Our emotional charge for the car was stronger than like, but didn`t quite reach rapture. We test drove the Mazda MX-6 and found it a fun machine.

You tossed and turned and lost sleep debating whether you wanted red or blue pinstripes on your new car, and now Mazda`s got you thinking metaphysically about the karma between you and your coupe. The Japanese automaker boasts that it builds vehicles that are “emotionally charged with unique personalities, cars some people love, not cars that many people like, cars that won`t please all the people all the time.“ Mazda has put cars on a philosophical plateau. To the person who just shelled out more than $22,000, the sound of a rattling sunroof is akin to the sound of fingernails scraped over a chalkboard. One gripe was the power sunroof, which tended to rattle over bumps. It means you don’t feel par-boiled all over when you want just a touch of heat to bring the feet back to life. You can adjust a lever so fresh air is directed through the ducts toward your face while hot air is directed toward your legs and feet. One clever feature that might be overlooked is the vent system. With a $375 freight charge the car stickered at $23,250. Our test car added air conditioning at $850, compact disc player at $700, power sunroof at $560, ABS at the stiff $800, floor mats at $70 and a leather package that included leather seating surfaces, power driver’s seat and heated outside mirrors for $1,000.

Standard equipment includes power four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, 15-inch, high-performance radials, dual body-colored power mirrors, tinted glass, fog lamps, dual exhaust, front mud guards, AM-FM stereo with cassette, center console storage with cupholder, power windows and tilt steering. At least a driver-side air bag is standard, but in today’s market the car begs for a passenger-side bag as well. The only sour note is the fact that anti-lock brakes are an $800 option. Point in any direction and that’s where you head without lag time.Įngine and suspension, steering and braking were in harmony. The power steering provided immediate response to wheel commands. The 5-speed was smooth, a short-throw unit to get you into and out of each gear quickly. The MX-6 hugged the road and sat flat regardless of the abuse tossed its way. Downshift then kick the pedal and the exhaust system would let out with a deep growl, though the 24-valve V-6 really didn’t need the sound effects to let you know the power it was putting out. Then a couple more times through the course. It features a variety of bends and twists and obstructions to maneuver around along with a few short straightaways to check out acceleration and braking. We tested the LS with 5-speed by taking it to our little handling course hideaway, a section of desolate city streets tucked away from the normal flow of traffic. One other set of numbers that’s impressive with the 2.5 is 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds. The 2.5 with manual is rated at 21/26, with automatic at 19/25. The 2-liter with manual is rated at 26 m.p.g. The MX-6 is offered in base and LS versions, one of the main differences being a 2-liter, 118-h.p., 16-valve, 4-cylinder in the base model, a 2.5-liter, 164-h.p., 24-valve V-6 in the LS. While Probe gets all the fanfare, the MX-6 is the better of the two cars. The Mazda sports coupe is in Flat Rock, Mich., along with the Ford Probe. Mazda has done an excellent job of keeping the MX-6 under wraps, though keeping a car secret isn’t the best way to boost sales.

Mx 6 mazda