2021 Mazda6: 6 Things We Like and 3 Things We Don’t
The 2021 Mazda6 is a sleek and agile sedan that could fool you into thinking you’re behind the wheel of a luxury model — well, so long as you don’t focus on the foibles inherent in its infotainment system. While the Mazda6 is far from perfect, it excels in ways that cause direct rivals — including the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry — to spin their wheels in frustration.
Related: 2021 Mazda6 Carbon Edition Review: A Car for Drivers, Not Users
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Shop the 2021 Mazda Mazda6 near you
To start, the Mazda6 has head-turning looks, unexpected from a mainstream sedan that starts at around $25,000. Even the new and very well-equipped Carbon Edition trim, introduced for the 2021 model year, has a reasonable entry price that hovers around $34,000.
The Mazda6 is also downright fun to drive, but our testing also uncovered areas for improvement, including one flaw that could be a knockout punch for this otherwise entertaining sedan. Keep reading to find out the pros and cons of Mazda’s mid-size family sedan.
Things We Like
1. Stylish Exterior
We’ll be the first to admit that automotive styling is subjective. Then again, we think it’s a safe play to praise the 2021 Mazda6 for its elegant lines. The new Carbon Edition adds gloss-black exterior trim, black alloy wheels and a deep-red leather interior, and it comes in a striking exterior hue called Polymetal Gray.
2. Quick-Witted Steering
One of the things we love most about the 2021 Mazda6 is this sedan’s eagerness for twisty roads and tight corners. Compared to rivals, the handling simply feels like it belongs to another class of car. Better still, the sharp steering doesn’t require a rigid suspension to get you around corners quickly and confidently.
3. Turbo Power
The standard engine in the Mazda6 is a perfectly fine 187-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder. But if you really want to liven things up, the optional turbocharged version is a hoot: With anywhere from 227 to 250 hp (depending on the grade of fuel you’re using), the turbocharged Mazda6 has effortless acceleration and never drones on the highway. It’s smooth, refined and well worth the additional price.
4. A Fine Balancing Act
The best part of the Mazda6 might be how all these various pieces fit together. The turbo engine is a good match for the six-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile, that agile handling we raved about in our review is coupled to a suspension that’s elastic in how it responds to what’s going on at each wheel. In almost every respect, the Mazda6 delivers a first-rate driving experience.
5. Mainstream Price, Luxury-Like Cabin
The sedan is affordable in standard trim or even a higher-end trim like the Carbon Edition, and its cabin looks expensive. In terms of the layout and quality of the cabin materials, the Mazda6 is an overachiever.
6. Safety Scores
The 2021 Mazda6 scored a coveted Top Safety Pick Plus rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Mazda6 earned top marks in every crash test, along with high scores for the effectiveness of its headlights and ease of use of its Latch child-safety seat system.
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Things We Don’t
1. Infuriating Infotainment System
The Mazda6 is so close to being great, it drives us crazy how the infotainment system spoils the party. There’s a large screen that seems perfectly placed for easy fingertip inputs — except the system locks out all touchscreen functionality when you’re on the move. This means all controls must be done via a knob and buttons located on the center console between the front seats. Why, oh, why Mazda did you insist on this route?
2. Rivals Have More Rear Legroom
The infotainment system is so maddening, it almost makes any talk of rear legroom seem superfluous. But compared to rivals such as the Camry and Volkswagen Passat, the Mazda6 comes up short on rear stretch-out space. It’s OK, just not as roomy as other mid-size sedan competitors.
3. Brake Feel
In city or highway traffic, the Mazda6 impresses with its fluid driving dynamics, but brake feel is a flaw. Sure, they bring the car to a stop when you press them — that’s their job, of course. It’s simply that they don’t have a lot of useful feedback. This limits how wild you get when behind the wheel of this otherwise fun-loving family sedan.
Related Video: 2018 Mazda6: First Impressions
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
