysia started writing for Paultan? Not that I am complaining, of course, having immensely enjoying all your articles and writing styles (this one included). Well written, bro.
Having tested the car myself recently, I agree with every bit of your impression. Lacking the fortune of being able to sample the 2.0 (yet), I have to say the 2.5 has hit all the notes …. minus adaptive cruise control, one might mistaken the M6 2.5 to be a Volvo with all the active safety features on board. The issue with the pathetic rear legroom of its predecessor has been well addressed and in all honesty, if I were to nitpick, I’d say having a puncture repair kit is somewhat less assuring than a full fledged spare tire. Beyond that, the short 10 minutes test drive I had revealed little weakness in the car …. it drives like a conti …. only on wet roads can we see if it truly measures up (in terms of driving dynamics) against a conti. Feature wise, I’d say the Mazda 6 ticks off all the right boxes
Hafriz Shah is the latest member of our editorial team, beginning this month :)
Congratulations to both Hafriz and to you, Paul! One of the greatest thing about your site which has become more apparent in the past year is the increasingly diverse writers and editors that provide greater insights to automotive happenings here and around the world. You inspire those of us who are just venturing into this field of automotive journalism. Looking forward to more great things from Driven and see you at the next car launch!
Paul it seems Driven Media is the destination of choice for Autocar editors, it was for Danny and now again for Hafriz…..so whos next
paul, ur dedication and hardwork has made paultan become a brand….this is truly inspired…congrats..
Oh Welcome! Hafriz,
Great article and pics. Continue the great work PT team. it has become a habit of mine to stop by Paultan after looking through my FB, WCF and Autoblog. Plus, reading some of the comments really makes some classic Malaysian entertainment.
Good to see an Autocar faithful here :). Thanks for the compliment bro, appreciate it.
Yes, the local cars are not fitted with the Mazda Radar Cruise Control and Smart Brake Support that are available as cost options in other markets.
Smart City Brake Support, which is standard on the local 2.5 litre model, works in a similar way but only within the range of 4 to 30 km/h.
Hi Sam Loo, your only RV comment only do more damage to your credibility and making us realized that indeed toyota and honda are offering us less features and engineering ingenuity. Mazda engineering is progressive in many ways and taking no compromise approach in designing the car. With all respect, let’s focus on engineering facts and true expert review available in the web. Let me give you a good example: Yesterday, the BMW Activehybrids recieved a tax exemption. now the new car is ~150k cheaper compare to those purchased earlier. Hence the RV has reduced significantly. My point is any policy changes will affect RV significantly. Enjoy the car not RV because you never know what you will miss…. take care.
Frankly speaking, uncle (normally buyer of D-segment who got the financial strength) or conservative person still prefer Honda and Toyota despite how good other brands’ engineering are..
Are you talking about successful chicken rice seller, or kolo mee seller? Yes, many are earning 5-figures and bought Camry/Accords. Certainly we are not like that. We want ‘safety comes first’ for all Malaysians.
I think that gonna change soon…most my generation (middle 30s) are aware potential of brand other than T and H and we are the next ‘uncle’ gen… what it takes now is that other brand just have to price their car competitively
When it’s due for credit and a tap on shoulder, we should.. :)
@Hafriz – enjoyed reading your review and this well written post.. keep it up, my friend.
@People at Mazda/Bermaz – in case if you’re reading this, I truly appreciate your efforts in bringing this “fresh from the oven” model so quickly to the hands of the Malaysians. A BIG thank you!
We do not get such treatment so often, ya know :)
No confirmation on the full list of safety equipments (in case some are deleted), so no thanks yet at the moment. Thank you can always be presented any time later.
Sam Lose. Please ind your words.You may give your opinion but dont insult people. I was wondering is Mazda too expensive for you?
how is the regenerative braking?
The i-ELOOP regenerative braking system effectively harvests the car’s excess kinetic energy under braking and stores it in an on-board capacitor. The energy is then used to power the vehicle’s ancillaries such as air-con, sound system, etc.
By bypassing the traditional alternator which requires energy input from the engine, Mazda claims a fuel economy bump of up to 10%.
Also, since the capacitor is only designed to store a small amount of energy to power the ancillaries (and not a large capacity electric motor), the energy harvesting process is significantly less intrusive than similar regenerative braking systems found in hybrid vehicles.
I hardly felt it working it all, which is a good thing.
But the one thing with auto start stop in the BMW is the racket it causes everytime it starts up. Does it happen on the 6? But I must say, if anyone is in the market for a D segment, this is the one to go. Beats the Camry/Accord/Teana/Passat/Sonata flat. K5 maybe in terms of looks its about as good, but the 2.0l in the K5 cannot be compared to the 2.5l in the 6.
but i doubted whether the capacitor works like a battery? how bout the lifetime of the capacitor? will the engine shut down when u stop? how does it save 10% by juz a small capacity capacitor?
Thing is, with non hybrids, the battery cannot power the car for long, cause it is smaller than a hybrid one, but bigger than a standard one. 10% is most likely because, just like the BMW system, it kicks in the engine as soon as it senses the cabin temperature above the set temperature as the compressor cuts off when the engine is off.
Hopefully this will serve as the benchmark for future Japanese mid-sized sedans.
Yes, provided that all the safety equipments are included and not forced to be omitted in the last minutes thanks to some black bnhands .
If customer like petrol car for D segment then the answer is MAZDA 6 2.5
If customer like Diesel car for D segment then the answer is Peugeot 2.2 Diesel
prices almost same and Active and safety features are almost same as well
in term of fuel saver and safety features, Mazda 6 should be the class leader.
In term of driving dynamics, Ford Mondeo 240ps would be still the top in class. Pug 508GT 2.2 diesel also is a stern rival awaiting to be challenged.
Might be interesting to see should these 3 cars to be test driven side by side.
wow, i wonder how’s the new 6 compare to other D segment competitors as well as the previous 6 ?
hope the 2 & 3 with skyactiv tech will arrive here soon too :-)
test drive but no price…why?
Efficiency is quite good for this kind of engine size. The I-Stop technology makes it a ‘micro’ hybrid right? So in terms of technology it’s better than a normal car :]….
In terms of quality and overall packaging the new Mazda 6 is well better than Proton Preve cfe, but in terms of overall ride and handling i don’t think it can match the Preve (turbo). U.k review reported that it has over firm drive feel for comfort.
Also power for this 2.0 model though on paper appears good, initial drives could be sluggish.
The sky-activ technology has make Mazda cars now frugal to drive, but i strongly feel the 2.0 engine needs a turbo boost to carry the slightly over sized body.
I am anxious to compare the above two cars at the race track.
Don’t be taken by the auto review, we have to test drive ourselves to find out before making a buy call.
Mazda 6 vs Preve CFE is just like compare a durian with an apple, they are in different categories, D & C segments have difference in nature.
Mazda6’s direct rivals should be Mondeo turbo and Pug 508GT turbo that would be make more sense.
These 3 cars are rare breeds however whoever considers to buy these cars would certainly not be looking at Camry/Accord/Teana.
But one thing I agree with u is that Mazda6 should have a turbo engine to make it more standout, however this is not Mazda car biuld philosophy.
comparing to Preve?Why? Thats like diferent segment, size, price range.
If you really put m6 to compare your beloved car, it would only get smoked. It accelaration claim to be faster than many entry level continental brand.
Preve? No no no..
may i know, which entry level continental brand you trying to tell us?..BMW 320i? (around 8sec) Audi A4 1.8T also faster..so which model?
BMW 320i accelerates 0-100km/h in 7.6 sec to be exact. and will be even faster if u pumped in premium fuel and do launch control.
I just don’t understand how some people can bring this jaguh kampung to be compared with this Mazda6. The Skyactiv technology is like decades of technology difference with this Preve. Do you think Proton can come out with this tech in 10 years? Heck, our Proton saga was face lifted for more than 20 years which can end up be a winner of Guinness World Record for most face lifted car.
Can, only 28 years proton has developed own engine and now with turbocharger. Body control modul (BCM) which is something missing in some mazdas. REEV and EV are in the pipeline and many more.
Proton saga is most facelifted car? Where do you live? Cave?
Err…Mazda developed turbo engine way before Proton even existed. Need to say more? Just born yesterday? Do you even know the first Proton saga starts till it ends recently? Were you born already at that time little fellow? Wait a minute, why are we still comparing a Mazda with this Pak Mahathir’s baby?
True, Preve have great firm drive feel for comfort and confident which not many car with the same segment able to produce this. Mazda6 indeed is handsome and sporty!
From the interior images, I noticed is the missing controller next to the handbrakes. Is that omitted for Malaysia market ?
Yes, the HMI controller is missing from the Malaysian version. Driven the car in the afternoon. No spare tyre also, when ask about spare tyre, sales advisor told that only tyre repair kit will be provided. The car has some premium feel but the doors are too light that it sounds like those on a Mazda 3 when u close them. Driving is smooth, so smooth that u don’t feel it pushing at all (when u step on the accelerator), until around 4k rpm…iStop worked once, but when we tried again it stopped working…I won’t say it’s a bad car but I’m a bit disappointed as I’ve been waiting for this car to arrive our market, had placed booking since 3 months ago…now still considering :)
I think its more than if Mazda 6 is a good car or not but more of does Skyactive works? Nobody here is even excited about whether a petrol engine can achieve the millage of a diesel or hydrid while still be good to drive?
its boring tech.
Driven the 6, 2.5 model…great looking car, smooth…too smooth that u can’t feel it pushing until around 4k rpm. Premium feel but only hold back is the door, it’s too light and it doesn’t give u the solid sound when u close it. Oh ya, the HMI Commander is missing from the Malaysian model. Also noticed that this car doesn’t come with spare tyre… Instead it comes with tyre repair kit, so if u have a cut instead of a hole on the tyre, u are done :-) have been waiting for this car to be launched here and had placed booking since 3months ago but now considering whether to proceed…
If u r a serious buyer n not so concern about RV like sam loo or mesarati do, then should be considering Mondeo ecoboost or Pug 508GT 2.2. A test drive may tell which is your liking. It may change your perception or even suprise u on these 2 cars. I did it couple of months back, hope u will enjoy the finding.
This model skyactive is design for its better fuel consumption, gear ratio is longer therefore you can’t feel a thing, try paddle shift and you will know what is fun of drive. For spare tyre issue, it’s objective is to reduce the weight, drastically.
Best buy is still pre-owned kimchis ….
screw the kimchis…and the camry too…
front side view same like new BMW 3 series, back same like sonata .
After this m6 comes out, tell me who is going to buy korean crap like k5 or sonata anymore? Haha, thats when their RV will plunge cuz nobody want their cars anymore.
Still the Japs make the best cars ever in terms of technology and refinement. Ppl are willing to fork out an extra 10-20k for the refinement.
K5 ? The refinement is hopeless! And feels so damn underpowered! I dont care about what specs they write on paper, i want a good drivers experience and the KIA has got a long long long long way to go.
This Mazda will sell well, but Camry with its super smooth gearbox will still be king . Byebye Korean thrash
This comment here, qualifies and ties with Sam Loo’s comment for ‘stupidest comment of the year. We’re just discussing about the Mazda in perspective, and you have to just rant on your hatred for the Koreans in every single post. What’s wrong with you dude? I don’t drive a Mazda (a Honda and a Kia for me in fact) but your rants here really sickens alot of us here. You really need a punch to the head for being a rich, arrogant prick who just talks based on hot air rhetoric.
On the other hand, the Mazda 6 has straight away became the best car in it’s class. Great to drive, looks good in it’s own right, and well-specced as well. In fact, it’s not the Koreans, nor the Contis, nor even the Accord that will be hit the most. The Camry will lose some buyers who will be willing to give a shot at Mazda, seeing the quantum leap it has taken. Not to forget the Teana, which appears to be struggling as well.
I will give David the honour of being shown 3 Hilux when he sells his rotten cabbage
Why the hell should I sell my so-called rotten cabbage. At least it comes with a more comprehensive safety kit as compared to some Japanese cars. Mind you, selling safe, cold door cars at a loss is actually good, which means that the consumers can take this golden opportunity to buy a safe car for a lot less. Resale value? To hell with it. My 2011 Accord 2.0 is now only worth 105k from a private sale. Trading it in is worse, as dealers will only take 90k for it. Goes to show that the resale value of Japs is not that fantastic after all.
And, 3 Hiluxes, eh? Goes to show your stupidity in this debate. Better set off one slamming into the side of your Camry when you’re driving, because, at that point, you would be preparing to meet your destiny, for the lack of side and curtain airbags in the Camry means certain brain damage or death. Resale value, by then, is all down the dumpster.
A man who is driving a German hot hatch but still care about Korean car..what’ a noob…sum more praise with jap..what de F!!!!
Any bad experience with Korean car boy?
I can c a stupidity in you..what a shame
Nice. But bit disappointed with the interior. Not as exciting as the exterior. back seat photo shows a rather chunky transmission tunnel going through the middle !! Still.. very interesting model and well worth a trip to the showroom for serious consideration.
Big car big cc must use more oil to run around cause its heavy , small size people eat little compare with big and fat people and its depend on the energy. Ok bro.
have mixed feeling towards this model….previous look is still nicer & better to me.
Where is this M6 from ? Thai CBU or CKD ?
No hatchback shown ?
This is a full CBU from Japan and there is no Hatchback model but a wagon.
btw does this car come with full size spare tyre or temporary tyre or only tire repair kits ?
my cx5 come with full size.. probably same with m6
Albert Eistein once said : “There is no such thing as “illusion of underpowered”, as long u felt it tat way, it’s practically underpowered.”
This m6 is jus another overhyped example fr the jap company..
show me where n when did einstein say this….oh may b u hv forgotten that it was actually mentioned by queen elizebeth…
Son, ur RV’s point is now no longer useful in Msia…
Dear Mazda,
SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!
LOL!!!!
Mazda is fun to drive, always. Efficicient? Hmm slightly lower than toyota. Handling is better but better cabin noise still goes to toyota, though a bit dull drive. All in all, i still choose Mazda!
mazda 6, mondeo, or kizashi?
laksa, kuiteow or curry mee?
Nasi Lemak
Kindly include review on the entertainment unit
By far the best Japanese D-segment interms of looks and specs… Fans of Japanese cars will have more choices now and i bet this will hurt Camry pretty bad..
However, for the price of 160k to 170k, Passat still be my choice.. apart from the “serious looking” of the passat, not as exciting as Mazda6, the Passat blends pretty well with its fuel economy and driving dynamic, better peak torque at lower RPM.. For Mazda6, you have to sacrifice fun driving for fuel economy or the other way round.. Why not having both like the Passat..
What is the point you have better fuel consumption when the car Mazda 6 2.0 have a rather slow acceleration for take off.On to contrary Preve 1.6 cfe turbo gives ample torque 205 nm from 2000 rpm onwards.what is the torgue curve of this Mazda? 200 nm at 4000 rpm?
Put into parallel test then we can see who smoked who.
I think for fun driving, power pick up delivery should come in handy and that is the priority for executive saloon. For N.A engine of this size a 2.5 c.c is desirable.
on paper, Mazda 6 0-100 is 9.5s, Preve 9.6s..
you can read the torque pretty well, but you missed out how the power delivery of both cars.. Preve on CVT how sporty can that be..
Preve cant even smoke my Polo 1.2 TSI which is only 175nm torque.. on paper 9.7s for 0-100..
Jangan syok sendiri dengan Preve, macam jaguh kampung saja..
Sometimes it’s not the car, it’s the DRIVER, understand?
And oh, you don’t need to try mine, sure you will lose terribly
GT-Rider
assuming putting the same drivers to this cars.. result is still the same..
putting schumacher in a MyVi wont out run an uncle in a ferrari FF in a quarter mile drag.. understand.. :-”
Veyron-racer
Itu pun tadek paham ka? Aiyooo
1.2 TSI? ooohhh..niceee.car…smoke la everyone…want to c how long your 7 speed DSG will last :)))
yola very fast smoke and fast die 7 speed DSG
wanna smoke get the DSG6 Wet :)
smile at AES/PDRM cams :)
On paper Preve looks good but when actually launching the car from 0, you can feel where preve is. It is not as quick..
You can always give a try.
After all even the non turbo Preve has won Sepang 1000km Endurance race recently.
Is not only the power, the excellence ride and handling is equally importance.
powerful torque alone doesnt mean that the car is faster than weaker torque car. u have to take into consideration of gear ratio, weight of the car and also torque band.
Too bad Mazda hasn’t got a decent after-sales service in Kota Kinabalu. As of now, Mazda’s sales and services here are being provided by the same entity that also sales Hyundai, as their bread and butter business… My friends’ Mazdas are serviced at a Hyundai workshop… and, yes, you’ll follow the same queue together with the already crowded fellow Korean car owners. Nothing to complain though if the workshop do a good job but apart from the scheduled servicing, according to feedback, their support is pretty useless. I was contemplating a CX5 but it eventually got strike-through from list…
just back frm mazda6 2.0 test drive. it really worth car. mazda6 2.5 test coming monday only in federal mazda showroom. M6 2.5 fuel efficient is 6.4 litre per 100KL. :)
Mazda 6 correct price list without insurance is :
2.0 – RM155k
2.5 – RM184k
Still prefer f30. RWD + 50:50 weight distribution, what more can you ask for? How does the engine of the mazda compare with the bimmer?
just a shame we cant have the skyactive diesel….its the best engine for the both m6 & the cx5 based on oversea review
Well i think they didnt released it due to our Diesel Quality..i guess
Yup, its our crap diesel…shame we miss out on the mazda6 2.2 skyactive diesel with its stonking 420nm of torque while FC is at low 5.4 liter/ 100km (18.5km/l)
boot space is 489 litres~!
tho they make do with space occupying goose neck hinges (its covered so it wont crush ur things) rather than hydraulics found in earlier models.. to save costs maybe
http://www.caradvice.com.au/194429/2013-mazda6-review/
Why don’t you just make your suggestion to Camry?
The goose-neck hinges are not even covered.
Had the good fortune of test driving this car today (the 2.0 variant) and here are some observations :-
a) Looks – The car looks gorgeous in the flesh. If I am buying a car based on looks alone, this would have sealed the deal. I gasped when I first laid eyes on the actual car.
b) Handling – Although I didn’t get a chance to push it through back road bends, handling feels sufficiently reassuring. It’s been awhile since I drove the previous M6 but somehow, I recall it being more composed that this current model. The steering feels a tad too light and has quite a bit of “play” in it.
c) Ride comfort – Thankful to note that the suspension setup is sufficiently supple in that you won’t be jarred by the nasty condition of some of our roads. There is some wind noise at high speeds which I suspect comes from the side mirrors.
d) Power delivery – I hope to test drive the 2.5 soon. I do feel that the 2.0 variant is a tad underpowered. Sufficient for day-to-day commute but definitely not suited for any sort of spirited driving.
e) Interior – Nice enough, though I was hoping for better. There is still hard plastic in a lot of areas and the console screen is positively small. Also, the upholstery has got red stitching and the dashboard red trim. I was told that this is standard across all models and car colours, which is a shame as the red feels out of place in a blue car. No issue if you order the red car though, which I was told looks very striking in the flesh.
Overall – The car left a positive impression. I am seriously considering the 2.5 incarnation if it proves to be a sufficiently zippy drive. Was hoping that they’d bring in the diesel though. IMHO, the price is a tad too steep, thus, hopefully that they would reduce the price somewhat at launch. The SA told me that there are plans for a CKD model which should shave off RM10-12k off the current CBU price.
Be quick and grasp the CBU. Too bad, they plan to CKD it. Even a drop of RM24k without sacrificing any features is not a good deal, CBU is much better.
If none of the initial features is omitted, then the CBU Mazda6 is the best deal of the year.
for toyota fanboys, at least mazda stil have skyactive tech, while honda have earthdreams…what tech toyota have? kimochi??
What is kimochi???
Should I buy this or VW Golf?
VW Passat..
Compare Passat with this Mazda6 is just like comparing a retired uncle, a Passat with an energetic young executive, the Mazda6. Passat really looks way too old, really old fashioned.
err… thanks to the malaysia tax and our cars are pretty expensive.. so most drivers of D-segment are uncles that can afford it.. so no difference right
no.. i can see most uncle drives luxury car now..
Prepare tow truck and extra car for waiting for the parts from Germany or S’pore…
No evidence no talk. No money no talk. No 6 cars at home, don’t reply.
Have you ever seen relatively new Toyotas at the roadsides waiting for help? What about Ninja King claimed to be brand new which suffer a repair cost of RM30K before its 4th birthday?
Even for Proton Saga BLMs you seldom see them at the roadsides waiting for tow trucks, considering there are so many of them.
If you are ready for Mercedes, obviously you are at least one class higher than Toyota. And if you own brand new X6 and S-class, obviously you are one class higher than E-class owner, that why driving E-class is so so only in the eyes of many people.
And you need to understand the sentiment behind certain comments.
Pioneer in safety, not me.
The big bosses of car companies are looking at us, smiling, continue playing their games. I know that.
Of course some of them know that there are things that wise people will purposefully selectively present or otherwise.
so MAZDA 6 or VW Passat?
I wish it was about RM 90,000 …so that average working ppl like me can afford one. Talk about taxes in Malaysia…sigh…
Without the taxes itself, this m6 ain’t that cheap dude.
RM90k ? come on, even in japan it already almost 97k for basic model and that not plus “Shaken” an equivalent to road tax and mind you their are much more expensive that we are paying. Also not counting the insurance yet..
Better with CVT
@Tsi -Kindly be learned that,with the availability of CVT the engine can provide more useable power and smoother driving experience. The CVT also able to provide quicker acceleration than a conventional automatic as i do experienced with my Nissan X-Trail.
Assuming same torque power,the car with CVT like Preve will outrun the one with normal set number of gear ratios or speed automatic non CVT.
Nissan do have good CVT.. but ini proton CVT wor.. as good as Nissan one??
Nissan doesn’t have turbocharged engine in sentra/sylphy
The CVT may not be as good but not bad.The beauty is there is no noticeable ‘jerk’.
u know something passat side mirror turn must use hand ony. no automatic button.. teruk
that is because u dont know how to turn it..
google it..it has auto flip
A real M6 will smoke this anytime.
You are comparing apple and orange, please be more logical
what’s your point ? this is a family man sedan car build for practical, comfort and safety compare to highly tune bimmer which is from that family man perspective is wastefully expensive and terribly unpractical for everyday driving.
A real M6 will smoke your entire bank account….
The G will smoke your bank account no matter what car you buy.
In US it costs between USD 21k to 29k or so. Well we cant compare that here in Malaysia considering other factors, eg fuel, insurance, etc..but bottom line, it translate to about RM 90k, thats just my opinion. Mazda 6 is great…but out of my reach…financially.
Nope, even in USA it cost lots more than your RM90k translation. also they also have foreign car taxes like us..
Interesting to see that the new Mazda6 has generated so many comments. Some appear to have had their faith in the Camrys and Accords shaken so much that they view the 6 with such envy and disbelief to the point that they have to find ant hills and make mountains out of them. Others have chosen to compare tomatoes with potatoes. Let’s just say I’ll be secretly envious of those who get to own this fine piece of art/technology/beauty.
One of my friend had cancel 2 month booking of 508, after test drive this beauty, yesterday.
Test drive it yourself, and feel the different. For me. The gear box is too smooth, driving experience is superb, very quite cabin, premium feel of dashboard, performance is just like two stage engine, below 3k mrp you cant feel much preformance, it is due to longer gear ratio to improve FC, but the power is there, when you call for it, it grunts. Definately a great car that will able to bring impact for current D segment car
Mazda, well done!
A few years ago while working in Singapore, I drove a rare gem called Mazda6 MPS. In my opinion, it’s the best sports executive car I’ve ever driven. Since then, I’m still waiting for Mazda to build another one. Perhaps they might build one for this generation. No BMW, Audi or Merc for me thank you :)
It will be a great car. Enough said.
Two words. Top gun. Formerly the middle pack, this Mazda6 straight away goes to the top of my preferred family sedan. As a whole, in my opinion, the ranking of family sedans really takes a whole paradigm shift, compared to the days where even i felt in the past, the Camry was king.
From the best to the worst:-
1) The Mazda 6- No comparison here. The best Japanese family sedan gets even better. Sharper looking, still good to drive, and well specced for the money. The only thing is that the ride can be jarringly hard at times, and the aftersales of Mazda here can be better.
2) The Peugeot 508- No conti sedan has done it so well. Punchy, perky petrol engine, a monster of a diesel engine in the GT version, and a fantastic interior, it’s another winner in my book. Bad points? The pedals can be offset for some of us, and the fantastic JBL audio system can be tricky to use.
3) The Honda Accord. Despite feeling long in the tooth, it still holds the benchmark for the sharpest handling car in its class. Great interior, still comfy, and best of all, still keeps its imposing look. No wonder, it’s a Car & Driver’s 10 Best for 25 years in a row. I know, because i’m driving one now. But i’d appreciate it if Honda could at least throw in more airbags, and most importantly, improve their bloody QC at their Melaka plant, as from what i know, it ain’t sounding that positive from what i’ve heard over the past few years.
4) The Kia K5. Edgy, yet good design that would last for years, as proven by its IF Red Dot design, it also has a simple to use interior, as well as a reasonably good balance between ride and handling. Well-specced for what it is as well. Bad points? The plastics could be better, and once again, Naza’s service needs to be further improved.
5) The VW Passat. Who can’t forget the most popular Conti mid-size family sedan in Malaysia. Great acceleration, lightning sharp gearbox, and best-in-class fit and finish. But, what counts against it would be it’s tight rear space, reliability issues plauging the DSG gearbox, and not to forget at 170k, some essentials like auto folding mirrors, full electric seats are missing from such cars.
6) The Sonata. Now, Maserati and all the trolls will say i’m biased, but sadly, it’s just my personal opinion that the Sonata is still better than the Camry, in Malaysia at least. Arguably still a good looking car, thanks to its coupe lines, the Sonata is more of a comfort car rather than a good handler. What puts me off would be the rather paltry kit for the 2.0, especially when it only comes with manual air conditioning, and 2 airbags. Really, Hyundai? And headroom is tight due to the coupe shape.
7) The Nissan Teana. Okay, somewhat, before all the new cars came in, the Teana would be tops. But, as the competition moves in hard, the Teana slowly shows its flaws. Ergonomics are just riciculous, especially the way the steering controls are positioned, and the safety kit, once again, is dissappointing. However, its CVT gearbox, as usual, is the best CVT gearbox i’ve ever tested, and its one of the most spacious cars in its test.
8) The Ford Mondeo. I hate to say this, but one of the reasons why the Mondeo gets hit hard here is simple. After sales service, and somewhat iffy reliability. I mean, better than last time, but spending 193k on a car like this means we should deserve better, considering its one of the most expensive cars of this class. Despite all that, the Mondeo has one trump card:- Space. Think of a limo, and you have it:- the most spacious family car in this class. And the safety kit is about damn comprehensive, as its the only car in its class to include a knee airbag.
9) The Toyota Camry. The epitome of ‘The one that sells the most isn’t the best one always’ Not to be mean here, but if the Camry had more safety equipment, and much, much better ride and comfort, it would still be gunning for a mid-place finish. however, with a 4-speeder powering the 2.0, a crashy, sloppy ride (although handling had improved alot), staid, chiselled looks, dissappointing build quality, and worst of all, a serious lack of safety kit. Seriously, Toyota? A 180k car lacking in stability control? That’s like going back to the stone ages. Not to mention even pricier. This puts the nail into the coffin condemning the Camry into dead last, despite it being the best seller here.
Well said, mazda6 had given us another choice to choose form D seg car, passat, 508, mondeo are great car as well, each car having pro and cons.
Mazda 6 is the best D segment Japanese car nowadays. Meanwhile Camry, not worth discussion.
Yes, true, until everyone follows its pace. May this day quickly come, if ever.
We wish one day even A-segment vehicles in Malaysia have good safety structures & equipments as they do in Western countries.
Public transports hopefully are planned with the rakyat in mind, instead of saudara-mara-friends. We don’t hope to see many ordinary motorcyclists. I wish them good luck. Ride carefully.
Agree. But I find VW’s Passat at the same level as the Mondeo. Both have not so reliable dual clutch transmissions, and both have lousy after sales service. Thats why I might give the Mondeo a slight edge above, due to its better features, power, and handling.
Nevertheless the 508 and the 6 (You have to see the 6 in metal. Its amazing. they have one in the dealer opposite IOI mall.) have turned the tables. In fact the 508 has also got heads up display, something the base 320i/320d/520i/520d don’t even have.
And to the paultan.org team, thank you for putting the featured comments feature. At least we can now see more constructive and non RV related comments.
Just look at the faces of owners that try to sell their cold door cars and you will know why its a mistake to buy these cars
At least they will have a chance to survive in an unwanted incident. (CHOI!!!) Or at least avoid it with the help of VSA/ESC. Some companies too stingy to include it also. Thus they deserve a low rating.
Come let us join yam cha session, remember to bring your Camry out.. I wanna laugh at it
That is if he has a camry to begin with.
And David, another two words which Mazda can, and should use in their ads, Check Mate. They should put one in front of a Toyota showroom. Although I have a Toyota (XV40 Camry), I really think they deserve it. The Camry days are over. People have realized. Finally.
Good point there Sudonano. I want to say something nice about the XV50 Camry, but, I just can’t find enough reason to give it something, as whatever it excels, other cars have easily hammered it straight away. That’s why I consider it an also-ran in this class. Mazda, being Mazda,has never failed to impress me with their range of interesting, yet soulful cars, and yet reliable enough as well. They, and Subaru, are somewhat the dark horses in the Japanese car companies. Not perfect, but special in its own way. Oh, and the Legacy, despite it’s high purchase price, is still a bloody fantastic car. No other car in its class feels as secure as the Legacy, especially with its intelligent all wheel drive system. Great for the better.
Anyways, to sum it up, here’s a personal rating out of a scale of 20 for the cars compared above.
1) Mazda 6- 18/20
2) The Peugeot- 18/20. Ties with the Mazda
3) The Accord- 16/20
4) The Kia- 15/20
5) The Passat- 14/20
6) The Sonata- 13/20
7) The Teana- 12/20
8) The Mondeo- 12/20
9) The Camry- 0/20. This rating stays until UMW Toyota takes the necessary steps to upgrade the powertrain and gearbox of the base Camry, improve the ride quality, specs list,, and most importantly, safety, in order to justify its ridiculously high price for what’s already a poor car. No ESP? An immediate 0. They deserve it, and with Toyotas performing extreme poorly in IIHS’s small overlap crash test, I would definitely NOT recommend any Toyota to anyone until Toyota improves the safety and crash survivability of its cars.
Hope this helps Sudonano bro. Do reply me so that we can get an equally broad perspectives on the cars once more. Cheers.
You are too kind to Camry, I give -20/20…
In contrast, a shoot out review by a Singapore auto review mid last yr (minus new 6 and Sonata- not yet available),It is Nissan Teana (2.5) is their pick as the best car among the group.I agree…
Somewhat, the current Teana is rather stale. But i’m optimistic that the upcoming Teana, previewed by the US market Altima, would no doubt give even better competition, and would be even better than before.
Hi there David, sorry for the late reply! Was in the CNY mood :D, though I don’t celebrate it!
Anyway, The Subaru is the only D segment with AWD. AWD should be standard for cars with a power output more than 220hp. In fact, even BMW does not offer xDrive as an option on the 5 series (528i, 535i) or 3 series (328i or 335i). With a rear wheel drive and that much power, the tail will wag! AWDF can give a better and safer ride.
As for your ratings, I agree Mazda and Subaru are the underdogs in the Jap market. Mazda with the Takeri concept, that lead to the 6 has changed the game all together in the D segment market. With people earning more, more and more younger people (30-40 years old) are buying D segment or premium C segment cars like the C class and the 3 series. Clear example is the large number of BMW/Mercs regardless recond or new, being used by young professionals. Many of them end up paying for a premium brand because of the weaknesses in the D segment in our country, especially in terms of ride and handling. Take note this is based on NEW cars, not reconds or used.
1) Mazda 6- Not very famous in our market
2) The Peugeot- Its French. People expect it to break down often. Although it doesn’t.
3) The Accord- Dated. and Lack of equipment. No MFD in the instrument cluster?!
4) The Kia- Kia, well lets just say that the reputation for the brand, combined with the substandard Naza support is not promising.
5) The Passat- Bland. Especially the back. Not to mention the DSG issues.
6) The Sonata- Same as Kia. Plus, the dash is too fluidic.
7) The Teana- Lets be honest, CNT and V6, not a nice combo. Add that with bulbous and boat like looks, its not gonna sell well.
8) The Mondeo- Same as Kia and Hyundai
9) The Camry- Only for those crazy over RV(Read: Sam Loo). If it was the 07 one I can understand, cause for its time it whacked the Accord away.
Hopefully with some good promo by Bermaz and the reassurance by Bermaz/SDAC/SDAH/Naza people will be willing to buy for a D segment than a luxury C segment.
As for your ratings, I agree on most of them. Here are mine;
1) Mazda 6- 18.4/20
2) The Peugeot- 18.5/20. Credit to them for bringing in the Estate and the Diesel. Plus equipment level is good.
3) The Accord- 14/20 based on what I heard about CKD Hondas, they should consider to build the Accord in Thailand instead.
4) The Kia- 15.5/20 Good design. though there are some cost cutting measures, like the rain sensor near the rear view mirror does not have a proper housing.
5) The Passat- 13/20 VW people don’t really care whether you want to buy or not. Snoobish SAs put me off. And DSG? Shouldn’t they have found a solution yet?
6) The Sonata- 14/20 Steering wheel is horrid. Plus they should have an option for beige leather, less claustrophobic.
7) The Teana- 12.5/20 Reedems itself due to the VQ engine. Only the VQ. Oh and the comfy seats.
8) The Mondeo- 15/20 Power of a 328i, size of F10? I’ll have one.
9) The Camry- -10/20. UMW must be fined for putting people’s lives at risk. No ESC. No curtain protection? We are not in the stoneage era!
Fords handle well. Known fact. Koreans try and succeed mostly, but they forget something and that puts me off. Today I took the Veloster and the Rio for a test. Veloster is nice. but underpowered. Very. Rio is good, engine is decent and for a 1.4 I was impressed!. But the steering is as numb as a … No words to describe. Overly assisted, and does not pull back fast enough when you pull out of a junction.
I know they are both not D segments, but, being the latest models, I just had to try them.
Cheers!
PS Sorry its AWD and CVT, not AWDF and CNT. Typo there.
Here’s some input on the interior if a high ranked Mazda Malaysia official happens to be reading this thread. For the next batch of CBU Mazda6, please switch out the red dashboard trim and red stitching on the seats. They look so wrong with any car that isn’t red. Switch them to something more generic that can match more colours such as brushed steel dashboard trim with grey or black stitching on the seats. Audi’s interior colour combination is a good example. Please thumbs up if you agree with this comment.
with the Yen land slides, Mazda Malaysia should able to position more better price!
Even the CX-5 should reduce price! The Yen has dropped more than 10% since 2012!
Oh, at last the 6 is here to kick some Camry ass!
Somehow or rather Mazda’s name is not with me since all along, eventhough the brand is very good now.
If the 2.5 Mazda 6 price stood that high i might as well go with Mers C 180 or recond C200.
my fd2 can smoke thi s car ezlee…
what a joke my hond afd2 faster than this car BMW wan dabee..
@MoM This car not suit for ah beng…
Tested the 2.0 model last saturday and here is my take on the car.
1. Looks – GREAT! (This is the reason why I was so excited about the car in the first place)
2. Fit and Finish – SO-SO (This is one thing I was a bit letdown, I have sampled other Mazda models prior to the SIX and I had been expecting that the SIX would be better. It could be better. Do notice the doorcards are a bit cheapish!)
3. Ride and Handling – SO-SO (This is another part that I am a bit frustrated, I had hoped that the body roll and handling of the car to be better or at least on par with say the Passat)
4. Power – 2.0 Gutless (I must agree that the transmission is the culprit here)
In overall I am a bit upset with the car. I had requested another round of test, this time with the 2.5 guise but I don’t think that will address the issues I have with the other parts of the car. I prefer the touring but since they don’t have one for test, I had to settle with the sedan unit. I a now keen to test drive the 508sw. It’s sad since I have been really looking forward to the launch of this car since last year. :(
the bhp for Mazda6 2.5 is 183bhp. i notice 2.0 ecoboost have 240bhp. Am i missing anything here? is it that big gap?
Yes, you miss one thing, Eco boost is turbo charge engine…
For a proper Executive Saloon it is time to bypass the Normal Aspirated engines by the Japs and Korean cars now.
Motoring enthusiasts now go for turbocharged engines,twin charged, twin turbo,EcoBoost.
Conti. cars Merc,Bmw,Ford, Volks and Peugeot all advocate direct injection engines.
Not only power pick up delivery is good in a turbocharged engine, the fuel consumption is good too.Under NA engine you have to wait until ‘midday’ then only torque power peaks at higher rpm vs turbo from about 1500 rpm.Also road rax is cheaper base on c.c.
At least Proton Preve cfe is in the group with a light pressure turbocharger and the 1.6 engine can run like a 2.0 of NA.
I think it depends on how you rate things. If I put importance on design, it may be the 6 (not sure for how long). But if I wanted total comfort, I’d take the Teana. If I wanted total peace of mind, the Camry might be the one. And if highway sprints fancies you, the Mondeo or 508GT is your best choice. Value for money? Koreans should fit the bill.
Hmm, K5 starting to look plain to my eyes after some period of oooh and aaahs, I thought it is ageing as fast as Sonata. Or my eyesight is catching up with my age.
Some very opposing views on the new 6.
Let’s hear it from more ppl to judge.
I personally don’t care so much on the design. Yeah it matters, but there are more important factors than looks.
What I want in my 130-200k executive car:
1. Efficient drivetrain
2. Quality cabin
3. Fun factor
4. Safety equipment / gadgets
5. Reliability
6. Useability
I test-drove the car (WXW2080) this morning. It certainly looks better than the out-going model, now stands out size-wise as a real D-segment contender.
But having wowed by the look and the blazing hot red color I wasn’t exactly exhilarating by the 10-min short drive (hence, need to drive it again to know better).
Most of the comments posted in this blog have been positive about its handling and ride. Maybe my Expectation has been set a tad too high prior to sitting onto the driver’s seat this morning.
Strictly on “feel”, some other recent test-drives are as good if not better. The handling of the B-segment Ford Fiesta (cost < RM100k) was fun and so was the hybrid Honda CRZ. Admittedly the CRZ is a 2-seater sports car and the Fiesta is a hatchback.
The Suzuki Kizashi sprung a surprise too by being a sure-footed D-segment newcomer.
Agree that VW Passat doesn't drive so well (plus narrow backseat and can't fold wing mirrors electronically) but the smaller VW Jetta's handling and ride are top notch.
I'm just trying to see things objectively. Could somebody provide more independent enlightenment?
The model you test drove is 2.0, try 2.5 and see, more power and more gadgets
WXW8020 is a 2.5L. The Bermaz people sure didn’t con me right? :)
I have not tested the new M6, I certainly believe it would better than the outgoing model.
Nevetheless, with the price tag of RM192k, my vote would go to Mondeo Ecoboost 240ps and Pug 508GT 2.2 Diesel. To me, the 2 cars are 1 class higher than the rest of the D-segment.
Why I say so, because I own a Mondeo, even though their service team really like sucks but I have no regret since it is a perfect balance car in nature but unfortunately under the flag of Sime Darby.
U drive it once, u will love it for sure.
Better than kia or hyundai for sure.
wow! I can see paint flaw here….refer to the photo showing skyactiv emblem – orange peel!!
Rear looks like sonata?
A nice car need a good wireless car charger for the phone..haha…http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=119321591581618&set=vb.458780260850199&type=2&theater
Excuse my ignorance, but whats the warranty on this car eh?
I’m considering to get the 2.0 one. It’s quite expensive 160k for a MAZDA in malaysia mazda has less value compared to the others. Secondly, 0-100 takes 10.5second. 2.5 one over budget for me. Help guys?
M6 2.5 IN JAPAN SELL FOR RM 100,500.00
M6 2.0 IN JAPAN SELL FOR RM 83,750.00
HERE IN BOLEHLAND RM 190,000.00 FOR M6 2.5, MUST BE VERY RICH TO PAY TAX……..BN REALLY GOOD ON TIPU RAKYAT HARD EARN MONEY !!!
Yen dropped.
Import Duty reduced.
Still 190K Bermaz?
Will cancel my booking if price maintained
Confirmed no price reduction for Mazda6. So all savings go to the company? Hooray 1Malaysia!!!
Beautiful car. the features are great. Just need to get a spare tyre and put in the boot and all will be set.
Today I was told that this will be the only batch of CBU M6 and the next batch will be CKD coming in April. I wonder any member of paultan.org can give me a hint on the price difference because i already booked 1, should I wait for CKD?
Feel that this new Mazda6 design looks old and dull.. So disappointed. Now see it launched I’d definitely give up mazda and choose other same segment. The interior is exactly same as CX5. The front grille and headlamp also same as CX5.. Lazy Japanese design :(
Do you know if the new Mazda 6 has isofix?
can it use RON 91 fuel? since gov want to downgrade the fuel from RON 95 to RON 91. I only consider about this. who know it? please advise.
Does the Mazda 6 2.5 equipped with Optitron Meter?