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Sedans Mazda6 Article Comments - Mazda 6 vs. Honda Accord vs. Nissan Altima
120 messages, Last post on Feb 27, 2009 at 2:31 PM
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Finding the Sweet Spot in Family Sedans - After all the poking, prodding, driving and scoring, the $30,690 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring earns a total of 70.3 points in our comparison for a 1st-place finish. (more)
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Replying to: ribbonspeakers (Sep 08, 2008 11:24 am)
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Replying to: aviboy97 (Sep 08, 2008 1:43 pm) 
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Boy am I dumb! It took me a whole minute or more to figure out the police report remark. The Mazda may have inherited some German car driving dynamics from Mr. Holzhausen. Mazda & Ford share some technology. I've sat in the Ford Fusion, which is the closest relative to the Mazda6. I desire to purchase American, but the Fusion's interior design & space are not close. The Malibu's roof is too low, too noisy, inferior interior design & driving dynamics. IMHO a wagon version of the new Mazda would be about as close as possible to the perfect car. Wonder if one is coming. From Edmunds' pictures so far, the much anticipated Toyota Venza, especially the grill, leans heavily toward a senior citizen flavor (I'm 53 & almost a senior so please take no offense; just prefer something a little more daring/less conservative/less Buick-like). When I called the dealer to confirm the new '09 Mazda was available to test drive, a female sales assistant said customers reported it was like a Lexus. After several hundred or more conversations w/ automotive & motorcycle sales persons I thought the words were just silly immature sales "fluff", completely disregarded it & put it out of my mind. After driving it I'd have to agree. It's a home run. Honda must be taking one apart piece by piece at this very second.
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I checked out Mazda 6 over the weekend at a local dealer, looks good to me....my Mazda 3 lease coming up next June, I am sure there will be some dealer who would want to give me some extra credit to change over sooner.... however, just wondering ...does Mazda 6 has anti-whiplash headrests and how is the A/C in hot sun? ( My current 2 beaves about Mazda 3  - esp a very weak AC performance)...I couldnt get the details anywhere...
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AC is a great question & one I will investigate before purchasing, though I doubt it would be a deal breaker. Current & last vehicles '06 Honda Ridgeline V6 & '04 Chevy Tahoe 4.7 V8, respectively. All I can contribute is that the Tahoe's AC seemed about 30% subjectively stronger vs. the Ridgeline. The Ridgeline is OK but "...I knew the Chevy Tahoe, & Senator, your (AC) is no Chevy Tahoe..." We can only dream about the legendary icicles said to form on the vents of late '50s through early '70s Cadillac luxo boats. |
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Replying to: ribbonspeakers (Sep 08, 2008 2:09 pm)
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To quote the review: "Granted, the Nissan is at a slight disadvantage here without a leather package, but to get leather requires ordering the $4,200 Premium package that adds a long list of other items you might not want or need." Also: "To level the playing field, we weighted as-tested prices as 20 percent of the final score just like the feature content, but even with a sizable price advantage, this $27,275 2008 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE CVT couldn't make up for its missing features that are standard equipment on its rivals, including Bluetooth connection, dual-zone climate control, electronic stability control and leather upholstery." It appears that Nissan lagged behind, in part because of the absence of said package (i.e. how small or large a part, beats me?  ), when adding it will bring its price to within $500-600 of the other car and in exchange will probably make it fare better in other departments. I haven't researched the content of the Premium package of Nissan but i surmise that at that price, it brings a lot to the arena and may have changed the outcome of the comparison. In other words, Nissan may lose its advantage in price which is 20% of final score but may have gained more in return on the other 80%... Any thoughts about this? 
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Replying to: slamtaz (Sep 08, 2008 7:59 pm) AND to quote the reviewer: "(The Altima V6 also requires premium fuel.)" No it doesn't....suggested yes...required no. "The Mazda's six-speed automatic transmission can be shifted manually for added control or exhilaration, and the shifts are crisp and positive." Also fails to mention the Altima can do this as well, but makes it a point to say the Accord cannot. Honestly it's frustrating. Both the Accord and Altima weren't going to come out on top right from the get go.
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Replying to: karpediem (Sep 08, 2008 8:23 pm) The package would have put it at the most expensive in the test, and it still would be the same basic interior design leather or not. It's also lacking in trunk and rear legroom considerably vs the 6.
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Replying to: cx7lover (Sep 08, 2008 9:35 pm) I priced it out on Edmunds and the 3.5 SE with the premium package is under $30K MSRP. Not sure if you have ever sat in an Altima both with the basic interior and the upgraded interior, but it is quite a difference. "The Nissan Altima's stark dash couldn't be simpler to operate or understand, but in this base-model version, the ventilation system doesn't offer automatic or dual-zone functions, and the radio features push-button manual tuning. This comment would not have been possible if they tested a comparable model. "It's also curious that not one of these three top-line sedans was equipped with rear vents for the climate control." Another place a comparable Altima would have scored higher in that guy's opinion. I'm not saying the Altima should have won, and I will check out the 6 in time, but it annoys me when reviews are done like this.
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