• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • The Rearview Mirror: Ford’s High-End Failure
  • Ram Returning to Midsize Pickup Segment; Shows Dealers a Concept EV
  • Why Isn’t That EV Charger Working?
  • Ford Will Trust The Truck — The New One Built at BlueOval City
  • Cupra Could Be Headed to the U.S.
  • March New Vehicle Sales to Rise 6.2% Over Last Year
  • Hyundai, Kia Recall Warns Owners of 570K Vehicles to Park Outside
  • Ford Facing $3 Billion in Losses on EV Business for 2023
  • Higher Interest Rates, Bank Failures Pose Challenge to Car Business
  • General Motors to Face Class Action Lawsuit
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2023 Infiniti QX80
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV80 Prestige 3.5 Turbo
    • First Drive: 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T
    • First Drive: 2023 Dodge Hornet GT
    • First Drive: 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70
    • First Drive: 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Jeep Compass Limited
    • A Week With: 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series
    • A Week With: 2023 Volvo XC40 AWD Ultimate
    • First Drive: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > reviews > First Drive: 2018 Mazda6 Signature

        First Drive: 2018 Mazda6 Signature

        Company continues its pairing of sportiness and comfort in this sedan.

        Joseph Szczesny
        Joseph Szczesny , Executive Editor
        Nov. 06, 2018
        Mazda is staying the midsize sedan game and its latest iteration of the Mazda6 is one of the better options.

        Sedans have fallen out of favor with motorists in the United States sales tallies suggest. Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobile N.V. indicate, with the exception of muscle cars, they are prepared to exit the segment, perhaps for good.

        But the midsize sedan segment remains one of the largest in the business; accounting for sales of more than an estimated 1.5 million units and drawing interest from key manufacturers such Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Mazda, specifically with its Mazda6.

        Reviews You Can Use!

        Mazda has made a substantial effort to re-engineer its midsized sedan for 2018 and while its predecessor was awfully good, the 2018 Mazda6 with its retuned suspension, quieter cabin and revamped connectivity, has been made even better.

        The brass at Mazda always likes to talk about how they want to surprise customers by offering a vehicle that for all practical purposes is a “class above” and the Mazda6 certainly delivers with a well-furnished cabin.

        (No more what if: Mazda bringing out a faster Miata. Click Here for the story.)

        With a contemporary exterior look and sporty engine, Mazda has the right mix for a successful midsize sedan.

        The instrument panel is very simple and straightforward, reaching key knobs and controls is the same. Meanwhile, the instrument cluster itself is well thought out and easy to read, including the tachometer, which seems to get lost in a lot of vehicles these days.

        Mazda says it wants to build cars that appeal to people for whom driving is a fun, so details such as the easy-to-read tachometer and the uncluttered cabin come into play. In keeping with Mazda’s basic philosophy of building cars for drivers with a capital “D,” the Mazda6 also has some impressive driving dynamics. It boasts crisp steering, ample braking power and a well-balanced and supple suspension.

        Even if you take a curve or a corner at higher that recommended speeds the cars reacts the Mazda6 manages without any fuss or screeching tires as it easily maintains its equilibrium.

        The power in the Mazda comes from the SkyActiv 2.5-liter, dual-overhead cam 4-cylinder engine that on the Signature version that I was able to test also had a “dynamic pressure” turbo, which never ever seemed to lag.

        The new Mazda6 offers plenty of room and comfort for passengers in both the front and rear.

        Mazda hasn’t abandoned the manual transmission and produces some of the best in business and a manual transmission is available on the Mazda6. But the Mazda6 sedan that I drove was equipped automatic transmission with a start-stop function. It took a short time to get used to the automatic’s shift patterns but it functioned nicely and the powertrain certainly reacted effortlessly.

        The powertrain produces 227 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque. The extra torque gives the Mazda6 the ability to roar away from a standing start quickly as I discovered on a freeway trip where I found that I had moved well past the speed limit recommended by the State of Michigan. Needless to say, the Mazda6’s ability to move out in traffic raises its fun quotient.

        (Click Here for a first drive of the 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring.)

        But the Mazda6 also is equipped with cylinder deactivation to help save fuel and the version I drove got 23 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway for a combined rating of 26 mpg. The other relevant numbers include the price of $36,140, including the $890 destination charge.

        The interior of the Mazda 6 is simple and straightforward.

        I suspect one of the reasons motorists began drifting away from the midsized sedan segment was too many boring designs. But the Mazda6 has very nice exterior lines with its tasteful front fascia and rear and strong profile that makes the car’s overall exterior design very appealing.  The exterior appeal has been enhanced on this year’s model with the addition of LED headlamps and daytime running lights. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard now and 19-inch wheels are available.

        As I noted earlier the cabin is quiet and nicely furnished. Visibility from the driver’s seat is excellent and the interior lighting scheme used on the instrument cluster and center stack works effectively at night, making driving in the dark less stressful.

        In addition, Mazda also has added adaptive headlights that can help the driver peak around corners, which is another aid for night time drivers and high-beam controls that turn up the lights on dark roads. Push-button start, Mazda Connect with a full-color touch screen as well as Bluetooth are also available on the Mazda6

        The Mazda6 also is available with driver assistance features such as a Smart Brake Support System with forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitor and radar cruise control with stop and go feature and cross-traffic alert. A 360-degree view monitor with front and rear sensors is also available on the Mazda6.

        (To see more about Mazda’s NA chief becoming CEO, Click Here.)

        The combination of Mazda’s craftsmanship and design as well its full complement of technology as well as its solid driving dynamics makes you hope the sedan can hand on in changing world.

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published
        2023 Nissan Altima SR 2.0 VC-Turbo best

        A Week With: 2023 Nissan Altima SR 2.0 VC-Turbo

        March 01, 2023

        A Week With: 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec

        Feb. 24, 2023
        2023 BMW i7 best

        A Week With: 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60

        Feb. 22, 2023

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        What Are You Looking For?

        See More
        Buying a Sedan? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Buying a Sedan? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Reviews and Resources When You Are Looking For a New Car
        Collection
        Car Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        Car Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends

        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends
        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Recommends

        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Recommends
        7 Best Car Shipping Companies: Consumer Guide (2022)
        Recommends

        7 Best Car Shipping Companies: Consumer Guide (2022)
        Close
        Reviews and Resources When You Are Looking For a New Car
        Collection
        Car Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        Car Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends

        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends
        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Recommends

        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Recommends
        7 Best Car Shipping Companies: Consumer Guide (2022)
        Recommends

        7 Best Car Shipping Companies: Consumer Guide (2022)
        Close
        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: