Test drive: 2006 Mazda 6 S Wagon

I'm back from Vancouver, Canada, which is now on my rather long list of places I'd love to move. Great city, great people. Anyway, I mentioned in an earlier blog entry the Canadians' apparent preference for hatchbacks and wagons over the big SUVs we prize here in the States. One car I saw a lot of while traveling north of the border was the Mazda 6 wagon. It's an odd coincidence that the 6 wagon is the subject of the first review turned in by the About.com road warriers since my return.

In yet another odd coincidence, I got a little seat time in a Canadian-spec MAZDASPEED 6, the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive, six-speed version of the 6 sedan (review from Philip coming soon). Man, do I love what Mazda's doing: Breathing life into what should be perfectly ordinary cars. Take my word for it, and if you don't, take Jason's -- before you buy that SUV, at least take a test drive in the Mazda 6 wagon. -- Aaron Gold