Review: 2018 Mazda6

Text and Photos Emily Chung

The 2018 Mazda6 is one of my favourite mid-size sedans given the combination of style, performance, and comfort. Our road test engine (Skyactiv-G 2.5L) has cylinder deactivation technology, which allows better fuel economy.

Exterior Design

Our road test vehicle was Soul Red, which is one of the best red tones on the market. The exterior styling is sleek, with the four wheels moved further out. This provides better handling and road feel for the driver.

The sleekness is also continued through the front and rear exterior lights. Noticeably missing is the front fog lights. With the new high-performance LED lighting, the fog light functionality is done through the LED headlights.

The sensor for the Smart Brake Support, Pedestrian Detection, and the Mazda Radar Cruise Control is combined with the Mazda logo in the front grille. No awkward extra piece to mount on the front of the vehicle!

Of note, the Pedestrian Detection system can detect pedestrians at speeds between 10 and 80km/hr (we didn’t try this technology out, just taking Mazda’s word for this one!).

Interior Design

The 2018 Mazda6 interior cabin is incredibly roomy and comfortable. Our road test vehicle came with a sunroof so the natural light definitely helped to make the interior feel spacious. Consistent with Mazda designs is the fact that the front mirrors are set back slightly. While it takes up a bit of the view, the gap between the pillar and the mirror allows the driver to see any pedestrians who may be walking across the vehicle shortly.

The front dash overall is clean and not cluttered, with the infotainment screen resting on top of the dash like a tablet. This allows the dash itself to appear smaller as it doesn’t need to incorporate the screen.

The steering column and instrument panel is where the clutter seems to have landed. At first glance, there are buttons across the steering column and the fact that each gauge is in its own circle adds to the busy-ness of the display. Despite the clutter, the controls and gauges were relatively easy to get used to.

Contrast the clutter in the instrument panel and steering column with the centre stack. It’s well laid out and straightforward to navigate through.

One much appreciated feature was the dual USB ports located in the rear bench’s centre armrest. My kids could charge their devices without taking up one of the USB ports in the front of the vehicle. Of note, our road test model also came with rear heated seats.

Up front, all electronic ports were conveniently located in the centre armrest.

Under The Hood / Basic Maintenance

At first glance under the hood, there appears to be very little room in the engine bay. Fortunately, basic maintenance and do-it-yourself items are located up top and within easy reach for vehicle owners. Want to change your air filter? It's right there. 

The battery is located conveniently near an engine ground, should you need to jump start the vehicle and the battery posts are small so that your jumper cables can easily grasp them.

As with most Mazda designs, the coolant reservoir bottle is tucked away next to the radiator so getting a good look may not be convenient. Good news though, the bottle is relatively transparent so you can discern where the fluid level is.

Child Car Seat

In terms of installing a rear-facing child car seat, the 2018 Mazda6 is quite spacious so you may not need to move the front passenger seat too far forward to accommodate the car seat’s recline angle (depending on the size of the child car seat, of course). The rear seat bench has a slight bucket shape – which is very comfortable when you’re sitting in the rear, though you may need to use pool noodles during a rear-facing child car seat installation in order to get the correct recline angle. The UAS anchors are also clearly marked and easy to access, just pull the cover off.

The headrest of the rear seats overlaps with the seatback so when you install a forward-facing child car seat, you’ll likely want to remove the head rest so that the back of the child car seat will sit flush with the car’s seatback.

The tether anchors are located relatively close to the rear seats so length for the tether shouldn’t be a problem for most child car seats.

Storage / Trunk

The trunk is spacious, and Mazda included two small storage trays on either side of the trunk floor. Underneath, you’ll find the spare tire (happy that this is included with the vehicle as opposed to the tire kits that many manufacturers are switching to).

The Mazda6 has been in production since 2002 and has undergone many changes and facelifts. It’s a great mid-size sedan if you’re looking for comfort and performance. This vehicle is spacious enough for a family road trip and is fun to drive in the city. The 2018 Mazda6 has a starting price of $27,250 CAD.

Model tested:

2018 Mazda6 GS-L

4-cylinder 2.5L DOHC Skyactiv-G

6-speed Skyactiv-Drive automatic transmission

Front-wheel drive

Seating Capacity: 5 people

Road Test Terrain: 60% city, 40% highway

Tested MSRP: $33,845 CAD