Mazda6 upgrade on sale in Australia

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By Tim Beissmann | October 04th, 2011

Mazda Australia has overhauled the mid-sized Mazda6, with the most dramatic change being a price jump of more than $4000 for the entry-level model.

The new Mazda6 range opens with the $31,450 Touring six-speed manual sedan, which is $4140 more expensive than the now-discontinued $27,310 Limited manual.

The new pricing means the entry-level Mazda6 is more expensive than the Toyota Camry ($30,490), Ford Mondeo (from $30,990), Hyundai i45 (from $26,990) and Volkswagen Jetta (from $26,490), but still cheaper than the Subaru Liberty (from $33,990) and Volkswagen Passat (from $38,990).

The Touring models have replaced the Classic, which was the volume seller in the previous range. The Touring sedan and hatch variants are $300 cheaper than the equivalent Classic models, and are now also equipped with front and rear parking sensors, leather seats and electric front seats with driver memory function. The added features come on top of the already-standard climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, and the safety package that includes six airbags and electronic stability control.

The price of the Touring wagon (the only Touring model previously offered) has been slashed $3370 to align with the new sedan and hatch.

The Diesel wagon is also $300 cheaper than its Classic equivalent, and scores the same equipment upgrades as the Touring sedan and hatch.

The same price cut applies to the Luxury Sports and Diesel Sports hatches, and these models are now fitted with a seven-inch touchscreen satellite navigation system – previously a $2800 option – resulting in $3100 increased value overall.

Mazda Australia will be hoping the revised line-up can help turn around the Mazda6, which is enduring a slow 2011. After the first eight months of 2011, the Mazda6 sits fourth in the medium car sales race in Australia (3754), trailing the Toyota Camry (11,885), Ford Mondeo (4596) and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (3931).

Year-to-date sales are down 30 per cent in 2011 – more than three times worse than the average decline in the medium sub-$60,000 segment – and its share of the market has fallen from 13.2 per cent in 2010 to 10.1 per cent so far this year.

The update Mazda6 range goes on sale in Australia this month.

Mazda6 manufacturer’s list prices (excluding government and dealer charges):

Mazda6 Touring sedan manual – $31,450
Mazda6 Touring sedan automatic – $33,450
Mazda6 Touring hatch manual – $32,450
Mazda6 Touring hatch automatic – $34,450
Mazda6 Touring wagon automatic – $34,750
Mazda6 Luxury Sports hatch manual – $41,115
Mazda6 Luxury Sports hatch automatic – $43,115
Mazda6 Diesel wagon manual – $35,950
Mazda6 Diesel Sports hatch manual – $42,515

123321

How’s the road noise level like?

amlohac

Compared with what?

123321

Compare with other mid size cars.

amlohac

Probably wont change much from the last model, dont think the rubber they are using is any different on the wheels.

Better than a Honda Accord! Those things are unstellingly loud.

agb

If true, that’s a shame, as it’s well known that tyres cannot ever be changed …

t39

My mother owns one: road noise is high, especially coming from the back.

I lifted the carpet in the boot to check what’s the matter: there is no sound proofing there at all, just bare metal thru and thru. I am going to apply some “Dynamat” sound proofing product to improve things a bit.

Car Fanatic

There is no sound proofing because they try to hit you up for it as an aftermarket product

amlohac

I work for Mazda. And theres no aftermarket option for “sound proofing” on any Mazda vehicle.

Kris

Don’t use Dynamat for the floor of the car, use it for the doors. Use Dynapad for the floors as it’s better suited to eliminating low frequency noise such as road noise.

peter

I have a 2010 6 and I am not happy with it .It suffers from wind noise around the doors when over 90km/h. I had a 2005 mazda 6 and it had no wind noise, the best car I have owned.

http://fiat bill

The first generation 6 looked great, it stood out in a sea of dreary camrys etc…. the 2nd Generation blends in with the sea of dreary Camrys.

I’m sure it’s a much better car handling and funwise than a camry, but it looks really dull.

Crummydore

Yup, they lack something… that’s for sure.

First gen had a more in your face look (not in a bad way of course), now they look too ‘slip streamy’.

Pity the Accord Euro wagon isn’t sold here… they look good.

anthony

In 2002/3 when the first Mazda 6 and Honda Accord Euro were launched,they were very similar,and revolutionised the mid sized segment.
Over time,the Honda was the better design,as they still look fresh and well proportioned today,even as 8 and a half year old cars.

The second generation diffired a lot styling wise.

I considered both last year,as they are still both excellent cars,but chose the Euro,based on looks,reputation,and quiteness…and am very happy with my choice.

http://mickdim@internode.on.net honda1

And so am i!

JonnyBravo

check out the US SPEC Mazda6. I think it looks better than than the one we get here (especially the tailgate)

JonnyBravo

but not so much the front

Whitbomb07

Sales probably won’t go up that much, too much anticipation for the SKY 6.

Get the Diesel Sports to 40k driveaway and you might do better!

Regards

Whitbomb07
Robbie

Unfortunately Mazda has lost its Zoom Zoom in this class.
I am looking at replacing my Mazda 323 (v6) now that I have a family and I just can’t see myself in a 6. It just looks boring, to big and has an uninspiring engine.

I’m eagily awaiting the CX-5. But already the 2ltr petrol engine has been bagged as bland!

Real shame …

123321

The cars have upsized.

The current Mazda6 = The size of the old Mazda 929

The current Mazda3 = The size of the old Mazda 626

The current Mazda2 = The size of the old Mazda 323

If you don’t want the current Mazda6 coz you think it’s too big. What you need is the current Mazda3 and you get to save $$ as well. Shop by car size, don’t shop by car model numbers

123321

“price jump of more than $4000″. If it was released last week when A$1 = US$1.11, the new price would remain the same or lower.

amlohac

Not how the car market works buddy. So when our dollar takes a dive we get stung for more? hmmmm … no.

123321

When the Aussie dollar goes up, the price stays the same.
When the Aussie dollar goes down, the price creeps up.

JP

Yeah that’s right. They pay for each car when it is driven of the boat………LOL
Westie

How many C Classes??? Wow!
What economic crisis?
Mr Gaspo

I like the wagon… Too bad there is ni diesel auto.
Yonny

And what if you don’t actually WANT leather seats? Seems like now you’ve got no choice, if you buy a Mazda 6.

It’s just my opinion, but cloth seats are easier to live with than leather seats – and last longer, too.

Why?

You must not have kids

NotTheStig

I have kids and they hate leather. Too cold/too hot.

I hate it too. But my kids don’t make a mess…

nickdl

Leather is much better if you have a dog. Dog hair is impossible to get off cloth seats.

http://caradvice OSU811

buy the wagon, put a boot liner in and put dog in boot!

Toyota Guru

Yep, Mazda have just had a major brain explosion! At least Toyota will still have cloth in 2 or 3 variants of the new 50 series Camry.

Make leather an option, or cloth a delete option, especially on higher grades. Not everybody wants leather.

Mad Max

Last time Mazda lifted prices, they dropped them again after a few months and tried to sweeten the deal for existing owners with a couple of free services. So now they try to offer you some cow skin covered seats and a few other goodies and jump the prices. My guess is that after a few months of further sales slump, they will again lower the prices. This is a strange pricing strategy in a climate of uncertainty, job losses and financial pain.

Martin

They should stop looking at Honda’s strategy eh. Didn’t work too well for them…

Charger

HAHAHA Spot on!

Eric

The price has not risen. They just drop the Limited (base model) Thus the cheapest M6 is now more.
carloz

This midsize sedan segment is giving way to mid-size SUVs nowadays, people buying bigger cars expect more comfort and high seating position and more storage in the boot. They are all buying small or larger SUVs instead. Even in the luxury end, there are more sales in smaller sized models than the bigger size models. There are more Merc C-class and BMW 3 series & 1-series on the roads than the bigger brothers.

Unless there is something special comes up in this segment, people rather spend a little more on SUV or a smaller size sedan like Mazda3.
laurie

Can’t believe you cannot get an auto diesel? I mean diesels go hand in hand with autos or is Mazda afraid the auto is not able to take the torque of the diesel!!

Car Fanatic

What a crock, Autos have improved over the years to fit with Diesels, but Diesel goes hand in hand with Manuals.

Hmmm…

Not a crock, not since all the new diesels rely so much on the turbos…the torque converter in an auto helps disguise the lag, a lot.

123321

Diesels are for Europe. The Americas, Japan, Asia, 98% of Aust don’t drive diesel cars. And for some reasons, all of Europe drive manual cars. May be they think manuals are cool, fashionable and drive like a Ferrari (their hero car) ?

Devil’s Advocate

Obviously spoken by someone who hasn’t driven a modern turbo/diesel. That Ferrari comment is funny considering that pretty much all Ferraris are “automated” manuals and have been for some time…..

http://Www.holotropik.com Technofreak

Pity about the engine
I need a bigger car and was hoping for the Sky M6 with diesel or something better than the old thirsty 2.5L.
http://Zuboora.com Mohamad is right when he says

Just buy a mondeo

Jake Williams

I like a manual tranny, can I have a Mondeo manual? No? Fail…

me-all-day

There is one fact that has consistently kept me out of a Mazda and one only. 10,000Km Service intervals.
Until Mazda get with the market and move to 15,000Km service intervals they will never be an option for me.
Not only does it mean dearer running costs, it’s more inconvenient getting the car serviced more often.

123321

1,000km “service”:
Free. Just a 15 min visual inspection at the Mazda dealer. No oil change like some other car companies now. When asked to have the oil change at our cost. The dealer said “We don’t do that, it’s got RUN-IN oil”. What’s that? Snake oil? More like cost cutting. Engine oil for the 1st 1,000km is full of metal fragments.

10,000km service: $300
20,000km service: $400
30,000km service: $300
40,000km service: $700
50,000km service: $300
60,000km service: $400
70,000km service: $300
80,000km service: $700
Repeat

There’s no free loan car when servicing the car. Got to pay an insurance of $30 for it for a couple of hours and you’ve got to book 4 weeks in advance. Else loan cars “all booked out”.

What do I know? I got a late model Mazda6.

No wonder the car company with a $130 per service every 15,000km became the top selling brand. Especially with fleets coz they DO CRUNCH THE $$$ NUMBERS $$$.

Devil’s Advocate

I find that “no oil change” thing interesting as well. However more than just Mazda don’t change the oil on “first” service. Having said that we musn’t forget that a lot of these engines have already been “run in” on a bench now-a-days and you would find less metal in the oil than in years of yore because of more accurate manufacturing etc.

Lastly, if you don’t like the cost of Mazda’s service costs, go elsewhere where it is cheaper, even between dealers if you have the option. Don’t forget you don’t have to go to a dealer to keep you warranty…

Devil’s Advocate

…and the free loan car thing? It is more than just Mazda and not something that you can blame them for. Plus don’t forget that it is NOT Mazda themselves that set these prices etc, it is the dealer, which is a different thing completely. I have found that there is hardly any dealer of mainstream cars, regardless of brand, that provide free loan cars etc. It is more something that you negotiate with the dealer/service department. The only times I have been given/offered “free” loan cars was from a BMW dealer, but we all know that would have been built into the service price no matter if you use one or not!!!
Roo

Yeah, and doesn’t the Mazda have an oil filter to filter out the metal bits?

mmmmm

I’ve just paid $440 for a 40 000km service at a Mazda dealer, you need to shop around more.
The service price varies widely between dealers. The western suburbs dealer in brisbane can be up to twice the price of the other dealers.
Mazda recently surveyed owners to ask if we’d pay higher prices for 15,000 service intervals

Jimbo

Buy a Skoda Octavia instead. I did… $6+K less for a car that is just as good. The Skoda ia a little less sexy to look at, though the interior is better than the Mazda’s.

Jimbo

CA, what is the point in commenting if my comments await moderation for days on end?

Devil’s Advocate

Jimbo, it was probably flagged because of the word after “a little less….” and before “to look at”. The first three letters may have caused it…

jimbo

Fair call DA

Buzy Robot

I must admit I’m disappointed that the Luxury Sedan has been deleted from the lineup. Not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with the Touring, but it seems to be a higher spec Classic and lower spec Luxury. No sunroof, no BOSE stereo, no sports grille, no paddle shift gear controls on the steering wheel, no rear view mirror with dimming function. Are any of these features at least optional on the sedan? What about Sat-Nav? Great to see it’s now standard on the Luxury Sports Hatch, but is it even an option on the sedan? Well, I guess that’s why the old Luxury Sedan retailed for roughly $44,000 and the new Touring Sedan for roughly $36,000. One would have to go for the Luxury Sports Hatch to get a comparable level of equipment nowadays. This can actually be quite off putting for those consumers who only want higher specs in a sedan. Hopefully the next gen in 2013 addresses these shortcomings.
Pez

I just ordered a Mazda 6 Diesel Wagon for $34,500 driveaway – I have to wait a couple of months but at least it will be a 2012 built model. What do you think – did I score an ok deal?