Mazda6 Sedan

of some more mazda 6 pictures

I can understand fwatson's anxiety at this car being entirely youth oriented. However I will say this.......its about time we started getting "youth oriented" sedans availbale in the American market. I love a car like the Protege5 or MP3 and would love to have the chance to buy a larger version of it.

I've been harping all over this board that because a car has 4 doors is no reason it should ride or handle or look any less sporty than the best performing mainstream cars out there. Now with this car and the Altima we are finally starting to see a FEW youth oriented sedans hit the market.

I was raised in staunch GM country in the midwest and to this day so many of my relatives think cars like a Buick LeSabre or Olds 88 are the cats meow. Still today if the car doesn't carry a GM nameplate these people are shocked you would even consider such a thing. I have driven so many Buicks in my life I'm so tired of them.

Throughout the 90's you saw people gravitate to Audi's and BMW's because of their image, but also their vehicle dynamics and sporty looks. The Nissan Maxima and Taurus SHO were successful in showing that mainstream marques can produce capable sporting sedans. And let's not forget the poseurs like the Bonneville SSE, that maybe looked the part and had some throttle but did not extend the goodness to the whole package. And yes even Ford softened up the SHO late decade and it too became a poseur. The GTP Grand Prix was successful in the power department, and looked nice but did not seem to approach the handling prowess it needed to to become a complete all around sporting car it could've been.

And no flames please, because I have owned an 89 and 99 SHO. The 89 was a fiesty car, and the 99 is good too, but not as quick in handling or snap neck power. Yet, it is one of the best late 90's cars available to most of the public if you wanted a car with reflexes, sporting looks, and go. A car that gets the blood flowing. A car that makes you feel youthful. A car that won't numb you or put you to sleep.

Like a Camry. Like an Accord, Avalon, Century......hey no offense, but if you want a mature car.....there's MANY to choose from. So I welcome with open arms any maker that brings to market a sedan that is youthful, vibrant, on edge, and doesn't sacrifice sportingness or looks just because it has 4 doors.

God, that yellow Mazda 6 is gorgeous. Mazda could really bust open what the new Altima started, with these new aggressive looking cars.

Earlier I said the dash looked Chryslerish. I might modify that a bit. Some parts of the console, radio and climate control look a bit Intrepid like. The top of the stack looks a bit like the GMC Envoy. The overall shaping of the dash looks a bit like the Ford Mondeo, too. I'm warming up to it.