New Car Review of the 2004 Mazda 6 Mid-Size Sedan

Description: Mid-Size Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $18,895 - $22,895
Invoice Price Range: $17,430 - $21,111

Mazda's mid-size four-door sedan looks aggressive like it's ready to romp down the road. The sleek and clean package design displays styling hints borrowed from European touring cars. It features narrow cat-eye headlamps with multiple lenses wrapped around front corners as bookends for a chrome-capped grille, which punctuates the point on a stepped hood and deep fascia marked by broad air intake ports.

Mechanical components include a double-wishbone design for the front suspension and a multi-link arrangement at the rear, a big disc brake at all posts and electronic brake assist. There are two editions marked as 6i and 6s. The former uses a four-cylinder powertrain and the latter totes a six-pack. 6i stocks a dual-cam 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 160 hp. 6s gets a twin-cam 3.0-liter V6 juiced up to 220 hp. In Mazda's sporty tradition, both plants are available with a five-speed manual transmission. Also offered is a dual-mode automatic shifter -- configured in four forward gears for 6i and five for 6s.

The spacious cabin, with two front buckets and a rear bench for three with split folding seatbacks, adds titanium-finish trim elements on the central dash with round dials and chrome accents. Also, the leather-wrapped steering wheel is telescopic and adjusts for tilt and rake positions.