2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring: Driven
The Honda Accord is now in its ninth generation, and as we reported in our First Drive of the 2013... Read More
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26 mpg city, 38 highway (automatic)
25/37 (manual)
GREEN | 8 out of 10
We're rating the Mazda6 based on the presence of its clean-diesel engine, a 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, in the lineup; although this engine hasn't yet been given official EPA ratings and won't arrive until later in the model year—likely October or November 2013. Expect a city rating of around 30 mpg, with highway numbers well into the 40-mpg range for the diesel, which will be available with either a manual gearbox or the six-speed automatic.
That said, the 2014 Mazda 6 is a very fuel-efficient car with its base four-cylinder gasoline engine—incorporating a suite of so-called SkyActiv technologies that include direct injection, variable valve control, and a very high 14:1 compression ratio. Based on what we've seen with both this 2.5-liter version in the Mazda6, as well as the smaller 2.0-liter version that's going in the Mazda3, this engine delivers excellent real-world mileage—perhaps 3 to 5 mpg better in real-world driving than other vehicles that have comparable EPA ratings. Like many cars in its class, the Mazda6 now does better with the automatic than with the manual in the official test as well as in real conditions—mostly because the automatic is so good at quickly bringing engine revs down when they're not needed.
In brisk driving, over 125 miles of suburban boulevards and country two-laners, mostly, with some expressway driving, we averaged nearly 31 mpg in an automatic Mazda6.
Conclusion
The 2014 Mazda 6 is one of the leanest and most fuel-efficient models in its class—and that's before even considering its upcoming clean-diesel option.
