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I've always thought of the Mazdaspeed 6 -- the factory-hot-rod version of the Mazda 6 mid-size sedan -- as the poor man's Audi. It certainly follows the same formula, with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, all-wheel-drive, six-speed manual transmission, and subtle styling, yet it's priced $2,500 below an all-wheel-drive A4. But can the Japanese Mazdaspeed 6 keep up with its German rival? Read on. $28,590 base, $31,750 as tested, EPA fuel economy 19 MPG city, 25 MPG highway.
First Glance: Stealthy and speedy
Larger exterior photos: Front-left - front-right - rear
When it comes to the styling of fast cars, as far as I'm concerned, subtlety rules. Maybe fancy wheels and giant trunk-mounted wings are still important to the young folks, but I'm well past the age of trying to impress my fellow drivers. As far as I'm concerned, the faster your car looks, the more likely you are to attract a) cops and b) other drivers of fast cars who want to race and will therefore attract more a) cops.
The Mazdaspeed 6 has the stealth factor down pat. It's virtually indistinguishable from a normal Mazda 6, with the major differences being an enlarged lower grille, slightly bulged hood, restyled rear bumper and a small trunk spoiler (link goes to photo), which is even more subtle than the optional wing on the regular 6. A coat of metallic grey paint on my tester -- the only other available colors are silver, black and red -- rounded out the Mazdaspeed 6's camouflage. I spent a week driving like a crazed 16-year-old and I don't recall a single cop even glancing in my direction.
Mazda offers the Mazdaspeed 6 in two versions, Sport and Grand Touring. The two models are identical in terms of go-faster hardware and exterior appearance. The Grand Touring's price premium (just shy of $2,000) buys you leather seats (heated in front and power-operated for the driver), heated side mirrors, a moonroof, and keyless ignition. All safety equipment -- including antilock brakes, electronic stability control, front-seat-mounted side airbags and two-row side curtain airbags -- comes standard on both models.
In the Driver's Seat: Shades of Germany
Larger photos: Interior - dashboard
There's a definite air of Teutonic design in the Mazdaspeed 6's cabin, what with the all-black interior, red-illuminated gauges and just-slightly-too-complex controls. Take the climate controls: Looks like a standard three-dial system, right? Look again. Changing the direction of airflow means pressing the "mode" button repeatedly and looking at the dash-top display (and away from the road). Why not just give us a dial? This is exactly the kind of needless complexity I'm used to seeing in German cars. From the Japanese, I expect something a bit more pragmatic.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Most of the aforementioned Germanic attributes also apply to the regular 6. The Mazdaspeed 6's interior is distinguished by carbon-fiber trim, metal-covered pedals and footrest, and deeply-contoured sport seats up front (which, despite their deep bolsters, didn't offer enough side support -- a run on the About.com Cars Top Secret Curvy Test Road left me with an ache in my neck from bracing myself during hard turns).
The back seat is reasonably comfortable, but the trunk, at 12.4 cubic feet, is rather small. My test week with the Mazdaspeed 6 happened to coincide with a camping trip for my older son Robert and his 6th grade class. We carpooled with another parent and child, and while there was enough room in the cabin for adults up front and tall kids in back, we had a hell of a time squeezing four people's luggage into the trunk, and Robert and his friend wound up having to share their seat with a couple of sleeping bags and a tent.
On the Road: All-wheel-drive brilliance, front-wheel-drive familiarity
The Mazdaspeed 6 is powered by a 2.3 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct fuel injection (which increases power and lowers emissions compared to regular injection systems) and a surprisingly silly acronym: DISI (pronounced "dizzy", for Direct Injection, Spark Ignition. As opposed to what, laser beam ignition?) Its output of 270 horsepower (!) and 280 lb-ft of torque (!!!) bests not only the Audi A4's base engine (also a direct-injection turbo four, 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque) but also its optional V6 (255 hp, 243 lb-ft). The Mazdaspeed 6 is very fast -- with a 0-60 time of about 6 seconds, it's less than a second slower than the V8-powered version of the A4, the 340 hp S4.
Unlike the Audi, the Mazdaspeed 6 doesn't offer an automatic -- it comes exclusively with a 6-speed manual, one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to shift. The gear lever's short, precise throws are the stuff of a stick-shift junkie's dreams. But the clutch takes up quite abruptly, and moving off without jerking your passengers' necks takes practice.
In the curves, the 'Speed 6 is absolutely brilliant. The suspension setup provides a comfortable ride yet does a great job controlling body motions on fast, bumpy roads. Grip is outstanding, no surprise since this is an all-wheel-drive car. Press it hard enough and it understeers (runs wide) like a front-driver, though if you turn the electronic stability control system off and really ham-fist it, you can get the tail out. The Mazdaspeed 6 reminds me of a grown-up Honda Civic Si, with less bravado, more refinement and better grip.
Journey's End: My kind of performance car
The Mazdaspeed 6 is my kind of performance car, one that prioritizes going fast over looking fast. It's speedy, stealthy, and very practical (and comfortable) for day-to-day use as a family car -- provided everyone in your family can drive a stick-shift.
How does it compare to the Audi A4? The Mazda is quicker and, in my opinion, more fun to drive, though the A4's handling is a bit better balanced. The big difference is in the feel. The Mazda feels Japanese: Lighter and more technically adept. The Audi feels German: Solid and serious. While I'm not the biggest German car fan, I have to admit I prefer the feel of the Audi -- but if you're looking at price vs. performance, there's no comparison; the Mazdaspeed 6 wins, hands down.
Another worthy rival is the all-wheel-drive Subaru Legacy. The limited-run Spec.B model is Subaru's answer to the Mazdaspeed 6, but frankly the run-of-the-mill Legacy GT offers the same powerful engine as the Spec.B for less money, plus it's available with an automatic, which the Spec.B isn't. If you can stretch your budget a bit, I'd also consider the Infiniti G35, which is very fast and a lot of fun.
Now that I've spent so much time praising the Mazdaspeed 6, it's time for the bad news: It's being discontinued after 2007. Mazda has a new 6 coming for 2009; there's no official word on a Mazdaspeed version, but if there is to be one we probably won't see it 'till 2010 or 2011. Shame, because the Mazdaspeed 6 is one of the truly great performance bargains. Get it while you can.
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