Item: Used Mazda 6 Saloon 2013-Present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/mondeo/hatchback/review/n15">Ford Mondeo</a>&nbsp;has the benefit of being a hatchback, which makes it more practical than the Mazda 6, plus it handles better too. The downsides are the rather cheap-feeling interior and complicated multimedia infotainment system.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/hatchback/review/n93">Skoda Superb</a>&nbsp;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 more gruff.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/insignia/estate/used-review/n689">Vauxhall Insignia</a>&nbsp;is great value. It has a smart interior and, like the Mondeo, a hatchback to aid practicality. However, it’s rather bland to drive and suffers from noisy diesel engines.

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If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mazda/6?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Mazda 6</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

On the whole, owners seem to have high praise for their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a>&nbsp;6s, but the 6 can be quite hard on its brake discs, which can lead to vibration under braking. If you detect this on a test drive, it will need a new set of brake discs and pads to sort.

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 seem to work all the time.

On diesel models, it’s worth keeping in mind that the particulate filter system can cause problems, especially if you accidentally shut it off part-way through its regeneration cycle. The result is contamination of the oil system with fuel, which results in the oil level rising gradually over time. If this is happening, some damage to the engine may already have been done, so it’s worth getting the car checked out.

Diesels need to be given frequent motorway runs in order to ensure they complete this regeneration cycle, which is only triggered at high speed. So if you’re planning to buy a diesel, it’s worth checking the previous owner’s usage and making sure that you’re going to travel on the motorway often enough.

Driver's airbag

Continued exposure to high levels of absolute humidity may cause the driver’s front airbag inflator housing to rupture and deploy abnormally in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver’s front airbag. Should the inflator rupture it could result in metal fragments striking the driver or other vehicle occupants.

On affected vehicles replace airbag inflator.

The Mazda 6 scored a healthy 98% score in our most recent reliability survey, with few reported problems. It finished in third place in the executive car class.

Reliability rating&nbsp;98.0%

Only 14% of Mazda 6 owners reported a fault with their car, with the main area of concern being the infotainment/sat-nav, followed by the engine. Fortunately, all of the affl icted cars could still be driven and 75% of the problems were rectifi ed in a day or less. All repair work was carried out for free under warranty.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a>&nbsp;has a good reputation for reliability and finished in ninth&nbsp;place out of 31&nbsp;manufacturers in the same survey.

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Saloon

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 a cracking used buy

Mazda 6 Saloon 2013-Present

Happily, not all that much when compared with its rivals. The least efficient petrol engine offers 47.9mpg combined, under the older NEDC tests, but the diesel we recommend is rated at 68.9mpg. Admittedly, these figures won’t be reflective of what you can expect in the real world, but even then the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a>&nbsp;6 is an efficient choice.

Under the later, more realistic WLTP tests, the post-facelift 2.0 Skyactiv-G averages 42.2mpg and the 2.5 Skyactiv-G 38.2mpg.

Road tax cost will be £20 per year for the 148bhp diesel manual, but bear in mind that this does go up considerably for the automatic, which costs £115 – the same as a 143bhp petrol with a manual gearbox. Before the 1 April 2017 tax change, the most costly tax-wise was the automatic version of this petrol car at £135; anything registered afterwards will set you back £155&nbsp;per year, no matter which version it is.

Mazda does offer 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, which you can then use 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.

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Used Mazda 6 Saloon 2013-Present

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

£6500 will get you an early 2013&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a>&nbsp;6 with higher mileage or a car that was previously written off, which means it’s better to up your budget if you can. Spend between £7000 and £10,000 and you will have a much greater range of SE and SE-L spec cars dating from 2014 and 2015. Spend between £10,000 and £12,000 on a 2016 model, or between £12,000 and £14,000 on 2017 or 2018 cars, between £14,000 and £16,000 on post-facelift 2018 cars and some from 2019 and between £16,000 and £23,000 on good 2019 and 2020 models.&nbsp;

As a general rule, you will find that there are greater numbers of diesel examples than there are petrol ones. This is not to say that petrol cars aren’t worth considering, especially if you don’t go on long journeys. It’s just that the 148bhp diesel offers a nicer, more relaxed driving experience with its greater torque.

Our favourite engine is the earlier 2.2-litre diesel with 148bhp, which has enough power to make it a relaxing cruiser.

The most widely available trim level is SE-L, which comes with some useful options such as front and rear parking sensors. Whichever trim level you choose, you will get a DAB radio, Bluetooth, cruise control, 17in alloy wheels, a leather gearlever and steering wheel, USB connection and, on 2015 cars onwards, that 7.0in touchscreen.

Our favourite Mazda 6:&nbsp;2.2d SE-L 148bhp

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Effortless long-distance capability</li> <li>Strong standard specification</li> <li>Low running costs</li> <li>Comfortable driving position</li> <li>Comprehensive yet easy-to-use infotainment system</li></ul>

Executive cars are often the choice of company car drivers, so factors such as CO2 emissions (which govern your monthly tax bill) are just as important as cruising refinement for those long motorway journeys, a plush cabin and (whisper it) the image of the badge on the bonnet.

The good news is that there are options for all budgets and tastes. If rear space is crucial and you’re willing to put up with a less-than-premium badge, the Skoda Superb is tough to beat, while if you want a premium badge on the bonnet then the BMW 3 Series is consistently one of our favourites in this class.

And don't think you're limited to just petrol or diesel-powered choices in this class,&nbsp;because at the top end the Tesla Model 3 is well worth considering for its long range and engaging driving style.

Executive

Entry-level SE cars come without front and rear parking sensors, which is a little annoying as 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.

Boot struts have been known to fail, too, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda</a>&nbsp;performed a recall in early 2017 to remedy this. You can find out whether your car has had this work carried out by contacting your local Mazda dealership.

It would be fair to say the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/6/saloon/used-review/n464">Mazda 6</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;always lived in the shadow of the iconic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/mondeo/hatchback/review/n15">Ford Mondeo</a>; it did, after all, use the same underpinnings for two generations. However, this third incarnation was a new development of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mazda">Mazda’s</a> own work and the brand managed to create a very good all-rounder that now makes an equally good used purchase.

To start with, the Mazda 6 received new engines: a 2.0 petrol in 143bhp or 163bhp guises or a 2.2 diesel with 148bhp or 173bhp. Combined with Mazda’s concerted effort to reduce the car’s weight, these engines make the 6 very efficient – especially the less powerful diesel offering.

The most widely available trim level is SE-L, which comes with some useful options such as front and rear parking sensors. SE Nav and SE-L Nav have sat-nav and Sport Nav gets a heated steering wheel, heads-up display, electric memory seats and traffic sign recognition.

Whichever trim level you find on the forecourt, you will get a DAB radio, Bluetooth, cruise control, 17in alloy wheels, a leather gearlever and steering wheel, USB connection and, on 2015 cars onwards, that 7.0in touchscreen. This was improved further in October 2016. The infotainment system is backed by an easy-to-use rotary controller and additional shortcut buttons placed just behind the gearlever.

On the road the 148bhp 2.2-litre diesel pulls strongly once you get it up to around 2000rpm, giving you plenty of oomph in the mid-range to make good progress in a relaxed fashion. It’s happy to rev freely and it’s smooth, too, without the usual clatter you associate with diesel engines.

The more powerful version of this engine has 173bhp, but produces more boom in the process and this is combined with higher CO2 emissions. The 2.0-litre petrol engine also comes in two states of tune but, with less shove than the diesels, it needs to be worked harder to make progress.

Ultimately, the 6 is a pleasant and fun car to drive, with light but predictable steering, but push it hard and the front wheels start to run wide before rivals such as the Ford Mondeo and Skoda Superb in tight bends.

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. This helps to make the 6 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.

There were improvements made to the interior over the years, too, which feels more upmarket than that of rivals such as the Mondeo and&nbsp;<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 high-quality materials and all the major buttons and controls have a nicely damped action to them.

The interior has lots of storage space, including a large glovebox, big door bins – which can cope with one-litre water bottles – and a boot that can handle two large suitcases. What’s more, the 6 comes with a 60/40 folding rear seat as standard to help increase usable boot space. It is hindered by the saloon body shape, as you only get a narrow aperture to load through – a problem that does not affect the 6’s hatchback rivals. What’s more, head room in the rear is a bit limited if your passengers are tall. If this is likely to be a regular issue for you, you might want to look at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/hatchback/review/n93">Skoda Superb</a>&nbsp;instead.

In 2018 Mazda introduced a facelifted version that had&nbsp;been freshened up inside and out. There was a new 2.5-litre petrol engine, and the previous 173bhp 2.2-litre diesel was&nbsp;tweaked to increase power to&nbsp;181bhp. Meanwhile, suspension tweaks aimed to improve ride comfort and the steering was made more responsive.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mazda/6?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Mazda 6</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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Used Mazda 6 Saloon 2013-Present review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Mazda 6 saloon?