RE: Unforced induction into wagon theory | PH Footnote

RE: Unforced induction into wagon theory | PH Footnote

Author
Discussion

BigChiefmuffinAgain

1,062 posts

98 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Good write up. Enjoyed that - quite like when you guys sometimes just write about normal cars such as this and the Fabia. Too many Hypercars, restomods and over priced "classics" tend to dull the senses after a while. One tends to forget that in the real world people just buy real cars...

Firebobby

531 posts

39 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Why do Mazda feel the need to put two exhaust tailpipes on such a mediocre powered car? I'm sure a piece of 25mm mild steel tubing would be quite enough!!

cerb4.5lee

30,614 posts

180 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Mr-B said:
I have just come from reading the EV6/Polestar comparison and this for £30k or one of those EVs for knocking on for £50k, wow, bargain of the century. Both of those EVs were ENTRY level models too, crazy to think the base model of a car is 2 times average salary, I am old enough to remember when a bank wouldn't lend you more than 3x your salary to buy a house.
I get frustrated because we are being pushed into EVs...but manufacturers aren't making them affordable(imo) though as you say. An EV would have to be absolutely cheap as chips to buy before I would even give them a second thought.

I was also only allowed 3x my salary for the mortgage on my first house too. I guess that borrowing and finance has changed so much since then though, and people perhaps think that £50k for an EV as something as a bargain now. My first house(brand new) was only £34k in comparison!

Jon_S_Rally

3,406 posts

88 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Baldchap said:
I own a 145bhp N/A 2.0 car (that is a lot lighter than this Mazda) and it either needs thrashing or you go everywhere slowly.

BORING modern turbocharged engines don't have the lag and slow throttle response of old (note, I said decent ones). N/A is a bit of an anachronism to me in a car like this.

Get this loaded up with kids and luggage and I'll bet you're changing into third for steep hills.

Edited by Baldchap on Sunday 18th September 09:33
Fixed that for you laugh

Firebobby said:
Why do Mazda feel the need to put two exhaust tailpipes on such a mediocre powered car? I'm sure a piece of 25mm mild steel tubing would be quite enough!!
It's called styling. Customers don't want a pea shooter anymore.

Wills2

22,832 posts

175 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Nice looking car inside and out and no doubt the quality is high, good price too, but that engine spec would put me off, I think you need a different engine to suit a load lugging estate, four up and boot full and it's going to be a chore with the lack of torque.

That would suit a MHT 190ps diesel and 8 speed ZF like they fit to the 320d touring.




Snubs

1,172 posts

139 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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The article says:

"This would do well in a consumer test against a BMW 5 Series..."

Is there a close relationship between Mazda and BMW because looking at the interior, the similarities between the Mazda and my 5 series (F10 generation) are remarkable. The iDrive style rotary wheel with the buttons and parking brake around it, the heater controls, the location and style of dashbord vents, the location of the hazards button, the window switches on the door etc etc are all so similar it can't surely be coincidence? Either it's a copy or, as per the original question, do the two companies work together in some way?

Deranged Rover

3,397 posts

74 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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So, are we now at the stage where every car has to have turbos, eleventy hundred horsepower and a 0-60 time to rival supercars? How ridiculous.

Always liked Mazdas, this looks very nice and I’d be more than happy with its allegedly miserable performance and having to actually change gear if required.

Jon_S_Rally

3,406 posts

88 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Deranged Rover said:
So, are we now at the stage where every car has to have turbos, eleventy hundred horsepower and a 0-60 time to rival supercars? How ridiculous.

Always liked Mazdas, this looks very nice and I’d be more than happy with its allegedly miserable performance and having to actually change gear if required.
Not at all. I'm the last person to advocate having millions of horsepower, but this car with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel would be infinitely better in most respects, even if it didn't have any more top-end power. It would give it a dollop more grunt in the mid-range, so better for overtaking and, crucially, carrying a full compliment of passengers and luggage up hills when going on holiday.

There's nothing wrong with a nice normally aspirated engine, and there is such a thing as too much power, but this combination of engine/chassis is far from as good as it could be.

Nickp82

3,185 posts

93 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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I like the 6, it’s a good all rounder and would have one instead of the CX-5 we have as a family car if my wife didn’t hate estate cars.
Given it’s a ten year old design (albeit facelifted) it still presents well.

86wasagoodyear

397 posts

96 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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I've had a 2015 Mazda3 2.2D for 5 years and it has been absolutely brilliant. Never had any probs with it.
I need to change it for a medium-large estate that must not be rear wheel drive, and will certainly be getting a Mazda6 for all the good reasons in this article & thread. I'll have it with the 2.2D engine though, for the monster torque + great fuel economy.
I agree that Mazda's 2.0 NA petrol is a bit feeble for a car with the mass of the 6. Ideal would be a petrol turbo, for enough shove with much less mass over the front axle.

cerb4.5lee

30,614 posts

180 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Nickp82 said:
I like the 6, it’s a good all rounder and would have one instead of the CX-5 we have as a family car if my wife didn’t hate estate cars.
Given it’s a ten year old design (albeit facelifted) it still presents well.
My BIL also has a CX-5 and he is happy with it. As you say I think Mazda do make good looking cars for sure.

trashbat

6,006 posts

153 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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86wasagoodyear said:
must not be rear wheel drive
That's a strange requirement - why? Winter traction?

J4CKO

41,562 posts

200 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Problem here isn’t so much the lack of power, more a lack of torque and the general power delivery of an NA engine, especially when tasked with the weight of a large vehicle and a potential half ton extra weight of people and stuff.

145 bhp turbo diesel with plenty of low down torque is what this kind of car needs, in the past we managed fine with lower powered NA stuff but I wouldn’t inflict this on myself willingly.

Does look a very nice car though, lovely interior and well made but needs either more power, diesel or electric motors.




EngageSportMode

41 posts

138 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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I was exceptionally proud when my wife announced she wanted a Mazda 6 Tourer, due to her anti-SUV tendencies.

It's not perfect - completely agree with the article about the weird clutch feel, and the lack of torque in the 2.0-litre petrol can make for painfully slow progress at times. Sounds good when you're flogging the nuts off it though, and the six-speed 'box is a good one.

Interior quality after the post-2015 facelift is genuinely impressive,

I can only hope that Mazda opts to replace the 6 Tourer with another estate option, and doesn't decide to focus solely on SUVs.

nobrakes

2,976 posts

198 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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satfinal said:
Number 1 rule of estate design, do not do this



Do this (flat opening to the boot, and more square opening)

This^.

Boot lip and non flat folded seats is a fail.

mart4856

54 posts

24 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Right car, wrong engine! 2.2 diesel remapped twin turbo is the way to roll with a Mazda 6. Great drivers cars, always have been.

86wasagoodyear

397 posts

96 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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trashbat said:
hat's a strange requirement - why? Winter traction?
Yes. It'll regularly go to the high Alps in winter, on winter tyres. RWD - forget it.

Silvanus

5,226 posts

23 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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blue al said:
Please find a better engine and call me back….

needs at least 220 hp for that weight
I test drive one of these, very under powered for what it is, otherwise its a cracking car. Its a better car than similar spec but more expensive Honda Accord Tourer, but I'd have the Kia Optima 2.0T GT over both, touch of Saab about it.


Ruskie

3,989 posts

200 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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It’s just a bit boring for £30k, no? 340i and £3k change would be my choice.

Water Fairy

5,504 posts

155 months

Sunday 18th September 2022
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Some cars need grunt and easily accessible grunt at that. The engine in this is a fail. It's not a sports-car, it's a family do it all load lugger.