TOKYO — Mazda has unveiled the face-lifted Atenza in Japan and will display a companion model, a mildly revised Mazda 6, at the upcoming 2010 Geneva Auto Show in early March.
The North American Mazda 6 is on a different timetable. According to Mazda, the car that's built at the company's Flat Rock plant outside Detroit will get its own freshening later this year. The 2011 Mazda 6 should begin reaching U.S. dealers before the end of the year.
For Japanese and European customers, Mazda is touting the "new family face," but perhaps bigger news is the production application of the company's new 2.0-liter gasoline direct-injection four-cylinder engine, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. In Europe, Mazda also plans to offer two other gasoline engines and three turbodiesels.
Suspension and steering have been upgraded on the latest edition. Among the new features are adaptive headlamps and hill-launch assist.
The Atenza goes on sale this week in Japan, while the European Mazda 6 hits showrooms this spring. In markets outside the U.S., the car is offered in three body styles — sedan, wagon and five-door hatchback.
Inside Line says: Stay tuned for more details on the U.S. version. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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mj85 says:
11:22 AM, 03/09/2010
@johnmarco,
This thing was never released here. The Mazda 6 sold in North America is 7 inches longer, an inch taller, and nearly 2 inches wider than the 6 sold to the rest of the world. It weighs more, too.
Dear Mazda,
I hate you for selling a different 6 here than you do in the rest of the world. Why can't we have wagons and hatchbacks? If you wanted to sell a bigger car you should have just created a bigger car to slot in above the 6. And 17 inch aluminum wheels were standard on the 6 before. Why does the base model now have steel wheels? Jerks.
frank908 says:
06:06 AM, 03/02/2010
"They should have left the Mazda6 about the same size. It worked for Ford with the Fusion. "
The size of the Fusion is what Ford has to deal with as the legroom in the back is only average. That was the one of the major drawbacks to previous Mazda 6, which is what the current Fusion is based on.
Last generation's Mazda 6 was on the market for quite a few years before Ford started turning it into a Fusion/Milan. So in theory, Ford re-hashed an old platform, and then re-hashed it again with the current "face-lifted" model.
Mazda has since moved on, and I'm sure Ford's plans for the next Fusion are to enlarge it.
Funny thing is that Chevy is planning on shrinking the next Malibu, as is Honda with the next Civic.
Hopefully this will be the new trend with all cars again.
lawboy26 says:
08:00 PM, 02/26/2010
I have driven the new Mazda6 Grand Touring i. It's a great car and offers a lot for the money. They should have stayed true to their zoom zoom philosophy. The new Mazda6 is too big for Zoom Zoomers and don't appeal to baby boomers. They have such a big gap in their sedan line up. You have the compact Mazda3 and the Large Mazda6 but nothing in between. They should have left the Mazda6 about the same size. It worked for Ford with the Fusion. It's won numerous awards. Some companies will never learn that if it's not broken don't fix it!
limitedslip says:
04:25 AM, 01/27/2010
I agree totally with somberlaine1. The Mazda6 is for people who dont want an Accord or Camry. The last 6 was a global car and I for one am in love with my 05 wagon. Hopefully mazda will realize that by the time the next gen comes and we have a world car again.
johnmarco says:
08:48 PM, 01/26/2010
Freshened already? Wasn't this thing just released here?
colorado1974 says:
08:28 PM, 01/26/2010
The malibu is a much nicer car. What's with the stupid smile that all Mazda's now have? How do you say flop?
somberlaine1 says:
07:45 PM, 01/26/2010
the US version is not selling as well as the older 6, which was a true world car. Mazda seriously messed up by making the US 6 so bloated with no hatch or wagon. trying too hard to compete with accord and camry. what they dont get is that honda/toyota buyers will never consider a mazda.
charlesncharge says:
02:41 PM, 01/26/2010
Wow, I can't wait to try the "hill-launch" assist - Dukes of Hazard style!