CIRCULATING IN WANGARATTA, BENALLA, MYRTLEFORD, BRIGHT, MT BEAUTY, BEECHWORTH, YACKANDANDAH, RUTHERGLEN, CHILTERN AND DISTRICTS
NORTH EAST
June 7, 2013
available online - wangarattachronicle.com.au
PRINTED FORTNIGHTLY — VOLUME 424
New VF Holden Commodore Storypage3
MAZDA6 ATENZA WAGON: It has a commanding street presence.
Mazda 6 wagon is stylish and practical T
he Mazda6, which comes in sedan and wagon variants, with petrol or diesel power, incorporates the full range of Mazda’s efficient SkyActiv technologies. These include the company’s clever brake energy regeneration system, and numerous safety features. Best of all in the minds of many buyers, the wagon is a great looking machine thanks to its Kodo (Japanese for Soul of Motion) design theme. We have just passed a pleasant week behind the wheel of a top-of-the-range Mazda6 Atenza turbo-diesel wagon. From the outset the wagon impressed with its non-utilitarian good looks, you could even say it has a commanding street presence. Bigger than the model it replaces, the new Mazda6 wagon has a large single frame radiator
By DEREK OGDEN grille, flanked by headlamps incorporating LEDs and a new corona-style light emphasising the vehicle’s low, wide stance. This is continued in a coupe-like cabin in which the A-pillar has been moved back 100mm, an added bonus being a better view for the driver. The rear of the roof dips to round out the Mazda6’s coupe character. The test car was finished in a new Mazda halo color, Soul Red Metallic. Made up of a base coat, with reflective aluminium flakes, an upper coat is a semitranslucent layer with intense red pigment. The result is a surface of rare depth of color. Inside the cabin it’s all about the driver, with intuitive ergonomic controls and instruments
and a 3.5-inch multi-information display in the main instrument cluster. The 5.8-inch touchscreen for infotainment systems sits high on the centre stack – a spot not to its best advantage as it’s all but obliterated with bright sunlight falling on the screen – a sad reflection on the design that’s probably aggravated by Australia’s strong sunshine. Passengers are kept in the level of comfort to which modern car travellers have become accustomed in well-shaped sporty seats. In our test car, these were covered with offwhite leather, a potential nightmare for parents with young children and their messy ways. Alternatively, there is a black version of the leather, or woven fabric. Mazda6‘s ride comfort is good on all but the harshest surfaces, indeed even corrugated dirt doesn’t upset it overmuch.
Handling is competent and the steering has good feedback, but this Mazda is not exactly aimed at the sporting driver, rather at the person who is looking for a good chassis for everyday driving, not in pushing the limits on bends. Should you make a mistake and arrive at a bend too fast a combination of built in understeer and, as a last resort, electronic stability control should keep you out of trouble. The Mazda6 station wagon is spacious, leading its segment in rear legroom. In-cabin storage spaces abound, while the cargo area can take up to 522 litres of gear with the rear seat backs up, or 1664 litres with them folded. The rear gate lifts well out of the way for easy loading, but isn’t out of reach of vertically challenged users.
Continued page 2