2009 Mazda 6: Zooming

I saw a black grand touring V6 on the road the other day, at dusk, with its HID's and foglights on, and it definitely caught my eye in a good way. Insideline's 6 is good looking but the black GT with the exhaust finishers, larger (and much better looking) wheels and those HIDs was simply stunning.

I like the new 6, but still do not love it. I do not think that it had to get so big. For me the previous car was just right in just about every way! I also think that ditching a manual trans was a mistake...even it it meant getting one with the newly upgraded 3.0L that is in the '10 Fusion. Lastly, while I do like the look from the side and rear, the front end is a little bland. A different, sportier grill would go a long way. I say upgrade this car a little bit and rename it the Mazda 9 and bring back a model that slots between this and the 3 as a new 6. Then you'll have a winner!

^ edit ^ "ditching a manual trans in a V6 model was a mistake..."

Agree 100% with zoomzoom with the whole size thing; the Mazda Atenza -the Japan version of the Mazda6- looks so much more tossable and true to the original's purpose, it makes it hard to love the US version...

How does it handle?

Since 2003, when the previous model came out I've been a fan of the Mazda 6. It's a great alternative to the boring and bloated Accord's and Camry's. I've owned 2 6's, and am the happy owner of a 2007 6i Touring 5-door (the first was stolen and totaled). Mine is reliable, sporty, versatile and not another cookie cutter sedan you see all the time. I wish that the current USA model offered a 5-door and wagon and was not enlarged but based on the Euro/Japanese model. I consider mine a domestic car since it was made in Flat Rock, MI. at the same plant as the Ford Mustang. I hope with the introduction of the Fughly Honda accord Crosstour and other 5-door crossovers that Mazda will decide to produce the 5-door and wagon here, like they did in 2004. Also, the reason that the Ford Fusion is such a good car is that it's platform is based on the Mazda 6.

I am also a big fan of the first-gen Mazda6 that came out in 2003. This second-gen car ballooned just like its fat, oversize competitors - the first one was the perfect size. Americans need to get physically smaller and less wasteful, just like our cars. We don't need a repeat of what happened in the 1970's but we're already well on our way.

The first gen car was loud, underpowered, inefficient and too small. I really like the second gen model but only with the 18"s. The standard 17"s are pretty ugly.