Posted 5/30/03
By Joe Wiesenfelder
cars.com
Editor’s Note: Senior Producer Joe Wiesenfelder produces the cars.com Vehicle Profile, an image-laden, in-depth evaluation of today’s most compelling models.
AT A GLANCE
Base List Prices*
Mazda6 i: $18,650
Mazda6 s: $21,220
Base Invoice Prices*
Mazda6 i: $17,205
Mazda6 s: $19,569
Destination Charge*
$520 ($680 in Alaska)
*Pricing reflects 2003 model year inception. See current, detailed pricing in the Model Report.
Good
- Handling
- Manual or automatic
- Styling
- Tilt/telescoping steering wheel
- Backseat room
- Optional curtain airbags
Bad
- Cabin noise
- No backseat head restraints
- No stability system
- Automatic transmission
is four-speed (with four-
cylinder)
Bottom Line
The top sporty alternative among midsize sedans, one with few trade-offs
Test Vehicle
2003 Mazda6 s: $25,345 MSRP as tested including destination charge and optional leather seats, seat and mirror heaters, side airbags, power moonroof, Sport Package and Bose premium stereo with six-CD changer and trunk-mounted subwoofer
Where the Mazda6 sets itself apart from other cars is in its ride and handling. More specifically, it’s the handling, but the point is that the car’s excellent dynamics don’t come at the cost of ride quality.
Replacing Mazda's 626 model, the 2003 Mazda6 offers sporty driving without significant trade-offs.
Where most cars in this segment use MacPherson struts in their front suspensions, the Mazda6 uses the double-wishbone design favored by many driving enthusiasts. The rear independent suspension is a multilink design with coil springs. I counsel consumers to pay more attention to the results than the formula, and the results here are splendid. The suspension does a terrific job of keeping the tires in contact with the road, and the structure’s high torsional rigidity adds to the precision and gives the car a feeling of solidity and quality.
Equipped with the optional Sport Package, my Mazda6 s had the 17-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot HX all-season tires rated P215/50VR17. The standard tire is rated P205/60HR16. Roadholding was very good, and the variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering is a significant contributor to the car’s impressive handling. The ratio is quick and sporty, turn-in is crisp — at least with the higher-series tires I tested — and steering feedback is well above average for a front-drive car.
When pushed into corners, front and rear stabilizer bars serve well in controlling body roll. For all this performance, the ride quality is firm but not overly so. The sport suspension in Altimas equipped with the 3.5-liter V-6 is more harsh.
Thanks to an event sponsored by the Midwest Automotive Media Association, I got a chance to flog the Mazda6 and some competitors on Road America’s 4-mile racetrack. The Mazda6 availed itself very well, and its composure in turns was as impressive at high speeds as it was on regular roads. Understeer is notably mild for a front-drive car. Mazda cites a front/rear weight distribution of 60/40 for both trim levels, but my test vehicle felt far more balanced. At Road America, I found I could induce the rear end to drift when I wanted to, but it remained controllable at all times.
By Joe Wiesenfelder
cars.com
Editor’s Note: Senior Producer Joe Wiesenfelder produces the cars.com Vehicle Profile, an image-laden, in-depth evaluation of today’s most compelling models.
AT A GLANCE
Base List Prices*
Mazda6 i: $18,650
Mazda6 s: $21,220
Base Invoice Prices*
Mazda6 i: $17,205
Mazda6 s: $19,569
Destination Charge*
$520 ($680 in Alaska)
*Pricing reflects 2003 model year inception. See current, detailed pricing in the Model Report.
Good
- Handling
- Manual or automatic
- Styling
- Tilt/telescoping steering wheel
- Backseat room
- Optional curtain airbags
Bad
- Cabin noise
- No backseat head restraints
- No stability system
- Automatic transmission
is four-speed (with four-
cylinder)
Bottom Line
The top sporty alternative among midsize sedans, one with few trade-offs
Test Vehicle
2003 Mazda6 s: $25,345 MSRP as tested including destination charge and optional leather seats, seat and mirror heaters, side airbags, power moonroof, Sport Package and Bose premium stereo with six-CD changer and trunk-mounted subwoofer
Where the Mazda6 sets itself apart from other cars is in its ride and handling. More specifically, it’s the handling, but the point is that the car’s excellent dynamics don’t come at the cost of ride quality.
Replacing Mazda's 626 model, the 2003 Mazda6 offers sporty driving without significant trade-offs.
Where most cars in this segment use MacPherson struts in their front suspensions, the Mazda6 uses the double-wishbone design favored by many driving enthusiasts. The rear independent suspension is a multilink design with coil springs. I counsel consumers to pay more attention to the results than the formula, and the results here are splendid. The suspension does a terrific job of keeping the tires in contact with the road, and the structure’s high torsional rigidity adds to the precision and gives the car a feeling of solidity and quality.
Equipped with the optional Sport Package, my Mazda6 s had the 17-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot HX all-season tires rated P215/50VR17. The standard tire is rated P205/60HR16. Roadholding was very good, and the variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering is a significant contributor to the car’s impressive handling. The ratio is quick and sporty, turn-in is crisp — at least with the higher-series tires I tested — and steering feedback is well above average for a front-drive car.
When pushed into corners, front and rear stabilizer bars serve well in controlling body roll. For all this performance, the ride quality is firm but not overly so. The sport suspension in Altimas equipped with the 3.5-liter V-6 is more harsh.
Thanks to an event sponsored by the Midwest Automotive Media Association, I got a chance to flog the Mazda6 and some competitors on Road America’s 4-mile racetrack. The Mazda6 availed itself very well, and its composure in turns was as impressive at high speeds as it was on regular roads. Understeer is notably mild for a front-drive car. Mazda cites a front/rear weight distribution of 60/40 for both trim levels, but my test vehicle felt far more balanced. At Road America, I found I could induce the rear end to drift when I wanted to, but it remained controllable at all times.