2015 Mazda 6

Completely redesigned as a 2014 model, Mazda6 entered the cutthroat mid-size sedan segment as a fresh-faced challenger only to exit as its fearless champion. Unexpected yet hardly a surprise, Mazda6 captured impressive awards such as being named “Car of the Year” by Popular Mechanics and a “10Best” by Car and Driver, among others. While 2015 may be a carryover year for Mazda6, there is no slowing down in the fast lane as the vehicle receives updates to select features and packaging options.

“The mid-size sedan segment is one of the largest segments in terms of sales volume, meaning automotive manufacturers tend to put their best foot forward in terms of technology, performance and design,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). “Because of such competition, Mazda6 needed to offer consumers and critics something beyond the smoke-shrouded gimmicks of some segment rivals. What the final product delivered is an experience like no other in its class.”

More than a run-of-the-mill segment hat rack, Mazda6’s unrivaled beauty is wholeheartedly matched with its keen brain. Chock full of Mazda-engineered technologies and systems, the 2015 Mazda6 continues to excite the market with its proven SKYACTIV®1 TECHNOLOGY fuel savings made even more efficient with the capacitor-based regenerative engine braking i-ELOOP system, a head-turning KODO “Soul of Motion”-designed exterior and the safety-focused features of i-ACTIVSENSE. Since “boring” is a gene that never found its way into Mazda’s DNA, why expect the brand’s bread-and-butter mid-size vehicle to be plated without some sinisterly sweet jelly?

Engineered to Impress
As the second Mazda vehicle to fully incorporate SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, real-world results were not seen as a nice-to-have but more of a do-or-die. The performance-oriented, fuel-efficient technologies successfully showcased (and further cemented) the brand’s R&D ingenuity.

Under the hood sits an unassuming SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine that features a race-car high 13.0:1 compression ratio, produces 184 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and offers 185 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 rpm. While not the most powerful engine on paper, this 2.5L could very well be the hardest working. As the standard engine for all three trim levels – Sport, Touring and Grand Touring – Mazda6’s 2.5L can be had with either the standard SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission or optional SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic.

Not relegated to simple entry level status, the SKYACTIV-MT transmission is available on both Sport and Touring trims. When equipped as such, the EPA-estimated fuel economy rating is 25 city/37 highway/29 combined mpg. The SKYACTIV-Drive automatic is an available selection for all three trim levels with an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 26 city/38 highway/30 combined mpg. Additionally, only Grand Touring models can be paired with the i-ELOOP system. Mazda6 vehicles equipped as such receive an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 28 city/40 highway/32 combine mpg, of which the highway rating is the highest earned of its direct competitors.

Derived from “Intelligent Energy Loop,” i-ELOOP is a capacitor-based regenerative engine braking system that converts a vehicle’s kinetic energy into electricity as the car decelerates. More simply, energy is being captured the moment the accelerator is released – regardless of whether the vehicle slows down due to the brake pedal being employed or is merely coasting. This electricity is captured and then stored for later use as a means to power all of the vehicle’s electrical components, such as headlights, climate control and audio systems.