Getting to grips with the Mazda6

With the arrival of diesels and estates, the Mazda6 range is finally up to full strength - and ready to take on allcomers, says motoring editor Peter Carroll.

With the belated introduction of diesels and estates the Mazda6 range has finally reached full strength - and the car should become a big player in the declining, but still important family-sized sector of the market.

Only petrol models were available at the car's initial launch late last year, so I was keen to try a diesel as these will account for 90 per cent of all sales - and Mazda provided the perfect opportunity by laying on a UK driving event based in north Wales.

The Mazda6 was praised at its launch for its elegant looks, excellent roadholding abilities and appeal to the corporate buyer.

Sales have got off to a healthy start. The firm is predicting annual UK sales of around 14,000 a year in a still hotly-contested segment of the market.

Nearly all the 6's competitors are fresh models, with the exception of the Vauxhall Vectra - and that is being replaced later this year.

Although we drove top end models at the event in Wales, the most popular Mazda6 will probably be the TS2 whose features include 17-inch alloy wheels, auto-dimming rear view mirror, electric folding door mirrors, automatic lights and wipers, a 6-disc CD-changer, and, critically for the business market, integrated Bluetooth.

In hatchback form the 6 is a good-looking car with a curvy, slippery shape that that gives it the best drag co-efficient in its class.

Monochrome colours really suit the car. It looks great in black - and even better in crystal white.

The estate, which costs an additional £700, is possibly not as sharp-looking but does offer greater practicality and Mazda expects it to account for up to one in five sales.

Inside, the cabin of the 6 has a restrained, premium feel with the controls sensibly laid out for ease of use.

Most models in the range come with CF-Net, which integrates the controls for navigation, air conditioning, audio, and driving information onto the steering wheel.

The 6's MZR-CD 2.0-litre turbo-diesel produces 140 PS of power at 3,500 rpm and 330 Nm of maximum torque at 2,000 rpm - and feels livelier than its acceleration figures might suggest.

The new model benefits from a structure that is considerably more rigid than the outgoing car, boosting both performance and safety.

The 6 holds the road well and is rewarding to drive. Mazda has made a number of subtle enhancements which together create a sporty feel: like setting the steering wheel at a more vertical angle and raising the position of the gear lever so that it is closer to that of the MX-5 and RX-8. The ride is sporty too and could be too firm for some.

The only fly in the ointment for the Mazda6, however, could be its fuel consumption. On a long drive through north Wales on a variety of roads we returned around 37mpg.

It's not that this is a particularly disappointing figure, it's just that I was hoping for more from a car which is more aerodynamic, three per cent lighter, and has a more efficient engine than its predecessor.

It does at least score better on the emissions front than its predecessor and is also more advantageous from a tax point of view too.

By Peter Carroll