2003 Mazda 6 Review - Driving Impression

Also cool: The 6 will be available in the United States in the same body styles released in Europe. This means we'll receive the sedan pictured here as well as the five-door hatchback and the wagon. This will set the 6 apart from its competition and give Mazda a significant edge in the category. Plus, all three shapes look great.

Inside, the cockpit is a well-balanced mix of business and pleasure. A large tachometer resides on the left side of the instrument panel balanced by the speedometer on the right. HVAC controls are simplified to four switches and knobs.

Our only complaint is the location of the HVAC and radio displays the top of the dashboard, probably in an effort to keep the driver's eyes on the road. This makes sense from a safety standpoint, but it's our contention the driver spends more time fiddling with switchgear by looking back and forth between the switch he's turning and the displayed effect 12 inches away. Frustrating, but a minor glitch at most.

We enjoyed both pedal placement and effort in the 6 almost as much as we did the light and direct shift throws. The brake pedal doesn't seem overly confidence inspiring, but Mazda's electronic brake distribution and available ABS should keep you out of harm's way, not to mention the healthy 11.2-inch front rotors. Combined with the superb steering, the rest of car's interfaces are enjoyable and effective.

Mazda has a winner with the 6. First impressions tell us it will be an enthusiast's car with the right engine choice and we're certainly confident about the new chassis. The 6 looks to be a solid entry in the mid-sized sedan category. Plus, driving a Zoom Zoom wagon sounds like a like of fun.