2017 Mazda6 Atenza Road Test and Review…

There’s a lot to like about the Mazda range in 2017 and the Mazda6 is certainly a mid-size sedan you need to drive.

Not the sales success though that Mazda Australia would like, the Mazda6 faces a segment dominated by the Toyota Camry and in a wider market that is turning away from passenger cars.

SUVs are the flavor of the day, though a generously-sized sedan always makes sense too.

The Mazda6, especially in this top-spec Atenza form, is a vehicle that will happily serve you in style, both around town and out on the open highway too.

I had the keys to the petrol engine version, there’s a diesel version available as well and it comes at a $2,850 price premium.

The 2.5 litre SkyActiv petrol unit is spritely around town (especially in Sport mode) and cruises along nicely at highway speeds as well.

It feels more powerful than the 138kW at your disposal and gets along well when you need it to.

While fuel economy is very good for the size of the car – the official figure is a combined 6.6L/100km and you can expect to use a little over 8.0L/100km in the city.

The ride, handling, steering and brakes are all hard to fault.

The Mazda6 turning circle though isn’t brilliant and will most likely see you having to undertake U-turns with the help of reverse.

Another complaint I have relates to the centre console lid/arm-rest – it makes a funny noise (or at least it did in the car I had).

When you place any weight on the pad it makes a squeaky kind of noise, a minor complaint, but something that takes the shine off what is a really classy cabin.

You might also find that rear seat legroom is a little short, especially given the overall size of the Mazda sedan.

The Mazda MZD Connect infotainment system is always a winner and I’m glad to see digital radio features in this grade of the Mazda6.

While the head-up display is a winner too, just take note that you adjust the height of the little display screen via the settings in the infotainment system (I didn’t know this before I had this car).

Boot space is absolutely enormous, especially in length and the 2017 Mazda6 range features a full five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Summing it up: it’s a shame the days of the mid-size and large sedans look somewhat numbered – cars like the current Mazda6 are remarkably refined and easy to live with.

Nice to drive, comfortable, safe and quite frugal too, the Mazda6 stands up exceptionally well against its mid-size rivals.

NUTS and BOLTS – 2017 Mazda6 Atenza

Engine: 2.5 litre petrol delivering 138kW/250Nm or 2.2 litre turbo-diesel producing 129kW/420Nm

Transmission: Six-speed automatic (only)

Safety: Five star

Warranty: Three years

Origin: Japan

Price: from $46,490