2008 Mazda6 Review
February 26, 2008 by Matt Brogan
2008 Mazda 6 Luxury Sports Hatch Review
“Sharp, sorted, willing – brilliant”
Model tested:
- 2008 Mazda 6 Luxury Sports Hatch 2.5l Petrol Automatic – $46,910
Stunning Looks, Drives Brilliantly, Superb Fit & Finish
Too Few Interior Changes, Needs More Punch
CarAdvice rating: 
- by Matt Brogan
If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Sometimes it’s a good philosophy to live by and the old Mazda 6 reigned within that sentiment. A great functional car that drove beautifully was well priced and was exceptionally good looking, so it could be argued it didn’t need replacing.
Sure, it was starting to look familiar, but it aged well, in fact were it eighteen, it’d still be getting asked for ID. It was a brilliant car, rightfully popular and kind of hard to beat…until now.
The new Mazda 6 is nothing short of stunning. In fact when you consider just how dull and monotone mass produced cars can be it’s refreshing to jump in to something that has actually had some thought put in to not only the aesthetic side of things, but the overall functionality of the vehicle as a whole.
But before all that, let’s take a look at things. Yes, it’s similar in shape to the old one and despite being a little longer (35mm), characteristically it has lost none of the style that made Mazda 6 so well loved.
Sleek, flowing contours, upswept headlights that flow smoothly on to bold curved arches hugging sweet eighteen inch alloys, high angular shoulder line raked upward to the rear and that unmistaken Mazda front end are a recipe for a car that could easily be mistaken for something more sports orientated than a family five door. It’s so good looking it’s almost unfair to the others.
Another reason not to buy a Camry/Aurion!!!!
Toyota done a good job making the Camry look even crappier than the Aurion.
They don’t even compare to the Mazda!
Gotta hand it to you REALCARS!
I laugh when some wannabe diehard Toyota lovers get on here and say it is like the Camry / Aurion. LOL! One view to dismiss that silly view is front on look and more so when beside back car about 4metres away and look at front bonnet and guard. Do yourselves a favour and throw your cardigans off and look! Get the Toyota blood outta ya system before you do it!
I can now see why people voted for current PM! 2020 summit….gee dam golly gosh thats funny.
TP, what are you talking about? The Mondeo does have xenon lights.
Great review by Matt Brogan…love his comments and he admires the stunning looks to. Forget your allegiance in who you all support as this car is a hot sweet looker with class!
Thanks NM – I should put you on the pay roll! :)
Naughtyius, I am admitting that I like it, but possibly less than the model it replaces, which IMO was ground-breaking. This one looks like the old model that’s eaten too many pies.
This is certainly a good looking car and so is the Ford Mondeo.
P.S No comment back from Paul.
PHILLIP…WTF > pies, no this is not the President of the Collingwood AFL side? Explain, as your moving the goalposts. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO STATE????
OZ…spot on as cars is like life (unless your the 2008 HOFF)…..get along with all and love all cars when they deserve merit – this one is classy!
Yep Naughty Max, sure is a fantastic looking car!
Look, we all remember the god-awful styling Mazda stung our eyes with in the 90s. The last 323, 626 and even the recently superceded Mazda 2 were about as interesting as Canberra on a Saturday night. So, when the Mazda 3 and 6 (not to mention the new Mazda 2) came out, journalists and consumers were very excited. Fast forward to 2008 where we have the first 2nd generation of what you could call a ‘return to form’; the new Mazda 6. As I mentioned before, I think it is a very handsome car, however it is an extremely predictable update of the previous shape.
I really think the previous model looked nicer. When I was looking at a new one (a hatch) from the back the other day, I couldn’t help but wish that they’d kept the numberplate above the bumper. Plus, I think that the front and rear Mazda badges are far too big. The whole car looks much bigger, which could turn some buyers off.
Under the skin, again I don’t think that that much has improved: sure, it’s faster and quieter, but there’s still just a 5 speed auto, the diesel version has been dropped and there’s no sat nav or reversing camera etc. It’s brought nothing new to the table.
“Nothing new to the table”????? you are kidding arent you Phillip??? have you driven this or any car in the range? Do you understand anything about car evolution and development? You dont need a 6 speed manual in this type of car champ.Its purely for wank/bragging factor. plus it helps keep development costs down of a Mainstream Car.
For all you ford people, gee I hope this much loved mondeo of yours does well for Fords sake!! have a look at how Mazda is going on a global scale and how Mazda is going on a global scale. Coincidence? fluke? I think not!
sorry i meant “6 speed Auto”
No need to get emotional Daniel. I like it, just a little (read: a lot) less than you do.
PS: I’m no Ford fan.
Ok…So TP- you’re saying the Mazda 6 shytes all over the Mondeo…Back at school, I learnt about something called Essay writing. Say it, Explain it, Example.
What you said: “Mazda 6 shytes all over Mondeo
What you used to back it up “One is an example of a complete package; nice shape, xenons, LEDs… the other is a cost cutting package; No LEDS, no projectors let alone xenons, essentially, a gimmick of a car.”
In one foul swoop Mr. TP, you pulled appart your own argument! LED’s and Xenons ARE gimmicky. Are they Necessary? No. Are they Nice? Yes. Besides, last time I checked- Mondeo does have Xenon’s in Europe, just not here.
The argument you use to justify the Mazda 6 as being a better product than the Mondeo is critically flawed.
No signs of cost cutting hey? Well to me, NOT putting anything more powerful than a woeful 125Kw 4 Cyl in a 1.5 Tonne car costing the up side of 46K IS cost cutting.
For 41K, You can get a top of the line XR5 Turbo Mondeo that will put the 6 to shame down the straigtaway and dynamically. It’s most certainly competitive if not more striking than the 6 yet you seem to have not seen any of that. *Sigh* No wonder you buy Toyota…
Comparing the Luxury model to the Ford Mondeo XR5 turbo, I am more inclined to go with the XR5. It looks a whole heap better.
I’d have the mondeo xr5, in my *opinion* it is better looking than the mazda 6 (too plain), better equipped, and cheaper. I can’t understand the anger of some of the mazda supporters (Daniel, TP, although thats more anti-ford). Why do yuo get so upset that not everyone prefers the mazda 6? I thought phil was being quite reasonable with his points. And NM, stop trying to tell us what our opinions on the mazda 6 should be. You’d prefer it to the mondeo, good for you. Personally in light of the mondeo existing I don’t think the new mazda 6 is class leading, or that hot.
Tom – I think I would go for a drive in both and compare feature versus feature on what is offered across the board. They are both nice and sweet and I think the Mondeo will age better! But I also like the Mazda 6 and would either way need convincing in the metal and drive.
Another great product from Mazda….all I would like to say from an avid 25yr buyer of Mazda’s is that its one’s choice to like what they want and the other is that in the long run the Mazda will return a better resale than the busy and mega fugly European Ford.
The Focus hasn’t been a great hit for Ford as the only model that is selling well is the Ranger and gee that’s a re-badge of the Mazda BT-50….Ford might have 33% share but that’s god Mazda still do the designing….lets see who prevails in the sales stakes by the end of 2008 as Ford has the clout to market well but the private buyers will account for the 6 being a better seller…
Do all you idiots on here saying the Mondeo XR5 is better than the Mazda6 realise that the 6 starts over 10k cheaper than the XR5????? And Bucket, the knob having a go at the Mazda6’s 125kW engine, the standard Mondeo, which is about the same price, only has 118kW!!! NM, you do realise you waffle more than anyone on this site? And that what Philip said made perfect sense to anone with an IQ over 80 (I’d understand if you didn’t understand it either Oz)? And if anyone is on here to get info in preparation of a new purchase, reasd the articles, as they are accurate and well written, but don’t bother reading the comments as 99% of them are unnecessary drivel.
There’s my rant for this evening.
Well better to comment funnily then be a stuck up commenter then most on here. Obviously Iam not on here that much as some so you make me laugh at your fairy comment!
Another unprovoked attack from jbot who hasn’t really contributed anything on this post
Bot…you drink chardonnay dont you! LOL I know you and how you are, wearing bottled glasses Master Theories boy
Thats right OZ….he is same blood as TP as he has proven his ignorance in life before! He is an ideas man…all in his cranium…Ha Ha Ha
Oz, I just looked through this post to see what you had “contributed”:
1) “Mazda 6 shytes all over Mondeo”
Sorry Paul, I’ll take the facts
2) TP, what are you talking about? The Mondeo does have xenon lights.
3) Yep Naughty Max, sure is a fantastic looking car!
4) Another unprovoked attack from jbot who hasn’t really contributed anything on this post
Great contribution buddy. When you show the slightest sign of intelligence (not holding my breath), I’ll be quite happy for you to make comments like No. 4.
All that so called self proclaimed IQ and THE BUTT (Jbot) calls – “all idiots”
Jbot I can tell you those comments show more intelligence than yours!
Naughtyius Maximus, yep sure “the butt” At least I’ve contributed something, so “the butt” can’t talk….
I don’t need to say anymore, so I won’t, as it seems you two are doing a great job of looking like fools without my help.
So you give up hey? Wow, what a fool.
LOL….”all idiots” hey BOT. Intelligent, yeah right ha ha ha ha ha ha! Like TP you use the word idiot as you cant be civil!
jbot using the word “intelligence” ROFL, I’d be surprised if he knew the difference between a SV motor and a OHV motor!
Hey JBot,
The point I’m making is that for 46K you can get the Luxo pack Mazda 6…Which still has the same engine as every other model in its range (or do they get worse? because they certainly don’t get better)
The XR5 Mondeo offers all the Luxuries the top end 6 has yet they still cant manage to give it a more powerful mill…Let me see…162Kw…320NM…versus 125Kw…both cars weigh in at 1.5T…BOTH Offer top of the line features (and the Mondeo gets a far more modern looking HMI)
Let me see…41K for the XR5…46K for the 6
So what if the lower model Mondeo has 118Kw We’re talking about total value for money at the other end of the scale so pull your head out of you know where and just don’t jump into the argument when you see fit.
JBOT….calls people idiots straight up and nobs straight up (with all that so called theory and supposed IQ he spells it ‘knob’; maybe you should eat the pies that the laughable sidekick said of the Mazda 6….LOL HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Dare say in this case IQ means something like ‘Internecine Queer’). I don’t need to say anything else, so I won’t as it seems you are doing a great job of looking like a fool without my help.
NM, HAHA yeah!! the jbot kid sure made a “fool” of himself last night because he started an unprovoked attack but gave up. If he’s attacking us because he claims we have low intelligence? We wernt doing it any harm to him, so that shows if we have low intelligence, he has no intelligence.
Relax guys, the new 6 is a nice car, though IMO starting to take on a bloated look rather than the previous sleek look, it does need more power, I think Mazda should have addressed this, though they know their target market better than me.
Looked at one Wed with my wife, she prefers her old 6 TBH, not a “chunky” was her comment. However no doubt the reason that turn’t her off may be the very reason that will induce someone to buy it, each to their own.
As an aside, the dealer offered us a new Nov 2007 luxury hatch for 39k drive away, 45kms on the clock, still thinking bout that one..
“bloated look” is being harsh, but def a heavy look to it..
Jbot,
the Mazda 6 starts at 10k cheaper than the XR5 does it??
dont fogget the Mondeo range starts at 29K!!!!!!!
thats like saying a commodore Omega is better value than an XR6T as the omega starts 10K cheaper
I don’t believe people are comparing the Mazda6’s shape to the lardy Ford Mondeo. When I saw the Mondeo I did not even want to step out of my car to look at it at the dealers. I have a preference for European car design but my goodness the the Mondeo a fat whale design or what.
I am sure it drives well and supple but to my eyes..it has too much resemblance to the Aussie Ford falcon range.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm………………the interior (the centre console and dash) looks to similar to the current Mazda 3!
Mazda scores 5 stars in the looks department. It is let down by not having the “must have tier 1″ equipment: sat nav, smart key, rain sensing wipers and dusk lights. Rear reversing camera is also a glaring omission particularly with the hatchback’s high rear.
Perhaps this is a price skimming strategy put on by Mazda? And may review the list as “extra free features” when the new Accord Euro is released in the second half this year? For the record, current Accord Euro gets sat nav, rain sensing wipers and dusk lights. C’on Mazda, don’t let the 6 down!
It looks a lot like an expanded 3.
I have driven both the Mazda 6 and the Mondeo XR5. If I was to buy one, it would be the XR5 for me. On looks I slightly prefer the XR5, but I prefer the interior of the 6. However, I would be looking at the Luxury Sport 6 and for $44K for the manual, I just can’t see the value. At least the XR5 has a different engine and offers far better performance to the cheaper Mondeo’s. Whereas the 6’s still offers the same performance, just more creature comforts than the cheaper variants. Plus the Mondeo is a few grand cheaper then the top spec 6.
Not offering a V6 will stop me buying one; and also not offering sat/nav and heated front seats…been standard on the Honda Euro Luxury for sometime now…not sure what Mazda were thinking there…
The mazda6 is definetly my next car. Although I can’t afford the top of the range luxury sports model, I am satisfy to spend low $30K to buy the base model and still get the looks. It is a family car which will stand out from the rest. Too many camry on the road. As for the Mondeo. Didn’t even look twice when I saw it on the road.
I bought one of these, the TS2 2.0 litre petrol version in January, in England. I have to tell you, I am 53 years of age and I have ownwed many cars, but this car is absolutely superb and the best car I have EVER owned. It is awesome. Even the irritating rear tyre noise above 20mph is not enough to put me off. I have had people almost driving into the car in front, as they drive past me staring at it. I even had one person knock on my door to ask me about it and tell me that it was the best looking car he had ever seen. When you pull up at a junction, you cannot hear any engine noise at all and you cannot feel any vibration through the wheel, pedals or seat. The quality is absolutely stunning. I park it on a car park, do what I have to do and when I return, I catch my breath. It stands out amongst the other cars. It is absolutely beautiful. I am already looking forward to changing it for a new one in 4 years time. I wonder how good that one will be?
In England, its rivals are the Vauxhall Vectra, the VW Passat, The Honda Accord, the Lexus 220, the Ford Mondeo, the Mercedes C Class, the Audi A4 (or even the A6), the BMW 5 Series, the Hyundai Sonata. Only the Lexus comes close, the rest are just pathetic by comparison. They are also-rans. I LOVE MY MAZDA6!
Haven’t read every post so it may have been commented on already but we like the lighter interior. If I’m not wrong previous model was only available with dark interior which wife didn’t like (claustrophobic). I think the interior looks much more inviting in shades pictured in review.To be fair most current model vehicles including Lancer, most Subarus, etc..etc.. have had plain dark uninviting interiors as well.
Madza 6 – tick! – tick! – tick! – tick!
Manual cars are great fun to drive and make you think of where you are pointing it and how you negotiate idiots on the road who drive automatics with a phone and iPod in their ears – alright not everyone; just many!
The Madza 6 has colours!!!! and a manual gearbox!!!! in most versions – hurray!!!!
Great build quality and the versatility of a deep big hatch with a full size alloy spare tyre – hurray again!!!!
Dark interiors look cleaner and smarter when the fabric picks up unwanted dust, dirt and food stains – light greys age poorly in cars and trim marks stand out.
Once I\’ve finished paying off the VECTRA this will be my next car – first non-Holden.
Well, I just purchased the 6 luxury sedan. It is a beautiful car to look at and a great car to drive. I traded in a Camry Sportivo. I looked at the Camry and Aurion Sportivos. Toyota make great, reliable cars but I was not prepared to pay $43k for the Aurion Sportivo ZR6 with the crappiest plastic dash and switches. My other car is a cheapy Hyundai and the dash/switches are better quality than the Aurion/Camry.
The Mazda also drives better than the Sportivo and sits better on the road. The Aurion seemed a bit fidgety to me.