6 of the best…

One of the best family cars of recent years, the Mazda 6 Tourer, now offers more bang for your buck as Laura Thomson reports

At first glance, not much appears to have changed on the Mazda 6. Apart from a few styling tweaks, it is near identical to its predecessor. And it’s little wonder. First introduced for the 2014 model year, before being updated for 2016, you could be forgiven for wondering why Mazda has once again modified the 6.

However, in this instance, it is very much a case of what’s inside that counts.

Looks and image

From the outside, the 6 is an eye-pleasing model, with flowing lines joining together in Mazda’s signature grille, which is flanked by a sharp LED lighting signature.

In the cabin, several enhancements are seen, including a redesigned steering wheel, fresh instrument dials, and chrome effects on tactile components such as the glovebox.

Similarly to its previous guise, the cabin of the Mazda 6 boasts a premium feel, which belies its reasonable price.

Space and practicality

Space is plentiful with the 6, both in sedan and wagon form.

Front and rear passengers can sit in comfort, and while the estate’s 522-litre boot may not be able to compete with other models in its class, it is, nonetheless, adequate.

A host of technology as standard - much of which was available on the previous model - makes the 6 not only comfortable to drive, but safe and practical as well.

Behind the wheel

Hop behind the wheel and the first thing you will notice in the updated Mazda 6 is the reduced cabin noise.

This is thanks to the Natural Sound Smoother, a small damper placed in the hollow part of each piston pin, which works to reduce noise from the diesel powertrain.

Mazda’s G-vectoring Control (GVC) – the manufacturer’s own torque distribution kit – makes its debut on the D-segment model, promising to smooth corners and improve driving satisfaction.

There is no option to disable the system on the 6, so it could be argued that we don’t know if it is working or not.

However, one thing that can be said is it takes a lot of persuasion to convince the car to understeer on even the tightest of turns. Another thing the GVC will do, Mazda claims, is improve passenger comfort at high speeds, as fewer steering corrections are required to keep on path.

Value for money

On looks alone the 2017 Mazda 6 would not be worth the premium over earlier versions.

However, when the extensive engine tech is taken into consideration, the model becomes one of the most technologically equipped in its price range.

The Mazda 6 price range starts at £19,795 for the saloon.