2016 Mazda6 Wagon 2.2 Skyactiv-D Review

The CX-5 SUV and Mazda6 sedan came out at roughly the same time in 2012, giving the world an overdose of something called Skyactiv. The company's new philosophy was all about lightness, and as we all know lightness improves everything about a car.

Since then, the mid-size sedan market has moved in leaps and bounds. Ford finally gave us the new Mondeo based on the American Fusion model. Meanwhile, Volkswagen took the lessons it learned from the Golf 7 and applied them to a new Passat by using the same MQB platform. Both these cars are defined by attention to the tech details, such as the LED headlights. But by going after the BMW 3 Series market, they lost affordability.

Mazda is not the kind of car company to lie down on the job. So when the customers called it answered with the 2016 version of the Mazda6, which we previously sampled as a sedan and now in wagon flavor.

Although at first glance it's hard to tell what the designers have done, the 2016 Mazda6 Wagon got a mid-life facelift, receiving both visual and tech upgrades. Everything we liked about he KODO design language has been polished even further.
Starting from the front, we spot the new chrome grille design that has a 3D effect about it. The wing at the bottom of the grille, which is now a Mazda trademark, flows into the inner edges of the headlights. Instead of the old bi-xenon HID system, Mazda now offers LEDs and also uses diodes for the fog lights.

However, because the system isn't separated into individual prism projectors like on a SEAT Leon, you can't really tell they used LEDs. But you can notice the darker tint and the semi-circle accent at the bottom.

Beauty cannot be explained or quantified, but there's something undeniably sensual going on here. This isn't a wagon; it's one of those shooting brakes, like the ones Mercedes-Benz makes. That's what we thought to ourselves when we first saw the Mazda6. There is some truth behind that, as the highest point of the roof is right over the driver's head and it all flows down after that. The trunk is angled at about 45 degrees, which is not the most practical shape in the world. But it's so sexy that you need a second glance.

The Mazda6 Wagon is one of the manliest cars in the segment. No, scratch that. It is the manliest car in the segment. Our test model had pearl white paint, dark chrome wheels, and a very sporty dual exhaust system. Why don't all cars have one big pipe on either side of the bumper? Meanwhile, the VW Passat hides its pipes under the bumper and shows the world fake pieces of trim. If you like that, you are a big pu**y and probably wear makeup for men.

If you buy the cheapest model with the halogen projectors, the headlight unit is a little taller than the one for LEDs. We think it's actually the headlight of the pre-facelift car. There's something undeniably British about the design, with subtle hints from the Jaguar XF, XJ and maybe the curves of the XJ220 supercar.
 

When they see the 6 Wagon for the first time, many people are surprised that it's a Mazda. It doesn't have the idiotic grinning look the older model had, and there is a predominant air of quality. Some people commented that the dark 19-inch wheels filled out the arches well. The overwhelming response was "I wouldn't mind owning one of those because it's not another German car."

Many were surprised when we told them that the Mazda6 is built entirely in Japan, at factories in Hofu and Hiroshima. It's a real Japanese car, unlike the UK-built Nissan Qashqai or Honda Civic. What's more, there aren't any Ford parts on this bad boy.

While the exterior doesn't show groundbreaking changes, the interior is superior in many ways. Mazda listened to its customers, adding a better infotainment system, air conditioning controls and a leather gate for automatic gear shifter.
Our GT model had the dashboard and the sides of the transmission tunnel wrapped in purple leather with bold stitching and soft foam padding underneath. The seats had the full electric adjustment and two memory settings, unlike the Passat Highline we tested a while back.

Everything inside looks pretty high quality, but some of the materials used are not what they seem. For example, were aren't fans of the buttons on the steering wheel, which are as flimsy as those on a toy. But, for the money you are paying, the Mazda6 delivers what it needs to.

All Mazda6 models now come with push-button start, so all you have to do is keep the key in your pocket and you can enter or start the car. Once we did that, the Mazda Active Driving Display popped up. We immediately recognized it as the same head-up screen you get on the Mazda3. Some premium manufacturers now project the image directly on the windshield, but considering the BMW X1 and 2 Series Active Tourer both use a piece of plexiglass, we think Mazda's setup is totally acceptable.

What's not so great is the MZD Connect system, which is better than the one used before the facelift, but still not perfect. The Mazda6 now comes with a 7-inch LCD touchscreen that's integrated in a BMW-like manner. You can control it by reaching out to the screen or using the Audi-like controller. But we would have liked some old-fashioned buttons, especially for the convenience of the front passenger.

The Mazda6 only has heated seats, while the Hyundai Sonata has cooled seats as well. The sunroof is not a panoramic one, so we wouldn't bother getting it. Other companies now have fully digitized dashboards, but Mazda's only answered with a small monochrome display integrated into the bezel on the right.

The trunk on the Mazda6 Wagon gives you 522 liters to put your stuff. It's not the best in this class, especially when you look at the nets and partition features on the Skoda Octavia and Superb. However, the Japanese wagon is better than the sedan back there as the invasive gooseneck hinges are gone. For European customers, getting the wagon is a no-brainer. But as for the American… tough luck!

The Mazda6 is a big car with small windows, so it doesn't feel at home in a congested city. That doesn't mean you won't feel relaxed behind the wheel, just that finding a parking space for your 4,800 mm (189 in) barge or pulling a U-turn will be tough.

The engine range has grown a little more with the facelift's debut. However, it's still nowhere near the size of the Passat's or Mondeo's. While the biggest engine offered by Renault on the similarly sized Talisman is a 1.6-liter, Mazda's smallest is a 2-liter. The Japanese automaker has already proven downsizing is not the answer, and their reliability ratings have grown by leaps and bounds.

The Passat has been offering 4Motion since forever, so to get their work noticed, engineers made their AWD feel SUV-like. While you can definitely feel and hear how the diff occasionally grants power to the rear wheels on the Passat, the Mazda6's AWD feels like it's ON all the time. That's because it uses a proactive system that can engage the diff before wheel spin is detected.

Adding this option means that you have to lug around an extra 60 kilograms (132 lbs), which makes the car a little more sluggish. Only the 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D with 150 or 175 can be configured with AWD. In both cases, you lose a few tenths of a second to 100 km/h (62 mph) and can expect mild negative effects on fuel consumption.

The transmission choices remain the same as before: 6-speed manual or automatic. Mazda says the auto is their best seller, and we can see why. This is an old-school solution that keen drivers will appreciate, particularly in combination with the paddles behind the steering wheel. We probably don't need to tell you why a normal automatic is more fun than a CVT, but you'll want to know how Mazda compensates for the efficiency losses.

We're talking about Mazda's i-ELOOP regenerative braking system. Back in 2012, the company realized cars use a lot of energy to power everything from essential electronics to all the gizmos drivers like, such as the stereo. Normally, that power comes from the alternator, which can use up to 10% of your fuel. Just like a hybrid, the Mazda6 captures energy from the braking system, but it stores it in a capacitor that powers the electronics. Batteries can't be charged up fast enough while the capacitor fills up in seconds and gives you enough juice to use A/C or navigation for a minute or so while you wait with the engine off at the lights.

The official numbers would lead you to believe the diesel-powered Mazda6 is sluggish. Despite having 175 horsepower and 420 Nm of torque (310 lb-ft), our model supposedly takes 9.1 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph), while the equivalent Passat Variant needs 7.8 seconds. This difference comes how DSG gearboxes can jump the line, but in reality, our Japanese wagon felt just as fast as any of its competitors.

Anybody who's just stepped foot into the 2016 Mazda6 will say the suspension is too hard. However, because we've tested the previous model, we can tell you that it's become a little softer. We couldn't see the logic of putting hard springs on a wagon that has the potential to go off-road… until we maxed it out. Where other family cars become twitchy, the 6 took corners at over 200 km/h like it was on rails. We didn't even realize that we had maxed it until we got back home and looked at the specs.

There are several things about the driving experience that reminds us of a BMW 3 Series, which is surprising considering the platform differences between the two. But let us explain. You sit low with your feet stretched forwards instead of that "on top of the car" feeling you get on some cars. The acceleration pedal is hinged from the bottom while the Bavarian look of the infotainment screen has already been discussed. The engineers also have something to do with it, as the Mazda6 feels like it's pulling at the leash whenever you release the brake, something BMWs are also known for.

In a sea of turbocharged engines with similar specs, Mazda's 2.2-liter passes unnoticed. However, the 175 horsepower model we tested had twin turbochargers, like the Passat BiTDI. But while VW wanted another turbo to give its engine 240 hp, Mazda just needed it for efficiency. You see, the Skyactiv-D system features the lowest compression ratio of any diesel, 14:1 compared to around 18:1 (it can be as high as 23:1). This delays the combustion cycle a little, giving the air and fuel more time to mix.

But the lower compression ratio means less power and especially torque, so they increased the size of the engine to a 2.2-liter and added the second turbo on more powerful models. In most ways (except the sound it makes) our test car behaved like it had a gasoline model. It revved quickly thanks to a light flywheel and had lots of punch above 2,500rpm. Another benefit of the low compression ratio is the lightweight aluminum block. You can really feel the wagon is well balanced when turning into a sharp corner.

Around town, we managed 8 l/100km (29.4 mpg) and loved how smooth the i-Stop system was. On the highway, weight and drag became our biggest enemy, as consumption crept up to 6.5 l/100km (36.2 mpg US).

The NHTSA, IIHS and EuroNCAP's assessments on the Mazda6 (in general, not the wagon) as a safe car. Not one but two safety systems are installed. Smart City Brake Support operates at speeds of 4 to 30 km/h (3 to 18 mph) while similarly named Smart Brake Support uses a millimeter wave radar instead of the camera to look as 200 meters ahead. Both can stop the car if you don't react to the audible warnings.

Just like the diesel engine, the wagon body is a no-show in America. Over in Europe, this bad boy starts at a very reasonable €22,490 with a basic 20-liter gasoline engine. Options are cheap, but German manufacturers have more tech for you to buy. However, the Mazda6 Wagon has everything a normal buyer could dream of for a lot less money than the equivalent Volkswagen or Opel.

Our tester with the twin-turbo diesel engine, AWD, and full trim cost €35,490 and only missed out on a few options. The dealer told us it's probably the most expensive Mazda you can buy in Europe. However, the Passat 2.0 BiTDI sedan we drove was around €20,000 more expensive. For the same money as our Mazda, you can want into a BMW showroom and leave with a BMW 120d xDrive with no options. Which would you have?

If you're looking for a stylish, spacious, economical wagon that won't break the bank and comes packed with flavor, this should be among your top 3 choices. Too bad for the suspension, otherwise we would have given it the full recommendation.