Mazda 6 Tourer review

For such a large car with a range of relatively powerful engines, the 6 Tourer delivers very good fuel economy. The frugal star is the 148bhp 2.2 diesel, just as it is in the 6 saloon, and relatively low CO2 emissions make it a good company car choice. The 6 Tourer makes less sense as a private buy, though, because it's more expensive to purchase outright than a Ford Mondeo Estate and Skoda Superb Estate, and it's also predicted to suffer from heavier depreciation.

Entry-level SE-L Nav+ trim comes with dual-zone climate control, 17in alloy wheels, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and an 8.0in colour infotainment system with DAB radio, sat-nav and Bluetooth. Unless you’re desperate for luxuries, there’s little point in looking at the higher trims.

Move up to SE-L Lux Nav+ and you'll electric leather seats (heated in the front) and a reversing camera. Meanwhile, Sport Nav+ gets you 19in alloy wheels, an upgraded stereo and keyless entry, while range-topping GT Sport Nav+ features a 360deg camera, a 7.0in digital driver display, heated rear seats and ventilated front seats. It’s worth pointing out that the resolution of the reversing and 360deg cameras are terrible; it’s like you’re watching a video from 1994.

Mazda finished 12th out of 31 manufacturers in our latest reliability survey, while the 6 (both saloon and estate) was one of the most reliable cars in its class. Every 6 Tourer gets a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty, matching that of many rivals.

The 6 gets a full five-star crash test rating from EuroNCAP. The adult and child occupancy scores are very good for the class — they outdo an Audi A6 Avant — but the pedestrian protection is only average for the class and slightly behind that of a Skoda Superb Estate. Safety kit is impressive and includes automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and lane-keeping assistance.

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