We think the 2.0-litre, 145bhp petrol engine is the best engine to fit to your Mazda 6. The diesels are probably more sensible, but you’ll pay over £1000 more, model for model, for them. That requires a lot of miles to claw back in fuel consumption and they’re also not the most refined oil-burners on the market. The larger, 2.3-litre is thirsty and expensive while the smaller 1.8 requires too much effort to deliver decent performance. By contrast, the 2.0-litre offers a good balance of all-round ability.
That said, even 145bhp is going to find its work cut out propelling 1420kg of car and you will need to be unusually easily pleased to find acceleration that can barely break the 10sec barrier for the 0-62mph sprint more than a little pedestrian. Still, the motor is admirably smooth and, if you don’t go nuts with it, reasonably frugal too: 35mpg is an eminently realisable target on the open road.
But it saves the best for the corners, which it attacks with a vigour and fluency that remains rare in this class, placing it on a par – in this regard at least – with its closest and most able rival, the Honda Accord. The suspension is firm which means it corners flat and fast while in the feel and precision of the steering you are led to suspect more than a little that Mazda’s chassis engineers have been paying a lot of attention to those at their partner company, Ford.
If there is a downside to this, it is simply that the ride, while improved, remains rather choppy, particularly around town. It’s the price charged for such excellent handling and one which we, on balance, feel is worth it.