All-new Mazda6

Mazda signalled its rebirth back in 2002 with the first Mazda6, a sleek, stylish and highly successful car, which embodied the company’s Zoom-Zoom spirit of driving pleasure. Since then, it has been one of Mazda Motor Europe’s best-selling cars with more than 450,000 sales.

Mazda6 has proven to be a pillar of reliability and now, at the Frankfurt Show, five years and over 100 industry awards later, Mazda has unveiled a new, more refined, more sophisticated, more premium Mazda6. Set to become the new benchmark in its class, the new Mazda6 will once again be available in three bodystyles – hatchback, saloon and estate.

While giving the new Mazda6 enhanced Mazda DNA and a more emphatic Mazda character in its design, dynamic performance, packaging and craftsmanship, Mazda evolved its Zoom-Zoom spirit by adopting three key values.

Key Value One: EMOTIONAL AND SPORTY

Engaging styling and dynamic performance create a sense of delight and kizuna (a Japanese word that implies strong ‘emotional connection’) whenever the owner looks at or drives the new Mazda6.

Chief designer Youichi Sato describes the design theme for the new Mazda6 as ‘bold and exquisite’. The design is an evolved Zoom-Zoom form, which cleverly combines two seemingly contradicting ideas of strength and delicate grace through an expression of Japanese aesthetics. The exterior has a unique character, expressed by the interplay of discreetly flowing curves and prominent edges, plus an exquisiteness of detail everywhere in the tsukurikomi (build-quality) that conveys an expression of beauty from simplicity. Combined, these elements of beauty create an advanced, emotion-pleasing character that could only be found in a Mazda.

Key Value Two: EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE

Exquisite craftsmanship enhances the ‘emotional connection’ between the customer and the car, adding to the delight of ownership.

Customers will form a kizuna bond (emotional connection) with the new Mazda6 for many reasons. These include the car’s heightened sense of quality, improved ride comfort and quietness, as well as its top-level environmental and safety performance. Added to these attributes is the refined, high-quality build that is part of the craftsman's spirit of hospitality, creating a comfortable space and equipment levels which support driver confidence.

Key Value Three: INSIGHTFUL PACKAGE

The balance of stylish design and versatile packaging brings delight to daily driving

The new Mazda6 inherits all the functionality of the previous model's packaging, while raising practicality to a new level with creatively-designed equipment unique to Mazda. Various innovations blend sporty, emotion-pleasing styling with a comfortable interior and practical luggage space.

Exterior Design

While inheriting the ‘athletic’ design that was key to the signature Mazda look of the previous model, the new Mazda6 is an even stronger statement of driving dynamism. Its designers worked to create a new expression of ‘cool’. Youichi Sato states, “it is vitally important that the new Mazda6 confidently embodies a Japanese design identity and it must still look fresh in 10 years’ time.”

As before, there are three body styles: hatchback, saloon and estate. The five-door hatchback symbolizes the new Mazda6's sporty and sophisticated nature with a flowing, coupé-style silhouette and a six side-window cabin design. The saloon plays down its three-box form with its tautly-arched cabin and short, high tail, giving it a fastback look clearly related to that of the hatchback. The estate version features three-dimensional curves that give volume and tension to the side and rear view to achieve a level of stylish design, rare in an estate.

Interior Design

The sporty and sophisticated interior design perfectly echoes the ‘bold and exquisite’ design theme portrayed by the exterior. For the sporty aspect, the designers created a snug, cockpit-like driving environment with a relaxed driving position, clear instruments and intuitive controls. The design of the dashboard helps to create a space where the driver and passengers travel in pleasure, comfort and calmness, helped by the way the facia top curves away from the occupants and seems to float above the structure beneath. Richly curved surfaces, sophisticated materials and controlled glossiness generate a high-quality feel and add to the air of craftsmanship, along with the microfine accuracy with which the components fit together.

Driving Dynamics

The development theme for the Mazda6’s dynamics was ‘driving performance that creates oneness between the car and driver’ – echoing the Jinba Ittai of the MX-5. This was achieved by engineering driving dynamics, steering, handling, and brake performance that respond accurately to the driver’s intentions. Also, the further enhanced high-quality ride and quietness provide a sense of security in accord with the feeling of oneness. This solid sense of security created by the confident, predictable handling is central to the Zoom-Zoom evolution concept embodied in the new Mazda6.

Enhanced engine line-up

A new 2.5-litre petrol engine has been developed from the previous 2.3-litre unit. The MZR 2.5 has a bigger bore and a longer stroke, plus freer-flowing intake and exhaust ports which together improve torque in the most frequently used rev-range by approximately 10 percent. This assures a more linear acceleration feel, nimbler driving and more precise throttle response. Maximum power is 170ps. Also available are the enhanced 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines and the MZR-CD 2.0 turbo diesel, all carried over from the previous Mazda6.

Confidence-inspiring Suspension

The new Mazda6’s fully independent suspension system delivers improved ride comfort and reduced road noise, plus a responsive and reassuring drive. The double-wishbone front suspension is mounted on a subframe which is now attached to the body at six points instead of four, allowing the use of more compliant suspension bushes. The multi-link rear suspension features improved geometry and more upright dampers to enhance both handling stability and ride comfort.

Electric power steering

In order to achieve optimal steering assistance at the widest speed variations, the former hydraulic power steering is replaced with an electric system. To achieve a more natural steering feel, special attention was paid to reducing the inertia level of the system. Similar to the system in the Mazda RX-8, the motor is mounted on the steering rack and has further evolved with a brushless motor. The adoption of electric assistance also improves fuel economy by approximately two percent.

Powerful, progressive, brakes

The new Mazda6 is fitted with larger front brake discs and a larger-diameter master cylinder to enhance both the outright braking performance and the brake feel. The result is a braking system with a firm, linear feel and controllable brake performance, plus a stopping distance from 100 km/h of 39.0m on a dry surface – among the best-in-class.

Lightweight body shell with increased rigidity

As well as achieving high body shell rigidity, Mazda engineers worked on reducing weight to further improve dynamic performance and fuel economy. Reinforcements at key points and the widespread use of high-tensile and ultra-high-tensile steel brought significant increases in torsional stiffness.

Aerodynamics among the best

With the new Mazda6 attractive styling and aerodynamic efficiency go hand-in-hand. From the early stages of development, Mazda engineers utilized simulation testing to the fullest in order to improve their initial designs, and then carefully fine-tuned them with prototypes and the wind tunnel. Ultimately, they achieved a remarkable drag coefficient of Cd 0.27 for the 4735mm long hatchback and sedan versions and 0.28 for the 4765mm long estate.

Sporty proportions wrap a spacious and practical interior

Mazda’s designers aimed to achieve a cabin with sporty proportions, while making the interior roomier than the previous model. The line from the base of the windscreen to roof lining remains smooth, but the windscreen is deeper and the header section is shifted rearward to eradicate any feeling of oppressiveness that front-seat occupants might feel. The body is slightly wider so keeping the same spacing between the driver and passenger seats as before, creates more outside shoulder room. Thanks to the longer wheelbase, knee room for the rear passengers is increased by 13mm. These modifications add up to a sporty-looking cabin that belies the generous roominess within.

In the rear, the 60/40 split seatbacks fold forward with a simple, single movement (using Mazda’s acclaimed karakuri folding system), presenting a flat luggage floor. On the estate model, the rear tonneau cover automatically moves upwards as the tailgate is opened, eliminating the need to handle the cover every time cargo is loaded or unloaded.

Exceptional safety and environmental performance

Safety

Besides Mazda’s state-of-the-art active safety systems – including large disc brakes, ABS, DSC, electronic traction control and brake assist – and a passive safety package with Mazda’s stiff and strong Triple-H body shell and six airbags, there are further features to help Mazda6 drivers avoid an accident or protect its occupants if an accident is unavoidable. These include: Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS), Parking Sensors, extensive field of vision, Mazda’s first active headrestraints, collapsible brake and clutch pedals, and extensive pedestrian protection measures.