The long-serving Mazda6 mid-size passenger car marks its 20th anniversary with a new flagship sedan and wagon
- How much does the Mazda6 20th Anniversary cost?
- What equipment comes with the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
- How safe is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
- What technology does the Mazda6 20th Anniversary feature?
- What powers the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
- How fuel efficient is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
- What is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary like to drive?
- What is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary like inside?
- Should I buy a Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
The long farewell of the Mazda6 passenger car continues in 2023 with an update headlined by a 20th Anniversary flagship celebrating the first-generation’s debut in 2002. Back then, the Mazda6 was one of the company’s biggest sellers, but it has long since been consigned to niche status as SUVs and utes have come to dominate new car sales. As a result, there is no plan for a replacement for the third-generation Mazda6, which first appeared in 2012. The 20th Anniversary Edition is essentially a turbo-petrol Atenza with cosmetic changes that’s available as either a sedan or wagon.
How much does the Mazda6 20th Anniversary cost?
The 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary will set you back $53,635 as a sedan and $54,935 as a wagon (both plus on-road costs).
The wagon is the most expensive Mazda6 ever sold here, just topping the Mazda6 MPS sports sedan, which in 2007 was priced at $54,645 for the upper-spec Leather Pack.
The 20th sits atop an otherwise familiar model line-up. It starts with the G25 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated Sport and Touring and then progresses to the G35 turbo-petrol GT SP and Atenza.
Price rises from a few hundred dollars to over $1000 for 2023 add up to a price spread from $35,540 to $54,935 plus ORCs. All Mazda6s are available as both sedan and wagon, the latter commanding a $1300 premium.
Given the collapse in interest in the medium (and large) passenger car segments, there are few competitors left for the Mazda6.
Of course, the Tesla Model 3 EV easily tops all sedan sales in Australia, which maybe suggests where the opportunity lies for a potential future Mazda medium-large sedan.
What equipment comes with the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
The 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary is a cosmetic makeover of the usurped flagship, the Atenza.
Unique exterior gear includes Artisan red metallic (Rhodian white metallic is the only other paint choice), high-gloss silver 19-inch alloy wheels, a high-gloss silver grille and 20th Anniversary badges on the front fender.
These embellishments grace a body that’s essentially been around since 2012 and is still handsome and relevant.
Unique to the interior are seats with tan Nappa leather/synthetic suede trim and 20th Anniversary embossing on the front head restraints.
Equipment highlights shared with the Atenza include the 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission.
There’s also a powered sunroof, ventilation for the front seats, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting and real wood and ultra-suede door and dashboard trims.
Other gear shared with lesser Mazda6s include dual-zone climate control, heated front and rear outboard seats, 10-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat and six-way for the front passenger, and leather wrapping for the gear shifter and steering wheel.
Commendably, there is a spare tyre, albeit a space-saver. Tyre pressure monitoring is also standard.
The Mazda6 is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years’ roadside assistance.
Mazda has recently extended servicing intervals from 10,000km to 15,000km, while maintaining the time intervals at 12 months. Capped-price servicing comes out at $2505 over 75,000km/60 months. That’s 29.9km per $1, or $41.75 per month.
Back in 2019 the Atenza Turbo cost $1678 to service across 50,000km or 60 months. That equated to 29.79km per $1, or $27.99 per month.
So if you only drive low kays per annum you have lost out. Get out there and drive your Mazda6 more, folks!
How safe is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
The 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary comes with a maximum five-star ANCAP rating based on 2018 protocols that applied when the last significant update was introduced.
Key safety equipment the Mazda6 range comes with includes front, front-side and curtain airbags that extend to rear seat passengers.
The autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system can detect vehicles and pedestrians ahead of the car. Low-speed AEB can detect vehicles front or rear and brake to avoid collisions.
The Mazda6 also monitors blind spots, watches out for crossing rear traffic, assists with staying in the lane (easily switched off), adapts the cruise control to the speed of vehicles in front, recognises traffic signs and warns if it judges the driver is not staying alert.
New to turbo-petrol Mazda6 models in 2023 is the ability to autonomously keep a safe distance from other vehicles in gridlock traffic by operating the accelerator and brake functions.
The 20th Anniversary and Atenza get a 360-degree monitor in addition to the reversing camera and the front and rear parking sensors standard with the rest of the range.
All Mazda6s come with LED headlights and tail-lights. The two top models include an adaptive function that tailors the beam to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers.
The Mazda6 comes with ISOFIX mounts in the outboard rear seats and three top tethers for child seats.
What technology does the Mazda6 20th Anniversary feature?
The 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary is very little changed from previous examples of the breed when it comes to the info/entertainment package.
An 8.0-inch touch-screen dealing with infotainment sits atop the dashboard. There’s a three-dial instrument panel with a digital speedo and trip computer in the centre. A head-up display sits ahead of the driver.
The touch-screen operates when stationary but not when moving. More recent Mazdas don’t offer any form of touch function. The argument is it’s too distracting for the driver.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, but only the former can be connected wirelessly as well as by cable. Smartphones can be recharged wirelessly. There are USB ports front and rear.
The 20th Anniversary comes with an 11-speaker Bose audio system, AM/FM and digital radio, Bluetooth and embedded sat-nav.
What powers the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
The 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary comes powered by the familiar G35 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
The DOHC 16-valve engine makes 173kW at 4250rpm. That’s up 3kW in 2023 thanks to engine control and turbocharger tweaks. Torque output remains unchanged at 420Nm at 2000rpm.
The powertrain can be manipulated through Normal and Sport modes and manual shifting of the auto is provided via the lever and flappy paddles mounted on the steering wheel.
For 2023, there’s been some tuning of the transmission to improve upshifts.
There’s also been a retune of accelerator pedal force characteristics to try and improve feel.
How fuel efficient is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
The official fuel consumption claim for the 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary is 7.6L/100km.
That’s an impressive claim, which on test we failed to threaten, achieving 9.3L/100km on a drive restricted almost entirely to open-road running.
So it’s not especially economical. Happily, the engine will run on the cheapest 91RON and E10 petrol.
What is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary like to drive?
So before we give you the driving low-down on the 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary, here are a few more facts and figures to consider.
Built around a monocoque frame, the Mazda6 employs a classic MacPherson strut/multi-link suspension set-up, retuned-for-2023 electric-assist rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc braking.
The 20th Anniversary sedan is slightly longer in both length (4870mm v 4805mm) and wheelbase (2830mm v 2750mm) than the wagon. But it is slightly lighter at 1622kg versus 1629kg.
So big cars, but not excessively porcine by modern standards. And that helps explain the Mazda6’s well-sorted driving behaviour.
For a car first launched in 2012 and updated in 2018, the Mazda6 remains thoroughly convincing. There’s something to be said for the balance and poise a lower centre of gravity provides passenger cars. It’s a pleasurable novelty to be sitting this low these days.
On some lumpy, broken-edged Victorian back-road bitumen, the 20th Anniversary sedan was composed and clear in its handling, only rarely revealing its front-wheel drive set-up with some scrabble on tight turns.
The revised steering isn’t especially feel-some, but it is accurate and avoids both electric-assist rubberiness and excessive weighting, which in some tunes is a substitute for sportiness. That makes it an easy car to place in a corner or manoeuvre in a tight space.
It also absorbed the hits without much jostling, making this a convincing cross-country tourer.
The engine’s wide spread of torque ensures plenty of responsiveness to punch off a corner, up a hill or complete a quick overtake. It is smooth and quiet in its low-rev response and starts to develop some pleasing attitude and tingles as revs and acceleration rise.
In Sport mode there’s little discernible difference to attitude, especially as suspension is not adjustable. Changing manually is more obvious in its impact. It is satisfyingly quick if not especially mechanical in its feel.
In cruise mode, the 20th is quiet and stable, keeping tyre roar on coarse-chip bitumen to a minimum and efficiently quelling wind noise. It would make a fine daily commuter.
What is the Mazda6 20th Anniversary like inside?
With its traditional three-dial instrument display (yes, the speedo is digital) and small infotainment screen on the dashboard, the 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary has an old-school feel about it.
The wood and tan trim also emphasises that. Bit of the British manor house about it.
But it exudes Japanese build quality, the front seats are generous in their size and support and the rear seat will fit two substantial people without feeling squashed. Three is squeezy.
Of course, compared to an SUV or ute the view out is from a lower altitude and less expansive.
The driver gets manual steering adjustment for reach and rake, a left footrest and the head-up display to improve comfort and keep eyes on the road.
Rear seat passengers get adjustable air-con vents and a fold-down arm rest with a cubby, cup holders and two USB-A ports.
Storage isn’t a significant Mazda6 strongpoint, but there are enough places to tuck the basics including sizeable front door pockets.
The boot is also a decent size at 474 litres, expanding to 1622 litres with the rear seat split-folded. There is no power tailgate though, which seems a miss at this price.
The downside is certainly the old-tech touch-screen, which looks miniscule, has muddy graphics and proved resistant to connecting with an iPhone.
Clearly, the age of the Mazda6 prohibits a move to the newer tech and larger 10.25-inch screen being handed out at most Mazda model updates these days.
Should I buy a Mazda6 20th Anniversary?
Yes, buy the 2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary, or one of the other models in the Mazda6 range. Strike a blow for common sense, style and driving enjoyment and against the rise and rise of SUVs and utes.
Do it now, because within a couple of years the Mazda6 will be gone, not only in Australia but globally.
Sadly, its proud history and obvious competence won’t be enough to save it.
2023 Mazda6 20th Anniversary at a glance:
Price: $53,635 sedan/$54,935 wagon (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 173kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 178g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)
Keyword: Mazda6 20th Anniversary 2023 Review