The 2014 Mazda 6: What the critics say

Popular Mechanics

“Yep, she’s a looker.” But there’s a lot more to the all-new Mazda 6 than its “distinctive hood line and bold fenders.” Roomier than the previous 6 and significantly more fuel efficient, it’s also set up, as most Mazdas are, to be fun to drive. It’s hard to find fault with the 6’s new four-cylinder gas engine, but an optional 2.2-liter diesel—due to arrive midyear—is the “must-have” choice. It “packs a mountain of buttery smooth torque,” making acceleration “a delight.”

EdmundsInsideLine.com

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Mileage numbers on that diesel should also turn some heads. “If our rough calculation of 37 mpg is correct,” there soon could be a large new flock of potential buyers discovering what a diesel-powered sedan can be when it’s built by engineers who are “laser-focused on oneness between driver and vehicle.” Our only complaint about the 6? The interior simply isn’t plush enough for a car that’s “trying to blur the lines between family car and luxury car.”

Car and Driver

But give Mazda credit: The brand “has wisely chosen to go its own way” as it tries to grab more buyers. The result is a car that offers a “nearly perfect blend of feel, comfort, and control.” Compared with its many nondescript rivals, it also has “more character lines than Johnny Depp.”