Review of the new Mazda6 Range

So what's changed about the latest Mazda6? Well, it's more spacious, 65mm longer, 15mm wider, 5 mm taller with a 50mm longer wheelbase than the first generation model. It's also safer, more practical, better built and, in new 2.5-litre petrol flagship form, faster. The good news though is that, sensible though all that sounds, it's still not boring. Thanks goodness for that.

Mazda signalled its rebirth back in 2002 with the first Mazda6, a sleek, stylish and highly successful car, which embodied the company's Zoom-Zoom spirit. It was one of Mazda's best-selling cars in Europe, with more than 450,000 sales (72,700 of them here, in Mazda's second biggest European market), garnered on the back of over 100 awards.

To maintain the same kind of momentum, the second generation model must represent as big a step forward - and that's a big ask in the face of competition that includes latest versions of cars like Ford's Mondeo and Renault's Laguna. This car must also out-live new generation models of rivals like Citroen's C5, Vauxhall's Vectra and Honda's Accord. In short, it needs to be very good indeed.

The Mazda6 zoom-zoom tagline wasn't just an advertising strap: this genuinely was the first Mazda family car you could look forward to driving. This has been an approach further developed in the second generation model. Mazda engineers have correctly identified that driving experience is mainly about suspension, steering and transmission.

So, there's a fully independent suspension system delivering improved ride comfort and reduced road noise. The old rather woolly hydraulic power steering set-up has been ditched to be replaced with the Mazda RX-8 sports car's electric system in order to achieve optimal steering assistance at the widest number of speed variations. Incidentally, the adoption of electric assistance also improves fuel economy by approximately two percent.

"The Mazda6 zoom-zoom tagline isn't just an advertising strap."

And the gearbox? It wasn't a high point of the old car, so there's a new six-speed manual transmission that offers an especially precise shift operation with built-in positive stops for the extremes of the gearlever's movements. Greater performance from engines like the latest 2.5-litre petrol motor has led to the need for more stopping power, so the latest Mazda6 is fitted with larger front brake discs and a larger-diameter master cylinder to enhance both the outright braking performance and the brake feel. As a result, the stopping distance from 60mph is just 39m on dry surface, amongst the best in its class

A key design criteria on the second generation Mazda6 was the 'it should still look fresh in ten years time'. That might be stretching things a bit but the stylists have certainly created a good looking and slippery shape with a drag coefficient of Cd 0.26 for the 4735mm long hatchback and saloon versions and 0.28 for the 4765mm long estate.

Mindful that rivals were getting larger, Mazda's designers knew they needed a larger cabin, yet the shape needed to retain the sharp sportiness of the original version. By and large, they've succeeded. The windscreen is deeper and higher, creating a feeling of spaciousness actually delivered by a slightly wider body that offers occupants greater shoulder room. Thanks to the longer wheelbase, knee room for the rear passengers is also increased - by 13mm.

In the rear, the 60/40 split seatbacks fold forward with a simple, single movement (using Mazda's neat karakuri folding system), presenting a flat luggage floor. We liked the fact that on the estate model, the rear tonneau cover automatically moves upwards as the tailgate is opened, eliminating the need to handle the cover every time cargo is loaded or unloaded. Build quality was a strong feature of the MK1 Mazda6 and this latest version also feels impressively well screwed together. Body panel gaps have been greatly reduced and higher quality materials introduced for a greatly improved premium feel. New safety equipment includes an Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS), parking sensors, an active headrest that protects your neck in a crash, collapsible brake and clutch pedals and extensive pedestrian protection measures.

Prices range in the £15,000 to £22,000 bracket, with saloons priced equally to hatches but estates attracting around a £700 premium. The main trim choices are TS, TS2 and Sport, with an SL variant for the top diesel and an entry-level S version for the petrol 1.8. One of the reasons not much has changed on the pricing front is that, well, under the bonnet, not much has - at least when it comes to petrol power. The 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines have been carried over with small changes from the old model that have led to 10% improvements in fuel economy and emissions. At the top of the range, there's a 170ps 2.5-litre unit. Diesel buyers are better catered for with an impressive 2.2-litre unit offered in three states of tune - 125ps, 163ps and 185ps.

A significant safety boost is being provided for Mazda6 drivers with the introduction of Mazda's lane change 'Rear Vehicle Monitoring System' as standard from TS2 level upwards. This fully automatic active safety feature detects and warns the driver of an approaching vehicle before he or she has a chance to move across into a busy lane by mistake. The system uses wide angle, 24 GHz microwave radar units on the right and left side of the rear bumper to cover both sides of the car within a range of 50 metres. At speeds over 40mph, microwaves are emitted which reflect off following vehicles, including motorcycles, and are picked up by the system's receivers.

The Mazda6 sits somewhere between Ford and Vauxhall and Honda and Volkswagen when it comes to residual values - although your dealer will probably tell you different. Economy figures are class-competitive, with even the 2.5 petrol flagship able to return over 30mpg in normal use. The diesel returns 51mpg on the combined cycle in 125ps guise. Expect insurance groupings to sit in the same group 7 to 16 bracket as the MK1 model. The CO2 improvements made on the 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol variants that many customers will buy are timely but the resulting figures of 161 and 166g/km are still nothing to write home about. Perhaps greater investment would have been merited here. The same is true of the economy improvements made to these engines. The 2.2-litre diesel (with CO2 emissions figures ranging between 147 to 152g/km) represents the best all-round choice for affordable running costs if you can get a deal that reduces the £1,000 or so premium over the comparable 2.0-litre petrol unit.

The changes made to the second generation Mazda6 represent a typical Japanese approach to doing things. Having taken rival products apart bit by bit, the designers have scrupulously gone over the original model and redesigned where it was necessary and left alone where they thought it wasn't. To be honest, it's not much of a recipe for design innovation, but that would be more of a problem had not the first generation Mazda6 not been such a ground-breaking car for the marque.

This model will please existing owners and surprise the relatively few who will take a break from other brands and try one. To achieve anything more would have required a completely new approach. Perhaps Mazda are saving that for the MK3 model..

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