Item: Used Mazda 6 Tourer 2012-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/mondeo/estate/used-review/n941">Ford Mondeo Estate</a> isn’t quite as capacious as it once was, but it still has plenty of cargo capacity and is quite nice to drive. The downsides are the rather cheap-feeling interior and complicated multimedia infotainment system.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/estate/used-review/n916">Skoda Superb Estate</a> is huge inside. Luxury limousines struggle to offer more back seat space. It isn’t quite as good to drive as rivals, though, and its diesel engines sound a bit gruff when accelerating.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/insignia/estate/used-review/n689">Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer</a> is a great-value used estate, even if the svelte rear end compromises the amount of stuff you can put in it. The interior is well made and features lots of gadgets to keep idle fingers busy. It won’t set your pulse racing to drive and the diesel engines aren’t that refined.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3 dir="ltr">Stalling engine</h3>

There are two recalls that relate to the possibility of the engine stalling. The first is for a problem with the engine not restarting after the start-stop system has engaged on cars made between 30 October 2013 and 28 February 2014&nbsp;and will require a software update at the dealer to solve the problem.&nbsp;

The second is for another software issue, but with the fuel injection system on examples built from 26 January 2012 to 21 January 2016. Again, you will need to go to a Mazda dealer to have the software updated in order to prevent future issues.

<h3 dir="ltr">Engine hydraulic valve clearance adjuster</h3>

The hydraulic valve clearance adjuster on cars made between 26 March 2018 and 22 April 2019 might not have been programmed correctly&nbsp;and requires an update to be performed in order for it to function as intended. Speak to a Mazda dealer for further information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Vacuum pump</h3>

The vacuum pump that works as part of the braking system could wear out on examples made from&nbsp;26 January 2012 to&nbsp;21 January 2016&nbsp;and could result in reduced braking assistance. If your Mazda 6 is affected by this, it will need to have a new pump fitted.

<h3 dir="ltr">Soot build-up</h3>

A soot build-up in the intake shutter valve in the engine could cause problems on models made from 26 January 2012 to 30 June 2018. Contact a Mazda dealer to find out if this applies to your car, because the valve will need to be cleaned out and a software update performed to prevent this from recurring.&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Fuel injectors</h3>

The fuel injectors on some examples that were made between 26 January 2012 and 21 January 2016 might not have been tightened down correctly. Any&nbsp;Mazda dealer will be able to tell you if your car is affected by this and will check the tightness of the injectors for you if it is.&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Fire</h3>

There is a small possibility of a vehicle fire due to an issue with the DC-DC converter that forms part of the engine start-stop system. It only applies to early cars manufactured between 31 July 2012 and 3 March 2013, so speak to a Mazda dealer to find out if this applies to your example, because it will need a new DC-DC unit.

<h3 dir="ltr">Parking brake</h3>

Corrosion on the parking brake assembly of cars built from 31 July 2012 to 18 November 2014 could affect the operation of it and result in not enough force being applied to the brakes, potentially leading to the car rolling away. Find out from a Mazda dealer if your example is affected by this, because it will need to be inspected if it is.

<h3 dir="ltr">Boot struts</h3>

Mazda issued a recall in early 2017 for boot struts that could fail due to water ingress. This affected 6 Tourers built from the start of production up to 2 April 2015. You can find out whether your car has had this work carried out by contacting your local Mazda dealership.

Mazda as a brand&nbsp;had&nbsp;a fairly underwhelming result of 17th out of&nbsp;31 manufacturers in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability Survey</a> pages for more information.

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Estate

Mazda can be summed up in a single word: bold. Not only do its cars generally look like nothing else on the market, but it’s also invested heavily in innovative engine technology.

So, while many car makers have moved to smaller turbocharged engines, Mazda instead offers larger motors that are still efficient. For example, the entry-level petrol option in the Mazda 3 is a 2.0-litre unit –&nbsp;far larger than what you’ll find in most rivals – but it remains very clean.

Highlights of Mazda’s line-up include the MX-5 sports car, which has won our Convertible of the Year Award multiple times, and the CX-5 large SUV, which was named as our inaugural best car for dog owners.

MAZDA

Good fuel economy and an easy-to-use infotainment system make the Mazda 6 Tourer a good used buy

Used Mazda 6 Tourer 2012-present

<h3 dir="ltr">MPG</h3>

The least efficient petrol engine is the 2.5-litre unit that arrived after the 2018 facelift and achieves a combined figure of 37.2mpg. You'd be better off going for either version of the&nbsp;2.0-litre&nbsp;instead, given that the 143bhp model&nbsp;does 50.4mpg&nbsp;and the 163bhp version manages&nbsp;47.9mpg.

If you'd prefer a&nbsp;diesel, the 148bhp engine&nbsp;is rated at 64.2mpg, although the more powerful 173bhp diesel drops this figure down to 61.4mpg. The revised 181bhp engine might appear to be quite thirsty at 47.1mpg, but it was rated under the latest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-are-wltp-and-rde-new-fuel-tests-explained/n1223">WLTP test procedure</a>, which&nbsp;is much tougher than the previous test.

<h3>CO2 emissions</h3>

Go for the 148bhp 2.2-litre diesel for the lowest emissions of 113g/km, but&nbsp;the more powerful diesel emits 121g/km and therefore sits in the next tax band along, which is considerably more expensive. Both 2.0-litre petrols put out 136g/km.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h3>Road tax</h3>

Road tax for all models registered before 1 April 2017&nbsp;will vary depending on the CO2 emissions the engine produces (see above for more information), while examples registered after this date will have&nbsp;the same flat-rate fee for cars that cost less than £40,000 when new. To find out more about the current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.

<h3>Servicing</h3>

Mazda offers fixed-price maintenance; this will give you a price menu of how much common maintenance operations such as changing the brake discs or pads are, and you can then use this to compare prices with independent garages in your area. Mazda also offers extended servicing plans to cater for different ownership and usage requirements, and the 6 should be about average for the class in terms of servicing costs.

<h3 dir="ltr">Insurance groups</h3>

Insurance costs should be similar to those of rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/mondeo/estate/used-review/n941">Ford Mondeo</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/estate/used-review/n917">Volkswagen Passat</a>. The entry-level 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel are in group 22 and 25&nbsp;respectively;&nbsp;the most powerful 2.5-litre petrol is in group 26, with the range-topping 181bhp 2.2-litre GT Sport Nav diesel falling into group 31.

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Good fuel economy and an easy to use infotainment system make the Mazda 6 Tourer a good used buy

A budget of £5000 will get you an early <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a> 6 with well over 100,000 miles on the clock, so we’d suggest you up that&nbsp;to £7500 for an example with an average number of miles on it. Better yet, spend £9500-£11,000 and you’ll find plenty of refreshed 6 Tourers with the improved interior and better infotainment system. Spend £18,000 or more to find a facelifted 2018 car.

Check the value of a used Mazda 6 Tourer with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

<h3 dir="ltr">Engine</h3>

Our favourite engine is the 2.2-litre diesel with 148bhp, because&nbsp;it pulls strongly once you get it up to around 2000rpm, giving you plenty of oomph in the mid-range to make good progress. The more powerful 173bhp version of this engine produces more boom in the process and also has higher CO2 emissions.

Either version of the 2.0-litre petrol engine&nbsp;needs to be worked hard&nbsp;to make similar progress when compared with the diesel, and the larger 2.5 isn't much better. Stick with the lower-output 2.0-litre petrol if you can't go for a diesel.

Specification

Sport Nav was a popular choice, but we’d recommend SE-L, because you get plenty of equipment for a reasonably small outlay. Higher-spec&nbsp;cars are fine if you can get them for the right price, but the larger alloy wheels that come as part of the package can spoil the ride quality.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a> 6 Tourer: 2.2 Skyactiv-D&nbsp;150 SE-L

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

There are some terrific estates at most price ranges. The humble Skoda Fabia Estate offers cavernous space for not much cash at all, for example.

Further up the price range, another of our perennial favourites is the Skoda Superb Estate;&nbsp;it’s great to drive and as practical as most people should ever need. Meanwhile, for serious mile-munching ability and a premium, well-finished interior, it’s hard to look beyond the BMW 5 Series Touring.

Entry-level SE cars come without front and rear parking sensors – a shame, because&nbsp;the 6 is quite a large car. As a result, it’s worth checking for parking scrapes and dings if you’re choosing one of these models.

Some of the interior plastics on early 6 Tourers aren’t as good as later ones and can show marks and scratches. If you happen to be looking at an example with the optional off-white interior, make sure the seats aren’t stained and are in good condition. Being such a light colour means it shows up even the smallest bits of dirt, so be prepared to clean it regularly.

Because it's an estate, make sure the boot carpet isn’t stained and that the roof lining is in good shape. Some owners will have loaded&nbsp;up the luggage area with taller items that might have scuffed&nbsp;the ceiling.

On the whole, owners seem to have high praise for their <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a> 6s, but the 6 can be quite hard on its brake discs, leading to vibration under braking. If you detect this on a test drive, you’ll need to have them looked at.

What’s more, the live traffic service provided by the TomTom satellite navigation system has a few issues, with some owners reporting that it doesn’t work all the time.

Understudies in musicals tend to get overlooked in the face of the show’s billed stars. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/estate/used-review/n917">Volkswagen Passat Estate</a> has enjoyed the limelight, while&nbsp;others like the Mazda 6 Tourer have somehow fallen shy of the spotlight. However, this third incarnation of the 6 sports sharper looks, a plusher interior and more efficient engines, so perhaps this time it can supplant the Passat.

There’s a choice of 2.0-litre petrol engines in 143bhp or 163bhp guises, a 191bhp 2.5-litre petrol and&nbsp;2.2-litre diesels with 148bhp or 173bhp (the latter uprated to 181bhp after a 2018 facelift).

The range kicks off with SE trim, which comes with 17in alloy wheels, air-con, a 5.8in touchscreen (7.0in with DAB radio from 2015 onwards) and cruise control. SE-L comes with a bit more kit, including automatic emergency braking,&nbsp;front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control and an auto-dipping rear-view mirror, while Sport has bi-xenon headlights (LED after 2015) leather seats that are heated up front, 19in alloys, a Bose sound system&nbsp;and a head-up display. Any trim level with 'Nav' in the name has sat-nav fitted.&nbsp;

After the 2018 update, SE-L Nav became the base model&nbsp;but added an 8.0in infotainment system with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>, along with blindspot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance. SE-L Lux Nav has full leather, heated front seats and steering wheel, a reversing camera and electric seat adjustment with adjustable lumbar support for the driver. Sport Nav continues much the same as before but adds keyless access, while the range-topping GT Sport Nav has a sunroof, front seat ventilation, heated rear seats and a 360deg camera system.

Ultimately, the 6 is a pleasant car to drive, with light but predictable steering. Push it hard and the front wheels start to run wide before rivals such as the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/ford"> Ford</a> Mondeo and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/estate/used-review/n618">Skoda Superb</a> do, particularly in tight bends. The ride can get a bit choppy over scraggy town roads, especially with the larger wheel options, but it settles down enough at motorway speeds to be tolerable. Sticking with smaller wheels helps to make the 6 a decent cruiser with less road noise to disturb you, although there is a flutter of wind noise from the door mirrors at high speeds.

Improvements were made to the interior in 2015 and helped to make the Mazda 6 feel more upmarket than rivals such as the Mondeo and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/insignia/estate/used-review/n689">Vauxhall Insignia</a>. While there are still some cheap and flimsy plastics around the centre console, most of the dashboard is finished in squidgy materials and all the major buttons and controls have a nicely damped action to them.

Families will appreciate all the various storage spaces dotted around the interior. The Tourer has more head room&nbsp;in the back than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/6/saloon/used-review/n792">saloon version</a>, thanks to its higher roofline, so even tall passengers will fit comfortably. It won’t beat the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/skoda">Skoda</a> Superb Estate for overall boot volume (few cars can), but you do get a generous amount of luggage space that’ll cope with a couple of large suitcases or a child’s pushchair. Standard 60/40 split rear seats fold down flat with a quick pull of two levers in the boot, so you won’t need Ikea to deliver your flat-pack furniture for you. &nbsp;

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Used Mazda 6 Tourer 2012-present review

Our recommendations

Which used Mazda 6 estate should I buy?

Engine