Mazda6 Review (2013-2022)

What is the Make Model?

This third generation of the Mazda6 went on sale in 2013 and is notable for using the manufacturer’s own platform and engines – a departure from the first two generations, which were based on the Ford Mondeo. It’s brilliant to drive, because it borrows some of the characteristics from the company’s best-selling MX-5 sports car, which means it’s a lot more fun behind the wheel than your average saloon or estate.

It's also a very worthwhile used buy, because the increasingly unpopular large family saloon and estate markets (people just prefer SUVs these days) suffer from steep depreciation.

In January 2023, Mazda announced it would no longer sell the Mazda6 in the UK, due to the declining popularity of saloon cars.

How practical is it?

Both the saloon and the Tourer (estate) are also spacious enough for four tall adults to be comfortable even on a long journey. That said, the Skoda Superb and the Volkswagen Passat offer even more rear legroom.

The saloon’s 480-litre boot is deep and wide enough to take a couple of large suitcases, but the narrow opening is less than ideal if you’ve got a chunky buggy or other bulky items, despite the standard 60/40 split folding rear seats. This is something that rivals such as the Ford Mondeo and the Skoda Superb – both hatchbacks – did away with long ago, even if smaller executive cars such as the BMW 3 Series have kept the four-door layout.

The Tourer is obviously a far better option if practicality is a priority. The long, 522-litre estate boot will be fit for most outdoor sports gear, big dogs or otherwise, especially because the rear seats fold flat at the pull of a lever just inside the tailgate. However, if you want the biggest boot from a similarly aged estate, then look to the Skoda Superb Estate, which has a vast 660-litre capacity.

What's it like to drive?

The Mazda6 was launched with a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with 143bhp or 163bhp, or a 2.2-litre turbodiesel with either 148bhp or 173bhp. The lower-powered diesel is more than gutsy enough, and it’s our pick of the engine range if you’re after an efficient used family car. It’s also ULEZ exempt, so it avoids an additional charge if you drive into central London. Its sharp handling and crisp steering mean it’s brilliant out of town, too, and much more fun than your average saloon or estate.

The Mazda6 is only available as a front-wheel drive car, now with the option of that 143bhp 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G petrol or 148bhp 2.2-litre Skyactiv-D diesel, or there’s a low powered version of the petrol engine offered with an automatic gearbox.

Rivals such as the Superb, the Passat and countless family SUVs, such as the Nissan Qashqai and the Ford Kuga, offer a much wider range of petrol and diesel engines, along with automatic gearboxes, four-wheel drive and plug-in hybrid versions also, so the Mazda6 range looks dated and limited in today’s market, even if the real-world economy of these bigger engines is closer than you might expect to the smaller, turbocharged units typically used in the Mazda’s rivals.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Equipment levels are generous, and even the original entry-level SE-L trim got Bluetooth, USB charger, alloy wheels, parking sensors and cruise control. You’ll need one of the higher trims in the early cars if you want satnav, and various other extras, such heated seats. Top-spec Sport Nav even got a head-up display, traffic sign recognition, and a heated steering wheel.

We’d recommend going for a 2016 model or later, if you can, because the seven-inch touchscreen system became standard across the range in 2015, and was then improved further in 2016, with an easy-to-use rotary controller and more functions (the engines also received emissions and refinement improvements at this time).

From 2019, the screen was improved again, and is now eight inches as standard. It’s a very easy system to use – far more so than that of many rivals – but the graphics are grainy and there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Mazda6 running costs

You’ll see around 50mpg in real-world driving from the manual diesel models, and even the 2.0-litre petrol will do some 40mpg, although going for an automatic gearbox (no longer offered with the diesel engine) means the economy will take a hit.

New, the Mazda is similarly priced to the Skoda Superb, but it loses value very quickly, especially compared to SUV alternatives including the Nissan Qashqai, and even Mazda’s own CX-5. That makes it a great used car bargain, though.

Insurance and servicing will be reasonable by big car standards, and the Mazda has a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty from new – very much the industry standard. If that’s a priority, the likes of Kia and Hyundai have much longer new car warranties.

Mazda6 reliability

Mazda generally has a good reputation for reliability, although it came 16th out of 31 manufacturers in What Car’s 2024 reliability survey, which was pretty much bang-on middle of the pack.

DPF issues on the diesel are a weak point, so be wary of low mileage cars. If they haven’t been run at motorway speeds regularly, then the diesel particulate filter can clog up, causing the oil level to rise, which can then cause significant damage to the engine. Otherwise, the Mazda6 promises to be one of the most reliable big family cars you can buy.