Mazda unveils the face lifted 6

MANILA, Philippines - At the Manila International Auto Show last week, Mazda Philippines unveiled what the company says is the car that rounds out its new brand identity. “The Mazda6 exudes all the sportiness expected of a Mazda model coupled with an even stronger premium identity,” said Steven Tan, vice-president for Sales and Marketing of Mazda Philippines. Tan was referring mostly to several styling cues that sets the new, face lifted Mazda6 apart from its immediate predecessor as well as its competition...

Exterior Upgrades

Apart from the immediately recognizable new face (which bears striking resemblance to the recently launched Mazda2, CX7 and CX9), the new Mazda6 has several key design elements that sets it apart from its predecessor. Among them are the strong character lines that flow from the front grille all the way to the A-pillars, a new five point lower grille, and new character lines on the lower grille that lead in to the foglamp bezels.

My personal favorite new exterior upgrade, however, is necessarily the new headlamp design that accommodates a swivel-capable Adaptive Front Lighting System. Previously found in much more expensive luxury sedans and performance cars, the system allows for better visibility by swiveling the Mazda6’s headlamps based on the driver’s steering inputs and the car’s speed. It swivels the headlamp on the same side as the turn direction (the right-hand headlamp on a rightward turn; the left-hand headlamp on a leftward turn) by up to 15° to illuminate the part of the road that the car will reach three seconds later. It works with both high and low beams.

Finally, newly designed 18-inch rims help the Mazda6 exude an even sportier stance. The previous variant’s 17-inch rims are also heavier than the new rims. Mazda also made sure to put some science behind the aesthetic improvements. The Mazda6’s new lip spoiler, for example, combines with the front tire deflectors to suppress airflow turbulence in the vicinity of the front wheels without any sacrifice in brake-cooling performance. With enlarged the rear tire deflectors, meanwhile, airflow turbulence is suppressed in the vicinity of the rear wheels and at the sides of the body.

Interior Upgrades

Save for one very significant upgrade in the sound system (we’ll get to that in a bit), the Mazda6 gets detailed interior upgrades in terms mostly of materials and colors used. Instead of using silver on the center stack, for example, a subdued and more luxurious looking piano black finish was used. Chrome plating for frequently used controls like the climate control and audio dials, shift lever and parking brake knob and inner door handles, was instead used to stress that premium car quality.

Moving on to the absolutely must-discuss vastly improved sound system, the face lifted Mazda6 goes all out with a new Bose audio entertainment system. Boasting 6-CD in-dash, MP3, WMA Tuner and Audio Jack capability, the system’s eight speakers guarantee fantastic audio reproduction. This is all then rounded out by a Dual Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control.

Powertrain and Safety Upgrades

Mazda’s proven MRZ2.5-liter inline four DOHC 16-valve engine makes a reappearance in the face lifted Mazda6, but this time with refinements for nimbler and more eco-friendly responsiveness. Thanks to extensive tuning of parts throughout the engine as part of the face lift, the engine combines admirable fuel economy with Euro 4 emissions compliance.

Apart from the aforementioned Adaptive Front Lighting System, the face lifted Mazda6 features several safety upgrades that have earned for it a five star rating (the highest possible rating) from the European New Car Assessment Program of 2009. These include ELR seatbelts with pretensioners, dual front, side and curtain airbags, an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Smart Keyless Entry (Start/Stop Button) as well as front (we kid you not) and rear sensors.

At an introductory price of P1,680,000 and with all the new upgrades, the face lifted Mazda6 presents itself as a strong contender in the CD segment. The new Mazda6 is available in Sunlight Silver Metallic, Black Mica, Crystal White Pearl Mica and Clear Water Blue Metallic, a new color that hightlights the face lifted variant’s new enhancements.