2004 Mazda Mazda6

Rating from Richie L

(3)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		2 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		3 out of 5
Reliability:		3 out of 5

"I bought my 2004 6s hatchback new. I've got 70,000 miles on it so far. It has a nice sporty ride and great looks, but here are some issues: The LCD display for the climate system and radio flickers so bad, I cannot tell what temp it is or the radio frequency. I've had it replaced under warranty, but now it's doing it again and my warranty is out. The automatic transmission sometimes lags before downshifting, and is sometimes jerky. ...Not cool. The V6 loves to drink fuel. I have the cloth interior and in the areas where you don't sit, they put very cheap cloth, where it is starting to pill and look raggy. The only things I've replaced are the battery, tires (I like the Yokohama YK520), and front brakes / rotors. I love the hatchback version. I can fit almost as much stuff as an SUV. So, overall the car has not given me any major mechanical problems, the hatchback fits lots of stuff, and has great looks. After 70,000 miles it still drives and looks almost new on the outside (I garage it)."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Will

(5)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"2004 Mazda 6S Automatic V6 WOW! Rarely do you get perfect feedback through the steering, pedals, and seats, and to find it all in a front wheel drive four door sedan is very impressive indeed. I love this car. I have the 3 liter V6 model and 5 speed automatic gearbox that work so smoothly together. On the highway, the overtaking power is great, while the shifts are seamless and smooth, never jerky. This is, after all, the same engine used by Jaguar with the S and X types, and now with the XF. High up in the rev range, the noise from the V6 is simply sublime. Most companies these days (particularly Toyota with the Camry and Highlander, and Nissan with the 370z) manage to make the V6 sound dull, or even annoying, by just turning the noise into a relentless hum. This isn't that. This car fizzles and pops and growls. It sounds like a real engine, which is very good. The steering wheel is very small, and perfectly weighted. I'm not joking or exaggerating when I say you can feel the road so perfectly through the steering, it's like running your fingers along it. That's how good it is. The man in charge of Mazda's engineering department at the time this 6 was built used to race cars, and it very much shows in it's execution, even in American specification (a very rare thing if you don't know!) I only have a few complaints. One is that the manual mode on the automatic should blip the throttle for you on the down shifts, and another is the ride. I realize this car was designed to be sporty, but does it have to break my back over bumps? I guess if you want something both sporty and comfortable, the BMW 3 series is your only choice. One problem that might dissuade you all from buying is the fuel economy of the V6. When driven in a spirited or fun way (or, how I drive) you get around 14 mpg, and no, I'm not kidding. When driven sensibly, you could easily get it up to 30, though. If this worries you, get the 4 cylinder. I hear they curved the torque flow in such a way that it feels much meatier and more powerful than it actually is, so driving enthusiasts on a budget will not be disappointed. The car is 5 years old now, and I've had no reliability problems as of yet, it still feels tight as a drum, so I highly recommend the car to you. It is a left-field choice that will surely please its owner."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Having fun

Rating from DL

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Bought this car new, 88,000 miles ago. It held up very well in the harsh Boston winters and millions of pot holes. Only problem I had was the computer chip needed a reprogram (covered cost) early on. Pros: 1. Handles better than my G37x under mildly enthusiastic driving demands. Excellent feedback, steering weight perfect for my taste, very precise. 2. Ride -- it is firm, but soaks up bumps well. It's much more comfortable than our Forester, but stays much flatter in corners. You need to drive this thing yourself to see if you like it. I hear it's not as quiet as the Camry and the like. 3. Reasonable trunk size. 4. Range -- mostly highway driving (Boston traffic) gets me 30 mpg with the automatic. That means 450 miles or so before the light comes on at 3 gallons left in the tank (gauge will have read "empty" for a while). I hate having to get gas all the time. 5. Ability to manually shift -- this thing with the auto is pretty slow compared to something like the Passat. Anticipating passes in manual mode by downshifting early will get you to zoom past vast majority of traffic safely. Boston traffic is pretty aggressive, so leaving it in auto mode may leave you in the dust here. Cons: 1. Turning circle. Don't let its relatively compact size fool you. Treat it like a big fat SUV if you want to do U-turns (often you end up with a pathetic Y-turn). 2. I have heard of some stories of people ending up with lemons. You should be very careful, as you should be with any used car purchase decision. I guess I was lucky? 3. Did I mention the ginormous turning circle?"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from 04 Mazda 6i driver

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"This is the second car I have had. I am 17 years old and love this car. My first car was a 1998 Jetta which was terrible. Now this 04 mazda 6i was just what I was looking for. It has almost 89k miles on it and runs great. The car does not get the best gas mileage, around 20mpg in the city but I'm ok with that. The car has decent get up and go and I love the auto-stick. Overall its a great car"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Having fun

Rating from dawson

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"very roomy no problems seating 5 had some problems with aftermarket items put on but loved the car overall was going to get a 3 but the 6 is definetly a step up"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from zoomless

(4)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		3 out of 5

"My review is being written with my car sitting in my driveway dead due to electrical gremlin, which started about a month ago. I thought it was a battery because I could get it jumped, but battery checked out and now I can't get it jumped anymore. But it is a great designed car. I average 20-24 mpg and 28mpg on highway trips. I drive fast and have 5 speed, which is one big reason why I bought it. I have never been able to get more than 16.5 gallons in the tank even when empty despite alleged 18 gallon tank. so range is less than expected. back tailgate release broke and there was a "typical" engine repair based on Ford engine that cost $600, which happened @60k miles."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from DMC

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Bought the car new and have really enjoyed driving it. Both handling and speed have been enough for city driving in the DC area. I always get compliments on the design and lines of this vehicle. I made a decision to purchase the 5-speed over the automatic version and I never looked back. Good gas mileage and no problems. The turning radius could be a little better but that would be my only negative"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Ron

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I have owned my Mazda6 3.0 Duratec since October 2005. I purchased her used with 9,000 miles. My 6 has have no mechanical problems at all. It still drives as smoothly as I first got it. At 70,000 accumulated miles now, she is still so silky smooth. And the handling is awesome. I saw a couple of times the goofy faces of the driver of Porsches around the corners when my girl outhandle their expensive Porsches. There is so much fun in a family sedan clothing. Braking is superb with solid feel and never fade, I even put the new Michellin on and now is even much better. Road noise at high speed is very moderate, or very low levels. The hatchback is very helpful when I can put my new 52" LCD TV in it easy. I have no problem trading in my old Civic for it because my old Civic was, first, an underperformer and the Civic lacked the versatility of this beloved Mazda6 hatchback. Fuel consumption is not as bad as I thought. Compared to my friend's V6 Camry, it is only 0.2 miles per gallon behind, yet with tons of driving fun and much better utility. Boy, my friend cannot even fit his 52" LCD TV in his trunk equipped Camry. I love my Mazda6 hatchback. The styling is so perfect as well. I love it, I surely do."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Clicar

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"We bought a loaded 6s new in 04. Since then we have put 68,000 miles on it. The only issue we've had is brakes. I've replaced front pads twice, front rotors once and rear pads once. It is a great looking, comfortable and very sporty sedan. We get good gas milage with it and it has proven to be very dependable car. When compared to other sedans out there it is just sportier and more fun to drive. I sold a Honda Accord and switched over to the 6. I'm not sorry I did. The Accord had front brake issues as well. The 6 isn't the quickest out there but it will outhandle the Accord easy. Overall...very happy with our 6 and if we can get another 68k out of it we'll be happy."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Mazda (Ford) 6s

(1)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"Mature/Original owner, 57K miles, 5 speed, 3.0 cylinder Duratec Engine (from ford), Well maintained and not abused. A lot of people seem to lke this car, but I have had numerous problems including lots of brake system problems, Power steering, two bad engines, malfunctioning trany, AC, weak Traction control, suspension issues, catalytic converters, and numerous of other integrity/build/squeek problems. After driving the car for a while, Car started feeling like my old taurus as far as mediocre brake quality and weak power steering. Car felt awesome when I first bought it, but after a few thousand miles, the handling wasn't as good and it's spunky power seemed to drop. Been to 5 different dealers in two different states, and no good stories to tell. Mazda customer service doesn't seem to care and the dealerships don't seem to know their own cars and sometimes act like Mazda doesn't pay then for waranty work when they don't want to diagnose or fix obvious things that are wrong. So many excuses to not do work, and I had to go back so many times to get things that are fixed refixed. Don't like how the dealers do computer updates without customer knowledge or approval, and afterwards, the car feels less responsive and gas mileage not as good. When you ask the Dealers and Mazda Customer Service for details of what was changed, they say they don't know and can't reverse the updates. Also, I don't like the way they like to use rebuilt parts for waranty work. Been driving cars for 30 years, and this is by far my absolute worst experience, even considering all my other cars, except 1, were older/used when I bought them. This car was built in Detroit, not Japan, and seems like it is packed with Ford Parts. Brakes, suspension, power steering quality sure feel like they are Ford, and the engine is Ford. They are putting this engine in the Ford Fusions. My Mom's old Mazda Protege was a great car, so thought I would try Mazda. Big mistake! If you want to take a chance and are unsure on 4 or 6 cylinder, go 4. It's supposed to be good, and the 6 isn't really that fast, especialy after they mess with the computer. The tighter handing, although car gets clunky over time, is decent, and the bose stereo and interior and trunk room are nice. Hope this helps."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A