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" On Sale Date: Now Base Price: $20,880 Competitors: Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Chevy Malibu, Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata Powertrains: 2.5-liter, 184 hp, 185 lb. ft. of torque; 2.2-liter diesel, 174 hp, 310 lb. ft.; six-speed automatic or manual EPA Fuel Economy: TBA (We got an observed 38 mpg in the diesel.) What&amp;#039;s New: Mazda has taken a completely different approach to its much-lauded 6. Previously, the car was a slightly smaller but sportier competitor compared to other midsize cars, but the new 6 moves up in size to match the leaders. It&amp;#039;s no copycat job, though. From a styling and layout perspective the front-wheel-drive Mazda6 looks much more like a rear-wheel-drive car than any of its contemporaries. The cabin is shifted back, leaving a long, distinctive hood line and bold fenders. Yep, she&amp;#039;s a looker.  Everything beneath the skin is new, too: new engines, new transmission, new chassis, new interior, and new electronics. The cabin is awash with excellent materials and detail-oriented leather work. Mazda has improved the button and finish quality to match cars like the Optima and Accord. It&amp;#039;s really an impressive effort.  Tech Tidbit: Mazda has worked hard to develop a suite of technologies called Skyactiv aimed at upping fuel efficiency without killing fun. The SkyactivD, the diesel model, will probably be coming to the U.S. (though we must await official word), and it addresses emissions and weight problems with a counterintuitive solution: a low compression ratio. At 14:1 the SkyactivD has the lowest compression of any production diesel. This reduces particulate and NOx and allows Mazda to forego the expensive after-treatment system found on most diesel engines. Driving Character: Like all Mazdas, the 6 is set up to be a fun car to drive. The electric power steering has been meticulously tuned to provide the greatest level of feedback possible and it makes for an engaging drive. Brakes, suspension motion, and body control are well balanced to deliver a strapped-down feeling. The Skyactiv engines deliver solid, smooth power for most of the rev-range, though the gas engine can be a tad harsh at the limit. The diesel is the must-have engine choice. Just a tad noisier at idle than the gasser, this version of the 6 packs a mountain of buttery smooth torque that makes acceleration and passing a delight. It&amp;#039;s no BMW 3-series to be sure. But as a front-drive midsize, it&amp;#039;s certainly satisfying. Favorite Detail: It sounds a bit odd to say, but the navigation system on the Mazda6 is so good it&amp;#039;s worth praising, with perfect and accurate timing for turn-by-turn directions and voice prompts in the most pleasant British accent you&amp;#039;ll ever hear out of a car. Details make a difference.  Driver&amp;#039;s Grievance: While the infotainment system is effective, it&amp;#039;s also a bit manic in its controls. Input options include an i-Drive-like knob just between the armrest and shifter flanked by category buttons. The same category buttons are repeated around the high-mounted center display. There are also touch screen options on the display. It feels like Mazda didn&amp;#039;t know which option to choose so it went with all of them. The Bottom Line: Mazda plans to build about 160,000 6&amp;#039;s a year. We feel that number is pessimistic. The American mid-size car segment is red-hot right now, and the new 6 offers style and substance where some of the others do not. What used to be the swoopy but improperly sized also-ran is now a right in the strike zone and scores extra points for beautiful design and compelling engineering. Priced right, the Mazda6 will make settling on the right midsize an even more monumental task than it already is.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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