Mazda6 refreshed with price cut

MAZDA'S freshly overhauled Mazda6 range has arrived on Australian soil bringing with it a lightly remodeled look, a boost to safety and comfort features and a price reduction for all but two variants.

The entry level Sport Sedan now starts from $32,540, before on-road costs, representing a $920 reduction over the outgoing model, while an optional Safety pack joins the range supplementing Sport, Touring, and GT variants with extra driver assistance equipment.

Wagon variants benefit from the 2015 update and price cut with base Sport versions also costing $920 less than the previous load lugger at $33,840.

Only diesel versions of the Mazda6 Touring have been left out of the reductions with both sedan and wagon variants increasing in price by a nominal $130 for the 2015 model year.

Price adjustments for all other variants have all moved in the wallet-pleasing direction with petrol Atenzas down $790, the GT reduced by $500, while petrol-powered Touring gets a $220 price cut.

Diesel Atenzas now cost $440 less and diesel GTs round out the reductions with a $150 discount.

Both sedan and wagon versions are available with unchanged powertrains and a choice of 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel or 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and a six-speed automatic transmission standard with both engines.

As with the previous Mazda6, diesel powered versions are not available in Sport variant, with the oil-burning range starting in Touring equipment level from $40,480 or $41,780 for the wagon.

Styling updates start with a new eye-like LED-highlighted headlight design similar to the units fitted to the facelifted CX-5 SUV that launched last month and the baby Mazda2.

The facelift continues with chrome accented fog-lights, which flow through to the silver-finned grille and a smoothed bumper with a reshaped air intake, while its 19-inch wheels carry a new eight-spoke design on top-spec versions.

As with the entire Mazda portfolio, all colours are standard fare including the two new Sonic Silver and Titanium Flash metallic, with the exception of Soul Red, which carries a $200 premium when sprayed on the Mazda.

Updates for the 2015 Mazda6 continue into the cabin where on-board tech has seen a significant boost with Mazda's MZD Connect with 7.0-inch touchscreen featuring as standard.

A centrally mounted “commander” control knob is used to navigate the upgraded system in addition to touchscreen and voice control options, and drivers of the Mazda6 have more real-time information available via the Active Driving Display (head-up display).

Further safety gear can be added to all variants with an optional Safety Pack, except Atenza variants which have the extra equipment included as standard.

Adding approximately $1000 onto the cost of each variant, the pack includes an array of Mazda's i-Activsense technology such as Lane-keep Assistant, Driver Attention Alert, Smart City Braking in both forward and reverse and active cruise control.

The package also brings adaptive LED headlights for improved after-dark visibility with auto on/off and auto dip-beam.

Cabin styling has also been altered resulting in what Mazda describes as “a bolder and tauter design”.

Occupants will also benefit from improved cabin comfort thanks to a 10 per cent NVH (noise vibration and harshness) reduction as a result of redesigned suspension with Drive Selection feature on petrol variants, which has also improved driving dynamics, according to Mazda.

SykActiv engine options are unchanged in the 2015 update with a 2.5-litre 138kW/250Nm petrol four-cylinder accelerating the Mazda6 from zero to 100km/h in 8.2 seconds with fuel economy of 6.6 litres per 100km.

Torquier and more efficient 2.2-litre diesel variants pump out 129kW/420Nm with corresponding performance of 0-100km/h in 8.4 seconds and fuel efficiency of just 5.4L/100km.

Mazda has a strong Australian following and Mazda6 has performed well since the introduction of the Kodo design language version in late 2012, selling 5883 units last year.

Only the locally built Toyota Camry trumped the Mazda last year with a whopping 22,000 registrations, but the Mazda6 will have to watch over its shoulder with a fresh contender in the form of Hyundai's competitively priced and well-equipped Sonata now on sale.

Mazda6 pricing*

Sedan 2.5L Petrol
Sport (a)	$32,540 (-$920)
Sport Safety (a)	$33,770 (new)
Touring (a)	$37,280 (-$220)
Touring Safety (a)	$38,540 (new)
GT (a)	$42,720 (-$500)
GT Safety (a)	$43,780 (new)
Atenza (a)	$46,420 (-$790)
Sedan 2.2L Diesel
Touring (a)	$40,480 (+$130)
Touring Safety (a)	$41,740 (new)
GT (a)	$45,920 (-$150)
GT Safety (a)	$46,980 (new)
Atenza (a)	$49,620 (-$440)
Wagon 2.5L Petrol
Sport (a)	$33,840 (-$920)
Sport Safety (a)	$35,070 (new)
Touring (a)	$38,580 (-$220)
Touring Safety (a)	$39,840 (new)
GT (a)	$44,020 (-$500)
GT Safety (a)	$45,080 (new)
Atenza (a)	$47,720 (-$790)
Wagon 2.2L Diesel
Touring (a)	$41,780 (+$130)
Touring Safety (a)	$43,040 (new)
GT (a)	$47,220 (-$150)
GT Safety (a)	$48,280 (new)
Atenza (a)	$50,920 (-$440)

*Excludes on-road costs.