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With a family to haul around, a sports car might not be practical for you just yet. As a result, you may be stuck in the sedan zone.

But you still want to go fast, have some fun, and not be looked down upon by those driving around in their speedy little roadsters and sport coupes — cars such as the Nissan 350Z or the Honda S2000.

To solve that problem, you could go out and buy a premium sedan such as the all-wheel-drive Infiniti G35, which has essentially the same drivetrain as the 350Z. But you’d be paying a lot more than you might have in the budget, and then where would you find the money to make the house payment?

Not to worry. Mazda might have just the answer for you: the all-new, all-wheel-drive 2006 MazdaSpeed 6.

As a longtime fan of Mazda, I’m already sold on this company’s products, having owned a bunch of them dating all the way to the mid-70s. One of them, my 1977 Cosmo rotary-engine sport coupe, still lives in my memory as one of the best cars I’ve ever had. This new high-performance MazdaSpeed 6 sedan doesn’t have a rotary engine like my Cosmo did, or like the current Mazda RX-8 sports car has.

But with performance of zero to 60 mph in just 6.2 seconds, this is one quick sedan that will put a smile on your face almost as big as the one you’d have driving one of those more-expensive vehicles.

The MazdaSpeed 6, with essentially the same five-passenger, midsize-sedan body as its regular Mazda 6 counterpart, comes with a base price of $27,995. Granted, that’s a bit higher than your standard Mazda 6, Honda Accord or Camry, but this is no standard sedan.

Mazda calls this vehicle the “ultimate zoom-zoom Mazda6,” and it makes driving a family sedan quite bearable.

It does that with a four-cylinder engine, too, not a thirsty V-6 or even thirstier V-8. Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline four that turns out 274 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque (which is even more impressive than the horsepower). There is one drawback for those who want to talk on their cell phones and drive in rush-hour traffic at the same time: The car comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox. Mazda says it would be silly to put an automatic in it.

And even with all of that power, the car’s EPA fuel-economy ratings are a respectable 20 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

You probably won’t do that well if you’re driving this car aggressively, though — you know, such as racing from stoplight to stoplight. (I’m not suggesting that you drive that way, of course, but some people will.)

There are sedans for under $30,000 that have about the same horsepower as the MazdaSpeed 6, such as the Toyota Avalon, for instance. But that’s a heavier car, and it won’t accelerate quite as quickly as the Mazda. The other one that comes to mind is the Volkswagen Passat, with a new optional 280-horsepower engine available later this model year, but the price probably will be over the $30,000 mark.

The MazdaSpeed 6’s starting price, then, rings up as something of a bargain. Like Volkswagen, Mazda has always tried to emphasize the driving experience over the ride in its cars, giving the brand a strong reputation with enthusiasts, who generally wouldn’t want an “average” car such as a Camry or Accord.

In that vein, the MazdaSpeed 6 comes off more as a Japanese BMW than some other Japanese cars costing thousands more — including the previous-generation Lexus IS model.

Mazda bills the car as the “fastest accelerating, best handling and most advanced sports sedan Mazda has ever built.”

The all-wheel-drive system is standard, and is described by Mazda as a “high-tech active torque-split” system. Unlike other cars that convert their front-drive systems into all-wheel drive by sending some power to the rear wheels occasionally, the Mazda system puts power to all four wheels all the time.

Often, I hear people in Texas say they have no need for all-wheel drive, based on the mistaken belief that such systems are only for snow and ice driving.

Not so. All-wheel drive, particularly a system such as Mazda’s, is important on dry pavement, too, especially during performance driving. It makes sure that power goes where it is needed to hold the car onto the road and accelerate without wheel slippage. It’s just the ultimate drive system on wet or dry roads.

Mazda says this car is “not just about speed.”

“As befits a top-of-the-line model, the MazdaSpeed 6 offers a host of creature comforts that the ‘rally replicas’ could only hope for,” the company said in an announcement introducing the new model.

The “rally replicas” reference was to cars such as the Subaru Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, compact sedans that are street-legal versions of European rally race cars.

Among the amenities included with the Mazda are support seats with optional leather trim; a six-speaker AM/FM/CD sound system or an optional Bose system featuring a six-disc CD changer; and optional xenon headlights, moon roof and DVD-based navigation system.

Unlike the rally-replica cars, the MazdaSpeed 6 has a comfortable ride. Those other cars can be quite harsh.

As for the engine, Mazda says it’s all aluminum and has 16 valves and “direct injection spark ignition.” The company says the engine will be available in other Mazda vehicles later on, but no specfic models or timetable were mentioned.

There were some changes made to the MazdaSpeed 6 to differentiate it from the regular Mazda 6 model. Among them: A new grille and headlights, fog lights that are in the lower bumper, and new front fenders, front and rear fascia, and taillights.

The body has been lowered, and the Mazda 6 double-wishbone front and rear multi-link suspension design has been altered for sportier handling, the company said. The front spring rate has been increased 25 percent and the rear 37 percent; both front and rear stabilizer bars also have been increased in size. These changes give the car better handling in tight turns.

“With the retuned suspension acting in concert with the active torque-split all-wheel drive system, the MazdaSpeed 6 can corner faster and flatter than the regular Mazda 6,” the company said.

The changes do not give the passengers a “poor ride or excessive road noise in exchange for outstanding steering feel and feedback, and prodigious levels of cornering gri,” Mazda said.

Other features include engine-speed-sensing power raqck-and-pinion steering, 18-inch alloy wheels and 215/45R-18 high-performance tires.

The brakes are 12.6-inch ventilated front discs and 12.4-inch solid rear discs, and both antilock and electronic brake-force distribution are standard, along with traction control and dynamic stability control.

The hood has a bulge in it to accommodate the intercooler on top of the engine, and hood scoop is used to bring outside air into the engine.

Other distinct exterior cues include extended side skirts, a different rear bumper with built-in diffuser and slots for the twin tailpipes, and a rear spoiler.

Inside are unique black cloth sport seats and aluminum-alloy foot pedals.

Six exterior colors are offered, none of which is shared with the Mazda 6. They are liquid platinum metallic, black mica, whitewater pearl mica, velocity red mica, black cherry mica and titanium gray metallic.

Power windows, mirrors and door locks are standard, along with remote keyless entry, cruise control, and leather-wrapped steering wheel, shifter and parking-brake handle.

Two trim levels are offered. The base model, for the $27,995 price (plus $560 freight), is the Sport.

For $29,925 (plus freight), you can move up to the Grand Touring version, which also gets leather seats in black or a special black-and-white finish; eight-way power adjustment and adjustable lumbar support for the driver’s seat; and heated front seats.

Optional on the Grand Touring model is a power tilt-and-slide moon roof.

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G. Chambers Williams III is staff automotive columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and former transportation writer for the Star-Telegram. His automotive columns have appeared regularly in the Star-Telegram since 1995. Contact him at (210) 250-3236; chambers@star-telegram.com.