Source: Mazdausa.com
Looking for a family sedan that has some style or maybe you are in the market for a four-door sedan that has sporty handling? Look no further than the highly competitive 2016 Mazda6 I Grand Touring. Given a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA it offers loads of standard safety features that many families look for in a car while giving a firm ride with competitive fuel economy that many crave.
First Impressions
At first glance the Mazda6 I Grand Touring in ‘Snowflake Pearl White’ has a sporty look that can be lacking in a mid-size sedan. My friends kept saying, “What a nice looking car!” or “It’s so pretty!” and I had to agree. It has a distinct look to it that made a rather dull, winter week feel brighter.
Take a Look Inside
Source: Mazdausa.com
The interior of the Mazda6 grabbed my attention immediately. The dual tone leather in ‘Parchment’ and black are fantastic and striking. It really ups the quality and style quotient on the car. My valet one night expressed a deep love for the interior when he climbed into the car and he seemed surprised too. He shouldn’t be. Mazda offers a lot for your money and that isn’t just under the hood.
The front and back seats are both roomy and comfortable with seating for five with a 60/40 split in the back. Seats are heated in the front with seat memory and lumbar support. Paddle shifters on the steering wheel are a nice addition as is the sport mode on the automatic version of the car. I loved the raised up 7″inch touchscreen display. On the whole the console to center dashboard was easy to use and fairly intuitive without feeling cluttered in the least. The narrow and sparse design on the dash reminded me of BMW style-wise.
Standard on the Mazda6 I Grand Touring is the electronic parking brake and keyless entry with 11-speaker Bose sound system. That’s a nice step up from previous years and worth it. Did you know that the perforated leather seats actually enhance the audio quality in the car and compliment the sound system? Fact. You can tell as you cruise the highway or the town.
The Ride
One of the first things I noticed about the Mazda6 I is that the ride is very firm. It is a sporty model, but I was still not prepared for the difference as compared to many other mid-size sedans in its class. That is complimented by the steering which feels precise and handles tight turns and corners well. As it is a sportier model the acceleration gives that feel too. It’s stiff, quick and fun to drive on the highway every time. You’ll notice bumps a lot more with this vehicle and with the standard 19-inch alloy wheels that come with the Grand Touring model they are even more enhanced. Still, the gas mileage is great. The Mazda6 I Grand Touring gets a combined 32 mpg with 28 in the city and 40 on the highway as an average. I drove the heck out of this car for almost two weeks without having to fuel up once. That was partly due to the iEloop (intelligent energy loop) that captures energy during deceleration and stores it in a capacitor.
Why Buy?
After having the Mazda6 I Grand Touring for longer than many cars I review (thanks to another snow storm) I grew to appreciate its firm handle, faster than many midsize sedans acceleration and high-end interior. From the polished aluminium trim on the interior to the soft leather that runs from the seats to across the dashboard and inner door panels to its roomy interior I enjoyed zipping along the streets of the District and the Beltway.
It has a sleek style that turns heads while feeling safe enough to tote the kids around on a daily basis. Starting at $21,495 the MSRP of the Grand Touring model I tested is $33,715 with all the options. It comes standard with a 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty and a 60,000 mile/60-month powertrain warranty to further enhance your buying decision.
