If there was such a thing as a beauty parade for cars, I believe thereâs one quiet contender which might not immediately spring to mind.
Itâs not some Latin lovely, French fancy or gorgeous German. Instead it comes from the land where style and design have taken quite a few decades to become refined but where the people in the business are very receptive to European and British tastes.
Itâs very true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but to my mind one clear contender for top honours would be the Mazda6, the third generation version of the mid-range saloon. For me, itâs one of the best-looking cars currently on the road and some of its best features have been tweaked for 2015 to make it even more easy on the eye.
In typically Japanese manner, the company tends to focus more on what lies beneath the surface in its technology, rather than its outward appearance.
Thereâs a lot to talk about. The latest version has even more standard equipment such as a new DAB radio â which previous owners had been asking for, along with an integrated navigation system, a splendid 7-inch colour touch screen, head-up display and a new multimedia commander. Thereâs also adaptive LED headlamps, lane assist, driver alert, advanced blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and rear smart city brake support.
The cockpit, instrument panel and central console have been redesigned, the suspension has been improved and a lot of work has been done on sound insulation. The top grades have Mazdaâs first electronic parking brake to create more space up front and they also have a coming/leaving home headlamp function if youâre frightened of the dark.
There are now no fewer than 28 versions in the latest Mazda6 line-up with up to nine diesel and seven petrol engines to choose from.
It has Mazdaâs SKYACTIV technology which makes a conventional engine even more efficient to deliver the efficiency of a smaller-capacity engine â rather than go down the electric, hybrid or alternative fuel route.
The current model is also the first mass-produced Mazda to be equipped with i-ELOOP, a brake energy regeneration system which can boost economy considerably depending on the driving conditions. Up to 10% of fuel is used powering the electrics in a modern car. Mazdaâs system turns the kinetic energy created when decelerating into reusable electricity to power the carâs systems such as air conditioning, sat nav and audio. That leaves all the engineâs power to drive the wheels and make best use of the fuel.
But back the superficial looks which are especially good in the Tourer, or estate, version of the test car. It has the restyled front end with the new grille and wing design and as far as Iâm concerned is the best-looking family car in the showrooms today.
But looks arenât everything and it has loads of carrying capacity â a bit like a Miss World whoâs not only a looker but is happy to lug her extensive wardrobe around by herself without calling on a strong young man to help.
The 2.2 litre test car has an official consumption figure of 57 miles to every gallon of diesel, a low CO2 figure and reduced insurance rating because of the smart city brake support â which automatically applies the brakes when it senses the chance of a low speed collision. Itâs also attractive to the business user with competitive Benefit in Kind figures.
The Mazda6 is pretty much in the same price bracket as its competitors such as the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, VW Passat, Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia but now comes with an increased list of standard equipment which in most other cases is an option with a charge attached.
The new interior layout is a big improvement from the previously rather utilitarian feel to the package which thankfully is being phased out of the Mazda range. Everything feels well put together and that it will probably stand the test of time.
So what youâve got with this latest Mazda6 Tourer is a very practical and efficient car which drives well âŚ..and looks pretty good while itâs doing it.
CAR: Mazda6 2.2D 150ps SE-L Nav Auto Tourer
PRICE: ÂŁ25,995 (ÂŁ26,535 as tested)
POWER: 2191cc 150PS diesel
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 126 mph 0-62 mph 10 secs
MPG: 57 mpg combined
CO2: 129 g/km
TT Rating:
