I hope you're not serious. The Taurus was a pig to drive. Slow, squishy, wallowy, it drove like the boat it was. The 6 is actually a pretty refined vehicle for the price. It's got a stylish exterior (esp. in sport guise), decent interior with good sound system (Bose esp.). It handles well, has a nice-sounding engine with decent top end performance and a creamy smooth character. It's equally at home wafting along on the highway at superlegal speeds or bombing along a back country road, carving out the esses. Definitely Cool.

For its price, it's probably one of the more refined and fun cars in the segment. After test driving it (the sport hatch model) last year, I've been using it as a benchmark for other FWD mid-sized cars. Somehow they managed to get the steering and brake pedal feel just right. Most other cars from japanese manufacturers tend to have steering that's too light and/or spongy brakes... not this mazda.

The only thing I don't like... its 2.3L engine. A little bit on the weak side, revv happy but could use a little bit more torque. Have to try the 3L V6 sometime :wink:

I was referring to crayzayjay's statement and meant my response in the manner of "at least its not a taurus."

The Mazda 6 is one of the few people transport type cars with a sporting nature. You get a decent engine combined with a manual transmission. Throw that in with pretty darn good fwd handling and you have a fun to drive sedan. The Mazda 6 was the car I had set out to buy, but in the end I traded handling for the mesmerizing power of the VQ35 engine. :twisted:

Have to admit I'm tempted by the VQ35 as well, but only really in the 350Z. In its FWD applications (Maxima/Altima) I think it's a bit too much power to be going through the front wheels with unequal-length halfshafts as the torque steer can be pretty intense in my experience. I never had that problem in the 2 6's we leased, and I kind of like the 6's styling a bit better too. Either way, both are great fun, practical, and safe...where can you go wrong!? :-D

second that

Can somebody tip this car to uncoolness ?? :lol:

Uncool.

Uncool. Sales rep car.

I like our shop car it's a speed6 made in Japan not the Michigan plant. AWD turbo is fun to drive. So far we are at roughly 330awhp and 400awtq. I know a few people with various regular 6's and they are fun to throw around especially in a 5-speed in either engine package.

Never heard of it.

Wait, I voted for it already, but I don't know what I voted for...

This thread is so old that the new model has been released already.