GTP Cool Wall - First Generation Mazda Mazda6

Due to a screw-up I did when making the poll, the poll will not automatically close after three days. As such, after three days (November 27th) I will temporarily lock the thread and take the results as they stand. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Cool, it's a well performing car that doesn't make you look like a tool.

Out of my 22 rules, 3 apply. 1 pro and 2 cons. 1 out of 3 = 33.3% = Seriously Uncool.

It's just another car, has nothing special about it rather than it's 220HP version (It should be reasonably fast, that was the pro rule). It's somewhat dull and doesn't go outside the box in my opinion, sorry RJ .

I'm on the fence with this one. Yes the Atenza/6 is one of the best in it's class...yes, it's got more cachet than it's Ford Fusion platformmate...yes, I'd never be ashamed to drive one...but I dunno if that makes it a "cool" car.

It's kind of one of those things where you see plenty on the road, and know that the Businessman or Woman behind the wheel doesn't know what her or his car can do. On one hand, that kind of says "Sleeper," which is cool, on the other, "Upper-middle-class commuter," which is not.

Gimme some time, make some points, and maybe I'll vote.

I really don't like Mazdas.

Its a Mazda - not cool
its rather dull looking - not cool
Its a 'hot' rep mobile - seriously uncool
There just isnt anything positive I can think of about this car - uncool
They have (or at least had) the lexus style rear likes so beloved by chav culture in the UK, seriously uncool

Overall the fact that the styling is bland rather than offensively ugly/over the top saves it from seriously uncool, so I voted uncool.
Then I remembered those lights, so would have voted Seriously Uncool if I could change my vote

Cool

I liked this car since it first premiered. It has its own original styling and performs decently well across the board. I could never see myself driving one though.

@ the_fatadder: You've not driven one, have you?

I say cool. They look good, sound decent (and can be made to sound excellent in roughly 15 minutes without spending anything), drive excellently and when equipped with the V6 are plenty quick. 4 cylinder autoboxes are a little on the slow side in terms of straight line speed but are still fun when the road turns twisty.

Edit: I don't like how that picture was shot now that I look at it... Either that or Mazda started making them sit lower later in the run. 4x4 status isn't nearly that bad stock.

Cool, but not with those silly side-skirts.

cool, 72%

Cool. Sub-Zero if we're talking the MazdaSpeed6/6 MPS with the 2.3L turbo'd four and all-wheel-drive. Surprisingly the MPS is actually one of my "reasonably priced" dream cars.

The normal 6 isn't half-bad either. One of the only "cheap-luxury" cars I'd actually consider to buy over a third-gen Subaru Liberty.

Uncool, I think it pretty speaks for itself.
It's a Mazda.
It's bland looking.
It's fail wheel drive.. oops excuse me front wheel drive.

When it first came out I remember thinking "Wow, that is an awesome-looking car!"... the fact that it came with a 6-speed manual and was decently powered only added to the awesomeness. Not to mention it was the first of the cool-looking economy Mazdas.


Sub-zero

I feel it's an excellent car for the money, and a great car for those of us speed merchants who finally decided to grow up a little. V6, tight suspention and a manual tranny? Cool.




Cheers,
Jetboy

I'd forgotten about the Stick. I think only Honda really does that with a car in this category, now.

Definitely Cool, then.

For a run of the mill saloon car it's pretty cool.

Jim Prower

I'd forgotten about the Stick. I think only Honda really does that with a car in this category, now.

Definitely Cool, then.

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Actually, for around the same price in 2006, you could get a lightly-used Pontiac G6 GT with the six-speed, the Jetta 2.0 TDi six-speed, Honda Accord V6 six-speed, and everyone's favourite, the TSX.. Obviously however, there will be a premium on the Acura or VW.




Cheers,
Jetboy

Normal Mazda 6 = Uncool, it's for business mum's who are trying to look cool.

The Mazda 6 MPS/Mazdaspeed 6 however = VERY COOL! Slamming it and putting 19" rims on sets those cars off! Plus you can't argue with nearly 200Kw of AWD power.

LIL_KACHING

It's bland looking.
It's fail wheel drive.. oops excuse me front wheel drive.

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While these are some reasons I consider the car uncool, the population of the world as a general won't find anything cool on this car, because in general, people know nothing about cars, or very little. And thus, if there's any reason this car is cool, you will have to explain it to them. And that's not cool. Seriously uncool.

It's a Mazda. And Mazdas = subzero.

It's a midsized family car = seriously uncool.

The clincher:

Grappling with that steering wheel on a twisty mountain road is like finding out that the rather ordinary girl next door knows more about sex than the Kama Sutra and Madonna combined.

It's still a family car, yes... but it'll forever be etched in my heart as a four-door bat-out-of-hell on a winding road.

Gotta go with the heart. Subzero.

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EDIT: General public? The general public, when the Mazda6 came out, took one gander at the styling and proclaimed it cool... heaped a zillion awards on it, then conveniently forgot to buy one when they found out that:

A. It drove like a Miata (which is a good thing)

B. It had the same level of sound insulation as the Miata (which is a bad thing for family cars, but is good for weight control on a sports car)

C. It had a backseat that the Miata would likely have if it were a four-seater (cut and paste above-mentioned parenthetical)

Yup... it's an utterly impractical family car compared to the cavernous Accord/Camry competition.

Which means it's just the right size to do anything you actually need to do with a family car... and it's fun to drive.... and secretaries don't like it because it's too noisy... still subzero.

niky

EDIT: General public? The general public, when the Mazda6 came out, took one gander at the styling and proclaimed it cool... heaped a zillion awards on it, then conveniently forgot to buy one when they found out that:

A. It drove like a Miata (which is a good thing)

B. It had the same level of sound insulation as the Miata (which is a bad thing for family cars, but is good for weight control on a sports car)

C. It had a backseat that the Miata would likely have if it were a four-seater (cut and paste above-mentioned parenthetical)

Yup... it's an utterly impractical family car compared to the cavernous Accord/Camry competition.

Which means it's just the right size to do anything you actually need to do with a family car... and it's fun to drive.... and secretaries don't like it because it's too noisy... still subzero.

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Much like the Contour, sadly.

Uncool

Pretty much your basic everyday grocery getter or family run-a-bout.No ups,no downs,no extras.

Uncool.

Its a Mazda, so technically a Ford and therefore uncool to begin with. The true nail in the coffin is the fact that the dealership here tells people that they're better than Honda's for quality and on par with Acura in luxury and quality (???-riiiiiiiiiiiiiight) makes these definitely uncool.

Is it a typo or is it how it came out? (Referring to the title Name).

SVX

Is it a typo or is it how it came out? (Referring to the title Name).

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That's what it's called.

Mazda6 is how it is officially referred to by Mazda. I'm not positive that the way it is in the title is accurate, but I'm pretty sure it is correct.

I think you've got it right. The brand is Mazda, the model name is Mazda6. So it's a Mazda-built Mazda6. Not our fault Mazda didn't just badge it as a "6".

SRV2LOW4ME

Uncool.

Its a Mazda, so technically a Ford and therefore uncool to begin with. The true nail in the coffin is the fact that the dealership here tells people that they're better than Honda's for quality and on par with Acura in luxury and quality (???-riiiiiiiiiiiiiight) makes these definitely uncool.

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That's completely backwards. Ford rebadges Mazdas for use as Fords.

They only started sharing with the Tribute/Escape twins... which were based on the 626. As was the Mazda6. The Ford Fusion was based on the Mazda6.

It's like saying the Forenza is crap because it's basically a rebadged Chevrolet. It's not. It's crap because it's a rebadged Daewoo.

A Mazda6 is not a rebadged anything. A Mazda6 is a Mazda6.

A Mazda3, on the other hand... is the Focus Mk II's inferior sister.

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WarrantyDirect's studies actually do put Mazda ahead of Honda. And that's not a pansy survey like JDPowers or Consumer Reports... it's a review of actual third-party warranty work done on a whole variety of cars.

niky

I think you've got it right. The brand is Mazda, the model name is Mazda6. So it's a Mazda-built Mazda6. Not our fault Mazda didn't just badge it as a "6".



That's completely backwards. Ford rebadges Mazdas for use as Fords.

They only started sharing with the Tribute/Escape twins... which were based on the 626. As was the Mazda6. The Ford Fusion was based on the Mazda6.

It's like saying the Forenza is crap because it's basically a rebadged Chevrolet. It's not. It's crap because it's a rebadged Daewoo.

A Mazda6 is not a rebadged anything. A Mazda6 is a Mazda6.

A Mazda3, on the other hand... is the Focus Mk II's inferior sister.

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WarrantyDirect's studies actually do put Mazda ahead of Honda. And that's not a pansy survey like JDPowers or Consumer Reports... it's a review of actual third-party warranty work done on a whole variety of cars.

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Some good points found here, very informative read niky 👍

Uncool. Its just another sedan for me.

Wasn't the Probe also Mazda-based?