Mazda 6 Diesel Wagon Diesel

For me, the word ‘grunt’ has been loosely interchangeable with ‘power’ or ‘torque’. Sure, there are those quick cars where it doesn't seem like the right word a Lotus Elise S roadster illustrates that point. Then there are others, such as an SS Commodore or my Mazda 6, for which it’s the only word.

Grunt not only describes the big wagon's booty shifting low down response, but also the guttural, metallic note the lovely, linear 2.2-litre twin turbo diesel makes when it’s laying down 420 of Sir Isaac’s finest.

It’s potent enough that you get torque-steer of the hot-hatch variety and surging, instantaneous performance that never fails to surprise BMW 435i convertible types looking to send one down the kerbside lane. I ticked the ‘Sports’ box at the top of this page not because I went for a deliberate thrash, then, but because this month the Mazda brought Beemer-baiting reward doing the routine.

The fuel economy is starting to impress, too. The overall average is now in the eights, which is remarkable considering the Mazda’s largely urban usage and the number of 435i cabrios I’ve come across.

However, because I regularly jump from cars that are 10 and 15 years old back into the Mazda, its A-pillar blind spot is particularly glaring. The 6 certainly isn’t alone here it affects many (probably most) modern cars but it’s still a significant trade-off for the strong, rigid body.

I can’t always see where I’m going, then, but the Mazda’s excellent satellite navigation system ensures that it, at least, knows. The system is intuitive and the directions clear and concise.

The reversing camera is one of those modern features I swore I’d never succumb to. But having got used to the big 6’s helpful rear camera, I now look for a screen in my old WRX, only to find myself staring at cheap-arse HVAC controls and a 90s head unit while touch-parking.

The small luxury of steering-wheel audio volume control, on the other hand, is not something I’ve ever maligned, but does make for some interesting driving when I jump back into the wife’s MY04 Liberty GT. See, in the Subaru, the small plus and minus buttons on the wheel are for the transmission. Who’d have thought that wouldn't catch on? Anyway, when Back In Black comes on the radio, it’s straight into fifth.

It’s a bit like when, having spent endless kays on the road, you draw your eyes to where a rear-vision mirror might be while you’re walking down the street. Never happened to you? Nah, me neither.