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2016 Mazda6 Tested: In Kodo Veritas

The latin phrase “in vino veritas” is the same as “in wine there’s truth.” I know it’s wrong to start talking about the 2016 Mazda6 by referencing an old motto about wine. But that doesn’t necessarily apply for a simple reason - the phrase isn’t focusing on wine.
2016 Mazda6 facelift 1 photo
Photo: Catalin Garmacea
Herodotus explains that when the Persians decided on something while under the influence of Bacchus’ favorite thirst quencher, they made an unspoken rule: to reconsider everything about it when sober. How does this relate to our review of the 2016 Mazda6?

It’s simple - the press photographs of the facelifted model depict an athletic yet flowing body shell with details to die for. To confirm that the visual updates look just as good in real life, we took a 6 for a test drive, the Revolution Top with the 175 HP turbo diesel.

In a segment full of uninteresting and rather bland offerings, the Kodo Design language version 2.0 of the Mazda6 is like a breath of fresh air. Though the LED headlights and taillights enhance the exterior visuals nigh enough, things get even better inside.

It’s hard to tell at first glance what’s what, but upon closer inspection you’ll see that the facelift brings a better infotainment system, redesigned air vents, an electronic hand brake and many more. All these bits come together to form a unique-to-Mazda cabin design with good ergonomics and large door bins.

On the driving front, things get even better. Too bad all-wheel drive is only reserved for the wagon (unavailable in the US), but the FWD-only sedan makes a case for itself on the raggedy edge. There are a few drawbacks, of course, but these details aren’t enough to counter the pros of the 2016 Mazda6.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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