2009 Mazda MAZDA6 Review

After years of disappointing sales with the previous Mazda6 Mazda, the company goes back to the drawing board to create the all-new 2009 Mazda6. The resulting car is bigger and much more sharply styled than its predecessor.

Older models of the Mazda6 came in two body styles, but for the 2009 Mazda Mazda6, Car and Driver reports that there is "only the four-door sedan." For the 2009 Mazda Mazda6, ConsumerGuide notes that "four trim levels are available: SV, Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring," while an "i" or "s" suffix denotes either a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine under the hood, respectively. There's not much in the way of external differences between the trims, and Cars.com lists the few differences as either "16-inch steel wheels with full covers (standard on SV-I and Sport-i)" versus 17- or 18-inch "alloy wheels" on the more upscale trims, along with "LED taillamps" for the Grand Touring models and "dual exhaust outlets" for the V-6s.

Other than those minor differences, all Mazda6 sedans boast a body that Car and Driver says is "up 6.9 inches in length, 2.3 in width from before." Mazda designers have done some impressive work with the extra sheetmetal, crafting an exterior that reviews read by TheCarConnection.com love. Automobile Magazine says that, "when viewed from behind, its clean design and twin sculpted exhaust diffusers (on V-6 models) are pure Lexus," and they appreciate that "its curvaceous body panels look elegant and aren't ruined by any fussy details." AutoWeek adds that the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 looks "nicely distinctive" and "certainly more stylish than the big sellers in the field." Cars.com describes the Mazda6 as having "a long hood with pronounced front fender flares that flow through the headlamps and mold with the front bumper." Motor Trend reviewers are impressed and feel that the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 has "a far more compelling presence than the outgoing iteration" thanks to "a sleeker profile, while expanded width and track dimensions impart a more aggressive stance."

The interior of the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 gets lots of love from reviewers as well, and for good reason. Automobile feels that "the interior is more elegantly designed" than any of those found on its competitors, and Road & Track reviewers love the "refined interior." ConsumerGuide appreciates that "all the gauges and controls are logically placed and easy to read," and they note the "large, stylized gauges behind the steering wheel blend form and function well." Motor Trend chimes in by writing that "a 'cockpit' motif carries over up front," and "the dash and center stack show a clear Mazda imprint, with conventional analog gauges replaced by electroluminescent units in the top two trim grades." Cars.com finds more to love about the Mazda6's interior and says "the new rounded instruments and a three-spoke steering wheel integrate nicely into the T-shaped instrument panel."