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Sedans Mazda6 Article Comments - 2009 Mazda 6 First Drive and Full Test
229 messages, Last post on Aug 25, 2008 at 6:33 AM
You are in the Mazda6 Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
First Drive: 2009 Mazda 6 - First Impressions: With most of its major flaws fixed, the 2009 Mazda 6 is easily one of the most impressive sedans in the midsize class. (more)
Full Test: 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring - Bottom Line: Manages to keep some of the zoom-zoom athleticism despite pandering to the Accord/Camry market.(more)
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Car companies don't admit mistakes, but Hiroshi Kajiyama doesn't have a problem fessing up to a few missteps. He's the chief program engineer for the forthcoming 2009 Mazda 6 and although his English isn't perfect, it's clear he knows the current car has problems. Read more and post your comments here! First Drive: 2009 Mazda 6
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When I bought my Mazda6 in '04 it seemed to be perfect in every way compared to the competition, but since then it's been flat-out blown away by new products from Honda, Nissan, Saturn, and Chevy. If the '09 is true to Mazda's word, and still retains the excellent handling and control of the first-gen, as well as the added space, power, and features that the competition offers, they'll get a repeat-customer out of me. Downsides? The lack of a 6-speed manual for the V6 is disappointing. I'm hoping they'll add it for 2010, since three-pedaled cars are more enjoyable to me. The FE is also disappointing, especially for the V6.
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Replying to: mz6greyghost (May 23, 2008 8:41 am) I do believe that you and I are pretty much the only Mazda6 owners / enthusiasts that actually like what Mazda has done to the Mazda6. I have to agree with you about why I purchased my 2005 Mazda6 i 5-door w/ leather, moon roof and Bose Audio. I loved the look, versatility, 4 cyl + 5-speed manual was enough for me and FE was just fine. I was a single, carefree man in my mid 20's lovin' life! The Mazda6 was perfect for me. I am now 29, married and I have my first child on the way. I still love my Mazda6, however, I know one day I will need to replace it with a bigger, roomier, versatile vehicle. Also, FE is on my mind. This leaves me with only a few mfgrs that I would consider. Subaru, Mazda, Honda, Toyota and Nissan. I know American makes have gotten better, however, I just won't spend my hard earned money on them just yet. Now I see what Mazda is giving us in the new Mazda6. More powerful, FE 4-cyl, 6-speed manual and loads of techy goodies and every safety feature standard. I am not interested in purchasing the V6, however, I cannot wait to thrash on one when they arrive at our dealership! I also like the reappearing theme of "quality" used over and over by not only by Hiroshi Kajiyama, but by the people who have had the opportunity to drive it, Edmunds.com, Car and Driver and Motor Trend. As contrary to what many current Mazda6 owners think, this change was needed as I have said all along. I have known Mazda was not thrilled by their lack of sales and how the Mazda6 was being passed over time and time again for more up to date Nissan Altima's, Honda Accord's and Toyota Camry's (They told me so!!). I saw this first hand in my dealership as well with people deciding to purchase other brands over the Mazda6. That is not to say that there was anything wrong with the 1st gen Mazda6, because there's not. It is just outdated. I am very anxious to drive the new Mazda6 when it arrives. I would be interested in the Mazda6 i Touring 6-speed with the moon roof package. Kudos to Mazda for what appears to be a worthy Mazda6 replacement! |
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| What a great mid-sized auto. Unfortunately, not the fault of Mazda, the car's weight has increased too much to get really good mileage. This is due to the U.S. Govt's safety standards driving up the weight to ridiculous levels. The govt. forces the auto makers to have great mileage, and at the same time forces them to increase the weight of their cars. You can't have it both ways. | |
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Replying to: KarenS (May 23, 2008 6:50 am)  As I said there, surprising that edmunds is so down on the outgoing car that was an "editor's choice" just last year. Reading that you'd think it was a Sebring or something. |
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Replying to: mz6greyghost (May 23, 2008 8:41 am) I'd say only for the V6. I don't see a problem with 22/30 for the I4 auto. That is 1-2 mpg better than current one and comparable to the Accord's 21/31. I guess one could be disappointed that for the manual transmission, they continue to emphasize racing rather than fuel economy...I'm assuming that is the reason for -1 mpg with manual. |
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Not earthshaking to me. The design is ok-I think the Accord and Malibu look as nice. And even if they give it all the CX-9's toy's it'll still be inferior in that category to the also just as nice looking Altima.
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The issue is not whether consumers of mid-size family sedans will be unfazed by $4/ gallon gas prices. In Chicago and San Fran the prices are already at $4.70 for premium unleaded. Many project $5 per gallon by November. This lack of foresight and preparedness for future economic events is what has put American consumers perpetually into debt. Look at the economics of the demographic group that the Mazda6 is marketed to. The average two parent/ two child family household in the US earns $80K per year. After income taxes $57,600 remains. With an average monthly mortgage, real estate tax, insurance and utility costs relating to housing approximate $2000 per month or $24K per year. Estimate another $12 K for food and clothing. Car payments (for two cars), insurances, maintenance at $750 per month comes to $9000 per year. That does not include vacations or any private school tuitions. Nor any ballet lessons, football leagues, or music lessons for the kids. The total minimum household expenditures for that family is $45K. Conservatively estimated. This equation is missing one thing however: gasoline costs. If the average driver in that household is accumulating 12K miles per year, at an average of 20 mpg (combined city/ hwy) the household is consuming 1200 gallons of gasoline a year. At $5.00/ gallon which gasoline may will reach one year from now at the present rate of increase (assuming no new taxes are imposed to repair our crumbling roads or to fund mass transit) That household will have to expend $6000 per year. At $6.50 per gallon that gasoline sells for in Europe that household expenditure would jump to $7600. That leaves the household as much as $6000 to as little as $4000 to pay for all the other incidentals that were not included, or to invest for retirement or to pay down credit card debt or to just plain save for a rainy day. At this rate few Americans will ever be able to save enough to retire while young enough to enjoy old age without debt. This will be the end result just to say they drove a mainstream family sedan car that ran 14 second quarter mile times. Cars using currently available technology are available in all the other non-oil exporting nations of the world that consume 1/2 the fuel that the Mazda6 3.7 does. In Europe this car is being offered with diesel engines that provide combined mileage of 45 mpg. This summer, while I will be vacationing in southern Europe, I will be renting a Peugeot 207 with a 1400 cc gas engine. Though it produces only 95 hp the car weighs 700 lbs. less than my Infiniti G35. Even with gasoline there selling for $6.50 per gallon, I estimate it will still cost me 40% less to operate the Peugeot for the month than my G35 (based on fuel cost alone). And I doubt the car would be significantly less satisfactory to drive there than my G35. Living in an oil importing nation, Americans need to embrace an attitude towards family cars with large engine displacements as being an anachronism something akin to cigarettes. Imagine, just forty years ago anyone who suggested that smoking in public would be banned would have been labeled a heretic. The Rip Van Winkles that Americans have become do need to awake from complacency and fantasy if we wish to lead the world in anything but military power and space exploration for much longer. You cannot lead the world in any industry when only 300 million out of 6 billion (5%) are willing to consume our goods. |
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Replying to: albook (May 23, 2008 10:58 am) It does have all the CX-9's toys, except the rear view camera and dvd entertainment system. How is the 2009 Mazda6 "inferior" to the Nissan Altima? Please explain
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