The new Mazda6 is a responsive and peppy beast that laps up the corners like a retriever on a soup bowl. The car boasts a 3.7L DOHC 24-valve V6 engine, and its 6-speed sport mode transmission offers noisy but robust pickup. If not for the vile winter weather the week this car was on loan, I could have really moved. Instead, I learned its defensive qualities.
Muscle on Defense
Front-wheel drive muscle cars, like this one, don’t love snow. The skid icon appeared several times but the power-assisted disc brakes and traction control kicked in as you’d want them to. Real danger, though, is almost always other drivers. Fortunately, gentle beeps and warning lights in the rearview mirror broadcast the presence of others in or near your blind spots. Fog lights look cool at all times, but never more so than in whiteout conditions, when they’re a veritable lifesaver.
Godly Details
The start and stop button is a convenience you adjust to instantly. Same goes for the Bose stereo with 6-CD player. Space distribution favours the front – so save shotgun for your girlfriend. There’s still 966 cm of legroom in the back, so you’ll have to find a better excuse for ditching your in-laws. The instrument panel is sleek, featuring adjustable backlighting. And the contours in the hood are reminiscent of a ’70s Stingray. Sexy.
Base price: $22,695; GT-V6 base price: $33,495.
