THE Mazda version of the joint Ford/Mazda soft-roader project proves to be an appealing, versatile wagon with plenty of punch from its 3.0-litre V6. It is surprisingly capable off road - moreso than many others of its ilk - and has much of the utilitarian nature sought by many 4WD buyers. It is also quite roomy inside and has a decent luggage area accessible via a split tailgate with an opening rear window. But its 4WD system behaves more like a front-wheel drive in most on-road situations and for some reason the auto-only V6 uses an archaic column-mounted shift lever.