The 2013 Mazda6 range will include a variant that is set to be more fuel efficient than the Toyota Camry Hybrid.
A ‘high power’ version of Mazda’s 2.2-litre turbo diesel that will form one of two engine choices for the Mazda6 in Australia will have an official European fuel rating of 4.5 litres per 100km.
The Australian figure is expected to be slightly higher based on local ADR testing but is still expected to be superior to the 5.2L/100km of Toyota’s petrol-electric Camry.
Mazda’s most frugal 6 uses a Prius hybrid-matching 3.9L/100km, though this ‘standard power’ diesel has not been selected for the Australian market.
The fuel consumption data is part of the final details released by Mazda to coincide with the public debut of the Mazda6 wagon at the 2012 Paris motor show.
The petrol alternative for Australian buyers is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol with 141kW of power and 256Nm of torque, and fuel use and emissions of 6.3L/100km and 148 grams of CO2 per kilometre respectively.
A six-speed automatic is the only transmission option for the petrol. The diesel, which debuted in the Mazda CX-5, has outputs of 129kW and 420Nm and is offered with a choice of the self-shifter that increases consumption to 4.8L/100km or a six-speed manual.
Both the 2.5 petrol and 2.2 diesel come standard with i-Eloop, which stands for ‘intelligent energy loop’ and incorporates a capacitor that stores electricity under deceleration and uses it to power areas such as the climate control and audio.
It works in conjunction with the 6’s iStop engine stop-start technology, allowing electrical components to be powered without sapping battery life when the engine is shut down.
The diesel manual and petrol auto versions of the new Mazda6 both accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds, says Mazda, with the diesel auto taking 8.4sec.
Mazda has been drip-feeding information on the Mazda6 in recent weeks, but the latest details also reveal all dimensions for both the sedan and wagon variants.
The important US market’s preference for large sedans means the Mazda6 wagon is actually shorter in both length and wheelbase than its four-door sibling.
The wagon is 65mm shorter than the 4865mm-long sedan, while the sedan’s 2830mm wheelbase boasts an extra 80mm between the front and rear axles.
Both models share a 1840mm width but the wagon is 30mm taller at 1480mm.
The wagon’s 522-litre boot has the edge over the 489 litres of the sedan’s boot, though the sedan actually has longer load lengths to both the rear seats and front seats.
The size of the new Mazda6 also makes it 130mm longer and 45mm wider than the outgoing model.
The 2013 Mazda6 utilises the SkyActiv platform of the CX-5 SUV that has proved popular in Australian since it launched in early 2012.
Mazda says the architecture has been “optimised for the longer, lower, lighter Mazda6”, adding that the front strut and rear multi-link suspension is lighter and stiffer than before.
A lighter yet stronger body sits over the platform, and the sedan’s shape yields a slippery drag coefficient of just 0.26cd. The wagon still has decent aerodynamics with 0.28cd.
Mazda is confident the new 6 will be better in almost every area compared with the old model, saying the third-generation mid-sizer brings more cabin space, improved handling and a quieter interior.
The company says it will also be its most advanced model yet, with a variety of driver assist technologies available that include radar cruise control, lane departure and blind spot warning systems, headlights than can peer around corners and switch automatically between high and low beam, and automatic braking functions that can operate from both 15-145km/h and 4-30km/h speed ranges to help avoid collisions if the driver has been distracted.
Mazda Australia isn’t releasing pricing for the new Mazda6 until closer to the model’s local launch in the first quarter of 2013.
Stay tuned to CarAdvice later next week for a review of the 2013 Mazda6.