Does Next-Gen Mazda 6 have the same features?
When it comes to midsize American sedans, the Mazda 6 has consistently ranked among the most attractive and fun-to-drive options. You may thus anticipate essentially the same features in the 2023 version. Right? Wrong. The Hiroshima-based automaker has revealed intentions for a dramatic U-turn, unprecedented in the auto industry in recent memory.
In order to compete with the likes of the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the next version of the 6 may transition from a front-wheel spin framework to a rear-wheel drive structure.
In terms of design, the 6 will take cues from its forerunner’s sleek, clean lines while amplifying those characteristics with proportions inspired by the fitted-with-windows Mazda Vision Coupe prototype that premiered at the 2017 Tokyo International Motor Show. At its debut, Mazda called this four-door ‘coupe‘ a “next-generation design research vehicle,” making no mention of a future production model. It’s clear today that the inspiration for this idea came from the future Mazda 6, among other vehicles. The new Mazda 6 will likely take design cues from the illustrious Vision Coupe.
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As the Mazda 6 sedan competes with luxury offerings from other automakers, the automaker’s approach to its so-called “big” vehicles will change drastically, and not only in the transmission area as the car switches to rear-wheel drive. In Europe, the 6 will be available with a 2.0-liter petroleum plug-in hybrid in the United States, customers can choose from a turbocharged straight 6 gasoline engine, a 4-cylinder hybrid electric vehicle ( PHEVs hybrid, a turbodiesel, or Mazda’s cutting-edge Skyactiv-X spark-controlled fuel injection with a 48-volt hybrid version. In addition, the i-Activ all-wheel steering system and a new 8-speed automatic gearbox will be available for those powertrains.
Compared to its current partner, Toyota, Mazda is a much smaller carmaker. With joint ventures like Mazda Toyota Production, which produces the Corolla Cross in the United States, and a new cost-cutting vehicle design partnership with Mazda, Toyota, and Denso launched last year, Mazda has been deepening its relations with Japan’s No. 1 automaker in recent years. It has been rumored that although Mazda uses Toyota’s hybrid technology, Lexus may employ Mazda’s Skyactiv technology in some of its forthcoming vehicles.
The new 6-seater’s revolutionary rear-drive architecture is a winner with enthusiasts. However, a technology dubbed Kinematic Posture Control, which debuted on the MX-5 in Japan and will be used in the new 6, will please many Mazda fans looking for an even greater improvement in the sedan’s handling. KPC is a fancy term for a system that applies braking pressure to the inner rear tire while cornering to generate a torque vectoring effect, making the car’s turns quicker and flatter. The system makes use of current technology but novel algorithms. It works remarkably well, stabilizing the vehicle in the bends, particularly when you go in too hot if the surface is damp, as I discovered when I tested it out on the updated MX-5 in Japan.
The 6’s new rear-drive system, engine lineup, and improved handling are not the only selling points. When it debuts in late 2022, the new Mazda 6 will make a splash thanks to its premium interior, which is a step beyond that of competitors like the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima and is on par with BMW and Mercedes.
