The Sport Wagon Enthusiast

The first generation Mazda 6 Sport Wagon is more than a performer in name only (pay attention Acura TSX wagon, we’re talking to you). Packing a 220 horsepower V6 and a 5-speed manual transmission, the Mazda 6 wagon is one of the few 21^st Century Japanese wagons (sold stateside) that induce an elevated heartbeat for their drivers. Of the two trims available, the “s” is the only model we’ll be talking about today- look for information on the 160 horsepower “i” model somewhere else (or better yet, take a nap).  

The six’s strengths are fairly obvious: sporting aesthetics, six cylinders, a manual transmission, excellent cargo volume, a competitive price, and compliant suspension. Owners benefit from 60 cu. ft. of interior cargo volume when the seats are lowered, besting the BMW 325iT by over 10 cu. ft. Independent, double wishbone front suspension ensures that the ‘6 is a competent corner, even if prone to understeer. These benefits make the six an attractive, and rare wagon in the American market.

Produced in Japan in Michigan, the 6 wagon arrived in Mazda showrooms in 2004 and was sold through 2007. Fortunately the 5-speed manual is available each of those years, and in 2005 the 4-speed automatic (never let anyone tell you it’s a manual- the damn thing has a torque converter) was upgraded to a 6-speed unit.

Sadly, as usual, the U.S. and Canada missed out on the turbo-diesel four-pot and 6-speed manual that European buyers get. To add insult to injury, Japan, Europe, and Australia also had the option for all-wheel drive. This point brings us to the 6’s shortfalls.

While Mazda’s formula is pretty good right out of the gates, it certainly has its flaws. Its FF setup (front engined, front wheel drive) produces considerable understeer, some torque steer (although the engine doesn’t really posses enough lower-end power to really effect much), and ultimately leaves hardcore enthusiasts under-whelmed. The 3.0L V6 is an excellent engine overall, but could certainly benefit from a little aftermarket love (then again, what couldn’t?). The Duratec engine needs about thirty more horses to properly pull the 3,400 lb wagon- but this is a problem easily fixed by headers, a cat-back exhaust, a revised intake system, and some software to tie it all together. Without these modifications, drivers should keep the tach above 3,500 rpms for optimal results. Of course the second generation 6 wagon benefited from 272 horses and a displacement gain of 700cc, but Mazda decided this was too much for ‘merican soccer moms. Additionally, the interior suffers from its fair share of sub-par materials, but considering the price this is to be expected.