Mazda

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Thursday – One of the Pack

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Crazy wind out there today but the Mazda sat perfectly on the motorway in a rather wicked cross wind. If you doubt the build quality of this car, that just reinforces how good it has been screwed together.

We also just about about managed to empty the tank, after 600 miles and some pretty harsh driving. The 6 is a big motor, so that represents impressive fuel consumption figures.

Will we miss the 6? Well, as already explained, it has done everything we have asked of it, minus a DAB radio. It looks every inch a slicker vehicle than the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Octavia and VW Passat, all backed up by the the reliability of a Mazda.

If you are content to drive a car that blends in with the pack and does nothing out of the ordinary, then it certainly offers an alternative to the rest of the big family saloons out there.

For us, we like something that makes a bit more of a statement and makes us smile when we see our car on the driveway in the morning…

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Wednesday – News Flash

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Another Mazda6 driver flashed his lights at me today. Is there some Masonic bond going on with 6 drivers that I don’t know about it? Took me totally by surprise I can tell you!

I get fellow Land Rover drivers waving to me when I’m out in the Series III – that’s people in ‘proper’ Land Rover Defenders, not mums on the school run in a Discovery or Range Rover Sport.

I’d like to think that there was a special bond between Mazda6 drivers, if only because the saloon lacks any real character of its own. I’m going to Google Mazda 6 Owners’ Club in a moment and see what I’m missing.

It’s hard not to like the 6, it does everything it should. If only it had a little bit extra to send the pulse racing, apart from fuel economy and uber reliability…

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Tuesday – Locked Up

hghgh.jpgToday I’ve had what NASA might call a ‘technical hitch’ with the Mazda6. Nothing serious, just an annoying issue with the Bluetooth telephone system which comes down to the computer simply saying, ‘no’.

Having paired up my iPhone to the Mazda information unit, my next incoming phone call failed to register on the 6’s information screen. Well, actually it did but the screen locked and refused to accept the call.

Hmm… So what would you do? Well, I tried pressing a lot of buttons, turned the phone off and eventually admitted defeat, pulling over to investigate. Turning the engine off and on again, the system rebooted itself and the problem disappeared.

I’m not sure it’s a problem that will occur again but as Car Couture tries to give you a warts and all feel for every car we drive, it does merit a mention.

 

 

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Sunday – No DABbling?

cropped-774052_261113-a-maz.jpgThere’s something missing from my Mazda6. It’s taken me a while to realise but as sport plays a large part in my life, I was rather disappointed the saloon isn’t kitted out with a DAB radio. That means terrible reception for Radio 5 on AM and no Radio 5 Live Extra at all!

I mention this because let’s face it, the 6 is going to be a weapon of choice for many a company car driver. Surely a DAB radio would be a ‘must have’ for that type of buyer?

The entertainment screen in the Mazda isn’t big but it’s adequate. What is less impressive are the size of the buttons on the steering column to operate it by remote control. Even the touchscreen buttons require some dexterity.

At least the sound quality is good and you can wire up your phone or iPod via an AUX input or a USB cable. Scrolling through the screen options to change artists is a slow process and distracting for the driver. Could do better Mazda…

 

 

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Friday – Mazda6

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I’m just about to drive to Butlins at Minehead. Why, I hear you scream? Well, I’m playing darts with Adrian Lewis, a former double world champion who is the subject of a feature for the FT.

I mention this because after a day in the Mazda6, I already know I will see plenty of saloons shaped exactly same as mine during the 200-mile round trip.

Don’t get me wrong, from our short time together, it’s clear the Mazda6 is a very fine car. It will do exactly what you ask of it, cleans up nicely after a week hacking up and down the motorways of Britain, and the ‘mouth open’ front grille is attractive.

Then there’s the exceptional economy, a whisper quiet engine and super-low emissions to shame a BMW.

What’s not to like? Unfortunately, the Mazda6 seems to have been built to blend in with the crowd. It’s from the M&S range of fashionable cars – which means mass appeal but very little to talk about at your neighbour’s dinner party.

So, no Alfa Guilietta then. But does it have any remarkable redeeming features? Find out tomorrow

 

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Wednesday – High Flying Mazda

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Jeremy I’m just back from interviewing Declan Clifford – the UK’s top cable wakeboarder. Number two in the last world championships, he could jump over the Mazda2 without a take-off ramp!

The hottest day of the year so far was the perfect moment for me to have a masterclass from the youngster. It was like learning to drive all over again and I went flying every time I was dragged from the bank by the cable pulley.

It’s my last day with the Mazda and I wasn’t really looking forward to the 300-mile round trip in the supermini. Suffice to say, the 2 was a lot better than I expected on a long dustance, high-speed run.

It does lack power from a standing start and can be sluggish uphill but once you have the engine wound up, it fair zips along. Noise levels are pretty low at motorway speeds but I think the next generation 2 would benefit from a sixth gear.

It’s been a fairly uneventful week in the Mazda, which is probably what any prospective buyer wants to hear! I’d say this was the perfect car for urbanites, espeically those who have to make the odd longer distance drive.

The styling still works five years after launch, interior space is excellent and because it’s a Mazda, it’s unlikely to let you down any time soon. Great fun but the Sport we drove just needs a slightly more powerful engine…

 

 

 

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Tuesday – Air Conned?

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Jeremy – Gone are the days of annoying rattles from the dashboard and squeaks that drive you mad on even the shortest of journeys. My father seemed to suffer more than most – every car he owned had a habit of developing a rattle from somewhere deep in the heart of the trim.

Thankfully, that’s one trait I haven’t inherited but there is something quirky about the Mazda2 that I have never experienced in any car before.

It started today when I was driving up a long, steep hill towards Painswick, in Gloucestershire. With temperatures touching 30 degrees all week, the air conditioning has been on for every journey.

So, as I wound my way up and into the Cotswolds, I noticed the air con only kicked in for short bursts, which is perfectly adequate to keep the cockpit cool. However, every time it did come on, there was a noticeable drop in power from the engine.

I know air conditioning can increase fuel consumption because it draws so heavily on the engine but I had no idea it would also have such an impact.

And now that I have noticed it is happening, I can’t seem to ignore the power loss! Just like one of the annoying rattles, the 2 has a small Achilles heel that isn’t going away anytime soon. Now, where’s that squeak…

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Monday – 2 Good

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Jeremy Funny how car companies go through peaks and troughs with their range of cars. The arrival of the Mazda2 in 2007 was a definite turning point for the Japanese manufacturer.

The 2 was an instant hit and went on to win World Car of the Year in 2008 – no small achievement. Perhaps because the car it replaced, the rather dull 121, was nowhere near as good and just a re-worked Ford Fiesta.

The Mazda2 is still a sibling of the Fiesta but looks much prettier, despite having no major bodywork design overhaul since launch five years ago.

Light, fuel efficient and exceptionally well engineered for a little car, it’s still a match for some of the very latest supermini offerings, such as the current VW Polo, Honda Jazz and Kia Rio.

But when a new version is surely launched over the next year or two, I think there’s every chance the Mazda2 could go to the top of the pile.

 

 

 

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Sunday – Fabulous 2 x 5

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Jeremy – Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Ka, Citroen Saxo – there’s not a huge amount of choice if you are a bright young thing searching for your first cheap car. With average insurance bill exceeding £1500, the paperwork costs more than the vehicle in most cases.

Shame really because the Mazda2 would make a great first car. Cute, well-built and not too expensive to run, it’s the sort of ‘sensible’ runabout any parent would want their little darling driving to and from uni.

That’s especially true when you consider the 2 has a five-star NCAP safety rating for adult occupants in a crash. Instead, young drivers are priced out of the market for the latest, safest cars and forced into ten or 15-year-old hacks that just don’t meet the same standards.

The Mazda comes equipped with up to six airbags, front, side and curtain, plus ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution as standard, helping to reduce the risk of a skid. A steel bodyshell with a special system that absorbs the impact of a collision is impressive on such a modestly price car too.

The best parents can hope for is a secondhand Mazda2, which shouldn’t be too hard to find as this model first appeared back in 2007.

 

 

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Saturday – Biblical Heatwave

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Jeremy We’ve just enjoyed a game of tennis in sweltering heat and then slumped into the Mazda2 for a comfortable drive home. How the rubbery ginger did we ever survive ten or 20 years ago without air conditioning?

We just expect city runabouts to come equipped with cold air these days and the 2 is no exception – let’s face it, driving around London without it would almost be unbearable.

The Mazda has an especially good air con unit that is so powerful it even reaches those in the back seats. And because the cabin is pretty compact, it doesn’t take long for the whole car to cool down in an English summer heatwave.

The present weather reminded me of a story about a guy who got frostbite in his toes after driving up the M1 with the air con blasting at his feet! Remarkable? Well, maybe after 40 days of this sort of weather it might be more commonplace…