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I'd call it a huge improvement. I never really liked the prior generation Mazda 6 (particularly from the rear) while the new redesign really is quite attractive.
they are trying to copy the fusion. .that is a refreshing change Asian car makers copying us designs- it has been a while since that happened
of course fusion is just a copy of the am db9 so they are really copying the brits
besides the lines between them are so blurred is hard to tell whether they are really different. I have heard they are going to be making the fusion at the flat rock myazda/ford plant[/quote]
I don't know, except for both cars having four doors and four wheels I don't see a whole lot of similarity when it comes to styling. I think the Mazda 6 stands alone with unique styling that also happens to be very attractive.
I'd call it a huge improvement. I never really liked the prior generation Mazda 6 (particularly from the rear) while the new redesign really is quite attractive.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. From a design standpoint, I really don't understand the reviews the interior is getting. To me, it looks like a warmed over, cheaper Infiniti dashboard, with a hideous, old-school steering wheel to match. Though, I have to admit that the exterior is a lot better than it used to be.
Mazda hasn't really been on my radar screen for a number of years, mainly because I owned one when the exterior sheet metal had the thickness of a Campbell's soup can, the car had virtually no sound deadening, and it began rusting - literally - after about 18 garaged months. That pretty much turned me off to Mazda. I'm sure things have gotten a lot better, but I still can't shake the feeling that this thing is going to be trouble after year three. I guess only time will tell.
If it were me, I'd look elsewhere, mainly because I had even worse experiences with Ford, and I've read too many articles about Hyundai's still unresolved issues with steering and with quality control over the long term. I've seen a number of recent Sonatas that really look long-in-the-tooth after only about three years - a distinctly different experience from, say, a Camry or Accord.
with a hideous, old-school steering wheel to match.
The steering wheel looks just about perfect to me in the pic above for the new Mazda 6 interior, looks like it's made so I can put my hands in a comfortable position right above the upper spokes. Given the impression Mazda is going for, I guess that's not surprising. What I notice in driving a number of rental cars each year is how little thought appears to be given to that, or else how little thought is given to the thickness or material. The last car I drove was a Prius, yeah, hardly a driver's car, although I thought it did surprisingly well in driving dynamics (acceleration, handling, etc.) with essentially zero drawback in all my usual driving. The steering wheel though was a nasty hard unforgiving material and too thin.
The steering wheel looks just about perfect to me in the pic above for the new Mazda 6 interior, looks like it's made so I can put my hands in a comfortable position right above the upper spokes. Given the impression Mazda is going for, I guess that's not surprising. What I notice in driving a number of rental cars each year is how little thought appears to be given to that, or else how little thought is given to the thickness or material. The last car I drove was a Prius, yeah, hardly a driver's car, although I thought it did surprisingly well in driving dynamics (acceleration, handling, etc.) with essentially zero drawback in all my usual driving. The steering wheel though was a nasty hard unforgiving material and too thin.
As I said, different strokes I guess ... I actually like the old steering wheel much better. I find the round, raised center on the new one ugly and dated looking. But I absolutely agree with you on the spoke location of both wheels. One of my cars has a four-spoked wheel and I've never gotten used to it. There is simply no good location on the bottom of the wheel to grip it the way I like.
I thought your assessment of the Prius was very close to mine. The last time I had one - on a vacation in 2008 - I really liked it too. It was very well built, very roomy and handled nicely. The only area where I had a problem - and it's a big one - was with acceleration. It had very little mid-range acceleration; running out of steam for passing above 50. At the time, we were looking at a potential new second car, but the poor acceleration was a deal-breaker for me. Maybe Toyota has improved the engine since then.
The only area where I had a problem - and it's a big one - was with acceleration. It had very little mid-range acceleration; running out of steam for passing above 50. At the time, we were looking at a potential new second car, but the poor acceleration was a deal-breaker for me. Maybe Toyota has improved the engine since then.
I never felt like it didn't have enough acceleration. I'm not sure when they last changed the Prius; the one I had was a 2013. I drove it some 1700 miles in a week, most of that interstates. I didn't have occasion for something like 2-lane road passing. That basically almost never comes up in my driving, can't remember the last time I even made such a maneuver. But for passing on the interstate, accelerating up the ramp, etc. it was perfectly fine. I had some occasions where, say, after a one-lane construction zone we might be going pretty slow 50-60 and then I would accelerate out around the trucks when the lanes opened up again. Never ever felt like it ran out of steam. There were plenty of occasions where I asked it to respond by punching it, and it responded as I would expect any non-performance car to.
This is all by feel; I would guess if you looked at measured stats you would see acceleration times that are higher than some cars. But it is able to use the electric and gas at the same time for acceleration boost. You can even bump it into "Power" mode for a different throttle response. (I tried it out just to see but otherwise left it in the standard Eco mode.) And with a HEAVY highway foot it still returned something like 44 mpg overall, which is a 50% increase over what I get driving the Camry, Corolla, Cruze, etc. (I only ever get around 30 mpg with these.) I've been meaning to make a full calculation with the gas receipts but I haven't yet. I think the on-board computer might be a hair optimistic with the numbers.
BTW it felt really funny going by people in a Prius, or keeping up with another car going 80 at times, or whatever. Gotta figure these people are saying "WTF is this Prius doing?"
As a Sonata owner, I can say that the steering does require frequent corrections and tends to wander a bit on the highway. Theres no slop in the steering, so the slightest movement of the wheel starts the car going in another direction. It doesn't bother everyone but it does some people. Test drive one out on the highway before buying.
This tends to be a characteristic of electric power steering in general. It can be tweaked to steer better but in general that's just the way they are. Part of me wishes they still used the hydraulic power steering with the fluid.
I never liked the front ends on Fords and still don't like the front end on the 2014 Fusion so I wouldn't go that route, but would get a focus in manual (not dual clutch auto)
I never felt like it didn't have enough acceleration. I'm not sure when they last changed the Prius; the one I had was a 2013. I drove it some 1700 miles in a week, most of that interstates. I didn't have occasion for something like 2-lane road passing. That basically almost never comes up in my driving, can't remember the last time I even made such a maneuver. But for passing on the interstate, accelerating up the ramp, etc. it was perfectly fine. I had some occasions where, say, after a one-lane construction zone we might be going pretty slow 50-60 and then I would accelerate out around the trucks when the lanes opened up again. Never ever felt like it ran out of steam. There were plenty of occasions where I asked it to respond by punching it, and it responded as I would expect any non-performance car to.
This is all by feel; I would guess if you looked at measured stats you would see acceleration times that are higher than some cars. But it is able to use the electric and gas at the same time for acceleration boost. You can even bump it into "Power" mode for a different throttle response. (I tried it out just to see but otherwise left it in the standard Eco mode.) And with a HEAVY highway foot it still returned something like 44 mpg overall, which is a 50% increase over what I get driving the Camry, Corolla, Cruze, etc. (I only ever get around 30 mpg with these.) I've been meaning to make a full calculation with the gas receipts but I haven't yet. I think the on-board computer might be a hair optimistic with the numbers.
BTW it felt really funny going by people in a Prius, or keeping up with another car going 80 at times, or whatever. Gotta figure these people are saying "WTF is this Prius doing?"
A Prius is just like a Corolla with a electric motor that allows you to coast instead of burning fuel. It can easily take on normal cars. Anyone that thinks Prius is a slow is just ignorant. It's got around 140HP which beats my old 93' Honda Accord.
What's interesting about Prius is from 0-30mph if you timed it right and use the electric motor it beats out all gas running cars on the launch. It's got instant torque compared to combustion engines.
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