Topic: Test Drive: 2016 Mazda6

[Noto]

Does anybody know why they have this interval?

discussed at length here

and here's the Mazda6's schedule.

[JRM]

I like the improvements, especially the interior.  My purchase of a mid sized sedan last year came down to the Mazda6, the styling of which I preferred, and VW Passat.  I found the Passat a bit more comfortable for my 6'3" frame, and, in order to get the features I really wanted, such as dual auto climate control, leather steering wheel, fully automated "coming home" light control, simultaneous window up/down from outside the car, etc., I would have had to go up to the 6 GS, which was about $4,000.00 more than the base Passat, which had these features standard.  The GS did have a few more additional features than the Trendline, but none I really wanted.  Also the Passat TSI feels as if it has a livelier power band, a positive trade off for the slightly better handling of the 6.  For me, no other competitors came close in terms of a combination of driving dynamics, perceived quality and room.

[OliverD]

No 220HP+ option? It's North 'Murica. F'get it.

Very few people buy the high powered versions of family sedans.

I was speaking for myself.

Then you shouldn't have said "It's North 'Murica." 

[OliverD]

It's been successful for Mazda in that its sales are up significantly. Last year was its best year since 2007 and up 22% over 2013. Year to date it's up another 22% (not 2.2%).

You're correct.  May over April is 2.2%, but 2015 to 2014 YTD is 21.9%.

Still, I don't gauge success by virtue of % change.  I view it by virtue of market domination ("muahahahaha!")share, and Mazda does not take a serious bite out of any mid-size sales in that respect.  Whereas the Camry is immensely profitable for Toyota, I'm not so certain that the 6 is for Mazda.

So if your law firm increases bookings by 20% in a year, you wouldn't consider that to be a success because there are other firms that are much larger?

Mazda is on track to increase American 6 sales > 20% a year for three years in a row. That's quite impressive and definitely qualifies as successful in my eyes. Mazda is a niche player and no one is expecting the 6 to sell in Accord/Altima/Camry volumes.

[Solstice2006]

It's been successful for Mazda in that its sales are up significantly. Last year was its best year since 2007 and up 22% over 2013. Year to date it's up another 22% (not 2.2%).

You're correct.  May over April is 2.2%, but 2015 to 2014 YTD is 21.9%.

Still, I don't gauge success by virtue of % change.  I view it by virtue of market domination ("muahahahaha!")share, and Mazda does not take a serious bite out of any mid-size sales in that respect.  Whereas the Camry is immensely profitable for Toyota, I'm not so certain that the 6 is for Mazda.

So if your law firm increases bookings by 20% in a year, you wouldn't consider that to be a success because there are other firms that are much larger?

Mazda is on track to increase American 6 sales > 20% a year for three years in a row. That's quite impressive and definitely qualifies as successful in my eyes. Mazda is a niche player and no one is expecting the 6 to sell in Accord/Altima/Camry volumes.

They just don't get it.  I have mentioned the same reasoning as you, but it falls on deaf years.  Best selling Mazda6 in over 7 years...

And they just made it better!  Is it perfect?  No! That would be the wagon diesel manual!     Over priced?  The GT a bit, but look across the lineup, similar to Accord.

[whaddaiknow]

Then you shouldn't have said "It's North 'Murica." 

1:0 OliverD 

OTOH, is there another mid-sized sedan without a 220HP+ option?
IIRC, the Altima came into some serious play in the early 2000's when they offered the most powerful V6 in the class. I'm sure they had a lot of conquest sales by setting themselves apart from the competition with that 6-pot and still is a serious player in the market some 15 years or so later.
You don't increase your market share by limiting options.
Put a 2.0L turbo in that 6 with output similar to A3 (at least), and now we are talking!

[OliverD]

OTOH, is there another mid-sized sedan without a 220HP+ option?
IIRC, the Altima came into some serious play in the early 2000's when they offered the most powerful V6 in the class. I'm sure they had a lot of conquest sales by setting themselves apart from the competition with that 6-pot and still is a serious player in the market some 15 years or so later.
You don't increase your market share by limiting options.
Put a 2.0L turbo in that 6 with output similar to A3 (at least), and now we are talking!

The 2002 Altima V6 was certainly groundbreaking - 240 hp in a midsize sedan was amazing back then. And it offered a stick!

But still, I don't think any Japanese car in this category has a take rate of > 20% for their higher powered variants.

I'm guessing that whatever motor the next CX-9 has will find its way into the 6 as well.

[Danno001]

Does anybody know why they have this interval?

discussed at length here

and here's the Mazda6's schedule.

The mechanic on the Globe article lost me at recommending changing your oil at 5,000 kms.

From the Mazda 6 schedule.

Replace Fuel Filter (Mazda 6 Diesel Only)

LOL.

[JohnnyMac]

I like the improvements, especially the interior.  My purchase of a mid sized sedan last year came down to the Mazda6, the styling of which I preferred, and VW Passat.  I found the Passat a bit more comfortable for my 6'3" frame, and, in order to get the features I really wanted, such as dual auto climate control, leather steering wheel, fully automated "coming home" light control, simultaneous window up/down from outside the car, etc., I would have had to go up to the 6 GS, which was about $4,000.00 more than the base Passat, which had these features standard.  The GS did have a few more additional features than the Trendline, but none I really wanted.  Also the Passat TSI feels as if it has a livelier power band, a positive trade off for the slightly better handling of the 6.  For me, no other competitors came close in terms of a combination of driving dynamics, perceived quality and room.

Drove the Mazda 6 and VW Passat TSI back to back last summer and felt the same way.  The other thing I noticed was how much more quiet the Passat was over the Mazda 6.  Did I read somewhere the refreshed 6 came with a bit more sound insulation/thicker glass?

[Jaeger]

Then you shouldn't have said "It's North 'Murica." 

1:0 OliverD 

OTOH, is there another mid-sized sedan without a 220HP+ option?
IIRC, the Altima came into some serious play in the early 2000's when they offered the most powerful V6 in the class. I'm sure they had a lot of conquest sales by setting themselves apart from the competition with that 6-pot and still is a serious player in the market some 15 years or so later.
You don't increase your market share by limiting options.
Put a 2.0L turbo in that 6 with output similar to A3 (at least), and now we are talking!

Agreed. Just about every other manufacturer thinks there is a business case for an uplevel power option in their mainstream midsize family sedans.  Accord, Camry, Sonata, Altima, Optima.....  They're not just building them for giggles.  Of course they sell more of the cheaper, less-powerful versions.  But that's not ALL they sell.  And this decked-out Mazda isn't any cheaper, really, than the decked-out V6 and turbo-4 offerings from the competition

[OliverD]

Then you shouldn't have said "It's North 'Murica." 

1:0 OliverD 

OTOH, is there another mid-sized sedan without a 220HP+ option?
IIRC, the Altima came into some serious play in the early 2000's when they offered the most powerful V6 in the class. I'm sure they had a lot of conquest sales by setting themselves apart from the competition with that 6-pot and still is a serious player in the market some 15 years or so later.
You don't increase your market share by limiting options.
Put a 2.0L turbo in that 6 with output similar to A3 (at least), and now we are talking!

Agreed. Just about every other manufacturer thinks there is a business case for an uplevel power option in their mainstream midsize family sedans.  Accord, Camry, Sonata, Altima, Optima.....  They're not just building them for giggles.  Of course they sell more of the cheaper, less-powerful versions.  But that's not ALL they sell.  And this decked-out Mazda isn't any cheaper, really, than the decked-out V6 and turbo-4 offerings from the competition

Every single one of those cars shares its engine with other models though (minivans, SUVs, other sedans) and sell in much higher numbers to begin with. At this point Mazda doesn't have another volume model to put a more powerful engine into. Until the CX-9 is replaced there likely isn't much of a business case for a more powerful 6.

[Jaeger]

Then you shouldn't have said "It's North 'Murica." 

1:0 OliverD 

OTOH, is there another mid-sized sedan without a 220HP+ option?
IIRC, the Altima came into some serious play in the early 2000's when they offered the most powerful V6 in the class. I'm sure they had a lot of conquest sales by setting themselves apart from the competition with that 6-pot and still is a serious player in the market some 15 years or so later.
You don't increase your market share by limiting options.
Put a 2.0L turbo in that 6 with output similar to A3 (at least), and now we are talking!

Agreed. Just about every other manufacturer thinks there is a business case for an uplevel power option in their mainstream midsize family sedans.  Accord, Camry, Sonata, Altima, Optima.....  They're not just building them for giggles.  Of course they sell more of the cheaper, less-powerful versions.  But that's not ALL they sell.  And this decked-out Mazda isn't any cheaper, really, than the decked-out V6 and turbo-4 offerings from the competition

Every single one of those cars shares its engine with other models though (minivans, SUVs, other sedans) and sell in much higher numbers to begin with. At this point Mazda doesn't have another volume model to put a more powerful engine into. Until the CX-9 is replaced there likely isn't much of a business case for a more powerful 6.

Hmmmm - so the models that offer uplevel power sell in much greater volume, you say.  Concidence?   

Look, I get that they will never touch Camry or Accord for volume.  But Hyundai came out of nowhere and blew them out of the water to at least be in the conversation with the segment heavyweights.  And they didn't accomplish that by offering sub-200hp motors only.  Mazda would EASILY have me as a customer if not for the lethargic power.  And I get that it is "sufficient" "adequate" etc.  But after Maxima and Altima V6 power and Hyundai turbo power, acceleration in the Mazda feels positively l-a-m-e.  Even with the stick.

[OliverD]

Mazda would EASILY have me as a customer if not for the lethargic power.  And I get that it is "sufficient" "adequate" etc.  But after Maxima and Altima V6 power and Hyundai turbo power, acceleration in the Mazda feels positively l-a-m-e.  Even with the stick.

I'm not arguing that the 6 isn't relatively slow. I can't see myself buying one either after having owned two first gen V6 stick 6s. But the importance of an uprated engine to sales is IMO vastly overblown and it's proven by the 10-20% take rate that I've heard quoted for V6 or turbo four engines in this segment.

Of course it would be great to have a more powerful option. But as a small company with limited R&D resources, it isn't – and shouldn't be – Mazda's top priority.

[johngenx]

The 3 is too nice.  Unless you MUST have the extra space (and it's not that much bigger) then really isn't much to drive one from a 3 to a 6.  Sure, the 6 is gorgeous, but hey, the new 3 is mighty easy on the 'ol eyes!

[dirtyjeffer]

My 2013 Sonata has a 6,000 km OCI requirement. I change my own oil to avoid the dreaded dealer experience.
The OCI requirement is the only reason I would not buy Hyundai again.

i checked the Hyundai USA website for the service intervals on a 2013 Sonata 2.4L 4 cylinder engine...it recommends oil changes every 7500 miles.

in fact, barring any high performance car, i can't see any modern car requiring oil changes more often than 10,000 kms at least...my friend has a Honda Civic and the dealer told him to only bring the car in for an oil change when the car told him to (oil life monitor)...it often trips in the 15-17,000 kms range.

personally, i just get mine done every spring and fall, when i get the tires changed over.

[Benhaze]

Then you shouldn't have said "It's North 'Murica." 

1:0 OliverD 

OTOH, is there another mid-sized sedan without a 220HP+ option?
IIRC, the Altima came into some serious play in the early 2000's when they offered the most powerful V6 in the class. I'm sure they had a lot of conquest sales by setting themselves apart from the competition with that 6-pot and still is a serious player in the market some 15 years or so later.
You don't increase your market share by limiting options.
Put a 2.0L turbo in that 6 with output similar to A3 (at least), and now we are talking!

Agreed. Just about every other manufacturer thinks there is a business case for an uplevel power option in their mainstream midsize family sedans.  Accord, Camry, Sonata, Altima, Optima.....  They're not just building them for giggles.  Of course they sell more of the cheaper, less-powerful versions.  But that's not ALL they sell.  And this decked-out Mazda isn't any cheaper, really, than the decked-out V6 and turbo-4 offerings from the competition

Every single one of those cars shares its engine with other models though (minivans, SUVs, other sedans) and sell in much higher numbers to begin with. At this point Mazda doesn't have another volume model to put a more powerful engine into. Until the CX-9 is replaced there likely isn't much of a business case for a more powerful 6.

Hmmmm - so the models that offer uplevel power sell in much greater volume, you say.  Concidence?   

Look, I get that they will never touch Camry or Accord for volume.  But Hyundai came out of nowhere and blew them out of the water to at least be in the conversation with the segment heavyweights.  And they didn't accomplish that by offering sub-200hp motors only.  Mazda would EASILY have me as a customer if not for the lethargic power.  And I get that it is "sufficient" "adequate" etc.  But after Maxima and Altima V6 power and Hyundai turbo power, acceleration in the Mazda feels positively l-a-m-e.  Even with the stick.

 

Amen to that.

Being a 2-time Mazda6 previous owner, when Zoom-Zoom meant something to Mazda, this product offering leaves me out cold, despite the gorgeous exterior design. And I do like the exterior design so much that every time I see a new Mazda6 I think this is what the Q50 should have looked like...

This is a big problem for Mazda: as previous owners grow older, look for something more refined, polished (certainly less noisy) and have more disposable income Mazda offers nothing, zilt... Mazda is a good youth brand but can't move on beyond this  and is in a dire need of a better upper management.

[Solstice2006]

^^ Can't be that big of a problem when this generation of 6, is doing better than the 2nd generation.  The 2nd generation was bigger, faster, and quieter!  This is a bit slower, a lot more fuel efficient, way better looking, and has an interior of a European car, not specifcally designed for the North American market, like many of the others...

Still respectable that Mazda is holding it's own against the Subaru Legacy, that has AWD, and the bigger engine option. 

As stated, my biggest gripe with Mazda is some of the packaging, and colors with the base model.

The biggest reason to get the 6 over the 3, is the 2.5L engine.  As you have to get the 3 GT to get it. 

[pcsp]

Mazda has the 4 month oil change policy for one (or more) of three reasons (none of which are good):
1. they have concerns about their motors
2. they want to direct traffic to their service depts. to increase dollars
3. they want to use the clause to their advantage when a customer inevitably fails to abide by the warranty conditions and eventually needs warranty-based engine work.

I don't see any other choices. I have no time for arguments that support such a short interval by saying that it's a small price to pay for piece of mind and protection of a vital part of your vehicle. BS! It's actually a significant outlay of dollars and, more importantly, one's TIME. Hey, if every 4 months is good, why not go for the additional piece of mind that every 2 months would provide? Total BS.

[Solstice2006]

Mazda has the 4 month oil change policy for one (or more) of three reasons (none of which are good):
1. they have concerns about their motors
2. they want to direct traffic to their service depts. to increase dollars
3. they want to use the clause to their advantage when a customer inevitably fails to abide by the warranty conditions and eventually needs warranty-based engine work.

I don't see any other choices. I have no time for arguments that support such a short interval by saying that it's a small price to pay for piece of mind and protection of a vital part of your vehicle. BS! It's actually a significant outlay of dollars and, more importantly, one's TIME. Hey, if every 4 months is good, why not go for the additional piece of mind that every 2 months would provide? Total BS.

Big accusations without much proof.  No known problems with the Skyactiv engines.  It's only oil changes, it's not like having your DSG transmission flushed that costs over $700!   

[quadzilla]

Big accusations without much proof.  No known problems with the Skyactiv engines.  It's only oil changes, it's not like having your DSG transmission flushed that costs over $700!

 

Try $300 or less every 64,000 kms.

Can't believe (well actually I can) people are complaining about getting 3 oil changes a year.