Performance & drive
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
Mazda doesn’t use turbochargers (unlike almost all other manufacturers) so the 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engines in the Mazda 6 need to be worked hard to make good progress.
Even the range-topping 192bhp 2.5-litre petrol doesn’t have the low-down pulling power of diesel alternatives, and at 8.1sec to 62mph it’s only a second or so faster than a Skoda Superb 1.5 TSI, for instance.
Ultimately, the Mazda 6 is a pleasant and fun car to drive, with light but predictable steering. If you push it hard, though, the front wheels start to run wide in tight bends earlier than in the Superb.
The ride can get a bit choppy over scraggy town roads, especially with the larger wheel options – something we’d recommend avoiding – but it settles down at motorway speeds. That helps to make it a decent cruiser with little road noise to disturb your peace, but you do have to put up with a flutter of wind noise from the door mirrors.
