Maker sweated details with this mid-size sports sedan,
and it paid off

MARK TOLJAGIC

For years, mid-size sedan offerings from Mazda and Nissan trailed the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord
so far back that they could barely make out their taillights.
That changed in 2002 when Nissan joined the hunt with its larger Altima and Mazda soon after with its redesigned
front-drive Mazda6.
The 6 replaced the Mazda 626, a not so durable sedan that had an undistinguished run in North America.
For a company whose sporty RX-7 and Miata models ripped open the performance envelope in their day, the magic
was slow to reach its mainstream sedan.

Mazda retooled the plant's frame shop so that the new platform's suspension could be put together in-house with
unprecedented precision rather than subcontracted to suppliers.

Sweating the details paid off. The new double-wishbone front suspension ensured the car telegraphed every
nuance of twisty asphalt.

Ford had good reason to massage the 6 carefully: the platform would serve as the basis for the Ford Fusion
and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ.

The 6 was all new for 2003: the new platform, engines and transmissions were wrapped in fresh sheet metal to distance
the car from the ho-hum 626.

The base engine was Mazda's MZR-series 2.3 L four-cylinder with variable valve timing,
good for 160 hp and 155 lb.-ft. of torque.

Optional was a 3.0 L V6 supplied by Ford, but with reworked cylinders, valvetrain components
and variable valve timing.

Output was middling at 220 hp and 192 lb.-ft. of grunt. Both DOHC engines were cast in lightweight aluminum.

In keeping with the car's sporting character, a five-speed manual transmission was standard with either motor.
Optional on four-cylinder models was a four-speed automatic, while the V6 got a five-speed autobox.

All models had disc brakes at every wheel. Anti-lock brakes with integrated traction control were standard on V6 models,
but optional on the fours.

Inside, every Mazda6 came encrusted with plastic "titanium" trim, which owners noted was susceptible to scratches.

The instruments were backlit in vivid red and ringed with chrome bezels pinched from the Miata.

The cabin was nicely appointed, though the back seat was not quite as accommodating as those found in the
Camry, Accord or Altima.

On the other hand, the trunk was roomy and could be expanded via the split-folding rear seatback.

The 6 arrived only as a four-door sedan, but that changed in 2004 when Mazda added five-door hatchback and wagon
configurations – a segment-busting move unmatched by competitors.

Popular in Europe, the slick hatchback was virtually indistinguishable from the sedan.

Mazda's Sport package included 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and other aero body stick-ons that made the 6
quite the boy racer among the commuter set.

Anti-lock braking and traction control became standard in 2005, and a six-speed automatic transmission also appeared
on some models, replacing the five-speed (which trickled down to the four-cylinder in '06).

The 2006 Mazdaspeed performance model featured all-wheel drive, a specially tuned suspension and a frenetic
274 hp turbocharged four-banger hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission.
 
ON THE ROAD

The 6 was quite a dancer. The responsive suspension and communicative steering set the car apart from its formidable
competition.

"Performance (is) exceptional," blogged one fan. "I can't ask for more from a sport sedan."

Acceleration with the four-cylinder motor was decent – 0-to-96 km/h in 7.9 seconds – while the V6 acquitted itself
well (6.9 seconds).

One sore point for some owners of V6 models was the relatively poor fuel economy they recorded.
 
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED

The 6 was athletic and composed, though just slightly behind the leaders in terms of refinement.

Some owners noted a significant throttle delay or engine hesitation in concert with the automatic transmission.
The car is also geared lower and can be noisy at highway speeds.

The most common source of mechanical complaints had to do with prematurely worn clutches on 2003 and '04 models.

Mazda has acknowledged defective clutch plates in a technical service bulletin, although some dealers blamed owners
for their clutches wearing out in as little as 40,000 km. Check for clutch slip.

Other possible problems included blown fan modules, fuel leaks and chattering front brakes.
The 2003 models were the most problematic.

The good news is a second-hand Mazda6 commands less money than a used Accord or Camry.

Overall, the 6 scores a solid 8.