The new Mazda 6 engine is a lightly refreshed and refined version of the previous 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. It’s a 6.7 percent less hungry and sparkling, with a new diesel particulate filter added, but a little less powerful as well.
It is capable, excellent looking, economical and frugal. It’s a silent diesel while being smooth and delivers its propelling power and pulling power evenly with no dreary areas. It’s not swift, either, but it does work just all right in an urban area but it is little less enthusiastic on open roads and motorways. The gear change on our admittedly very low mileage test car was annoyingly notchy and awkward.
All that trivial engineering in fact pays dividends out on the road; this Mazda 6 is one of the best front-wheel drive cars in the modern automobile sector. There’s an aroma of MX-5 in its responsive nature and reliable steering. The new Mazda 6, 2.2-litre diesels are excellent engines. Smooth, alert, free-revving and usefully energetic.
Chuck in an irritable gear shift and you’ve a car with sufficient demand for passionate drivers. However, the petrol units also appear unfortunate for Mazda 6 mainly after we flock two turbocharged diesel units. Both units offered smooth, sophisticated performance and figures have a word for themselves. The 148bhp engine with the six-speed manual gearbox takes 9.0 seconds to get from 0-62mph and leaves the car at the top speed of 131mph while the extra powered diesel has an inspiring benchmark time of 7.8 seconds from 0-62 miles per hour, topping out at 138mph. Yet again, the autos make little wisdom because you can imagine a 0.6s-0.8s drop-off when reaching to the benchmark sprint.
You might think, 148bhp engine is the best choice but if Mazda6 saloon performance is the main concern, you have to go for the advanced power diesel units. It is a striking engine and distinct from many other diesel units that offer a big strike of power low down in the rev range. It delivers a smooth power that’s immense for pulling away and overtaking. It’s an extraordinary cruiser but still offers sufficient performance to make B-road driving tremendously pleasing.
It is well enhanced and better than a Vauxhall Insignia and a KIA Optima but there’s still a line of attack and approach to go before it can challenge a BMW 3 Series Touring or Audi A4 Avant in the corners.
