2018 Mazda6 Sport Wagon: Sexy garnish to a practical recipe

MANILA: Mazda has always been a dark horse in the world of cars. This could be because they have always been a little bit different from all the other manufacturers in their approach to building cars.

Nothing brings out that fact more than the recent announcement of the new for 2018, Mazda6 Sport Wagon. At a time when most car companies have abandoned the humble station wagon for the crossover, Mazda has decided to rescue us from the menace of the crossover by sticking to their wagon. The Mazda6 itself has spent a considerably long time in the market and has always received very favorable reviews from car owners and critics alike. But we never get to see them on the road. Perhaps the Sport Wagon will strike a chord with the market.

There is a lot going for it. It shares a lot of design underpinnings with its four-door sibling, borrowing additional cues from the younger crossover cousin, the CX-9, in the form of reshaped headlights and the new grille. The car now has an even more refined and mature look thanks to the smoothed out bumper and striking alloys. The overall shape of the car brings the words sleek and svelte to mind.

The already understated interior of the Mazda 6 has also received some attention in the form of reshaped central aircon vents and new and updated infotainment and climate control systems. The inside of the car should also be a more refined place to be in, thanks to the updated suspension, better noise isolation, and a greenhouse focused on providing an unobstructed view outside. The usual slew of more comprehensive I-ACTIVESENSE safety features, active driver aids and 360-degree cameras are also included.

The most encouraging feature, however, (other than that gorgeous body obviously) would be the 2.5-liter Skyactiv – G from the CX-9, with 230 PS and 430 Nm of torque. The 2.2-litre Skyactiv-D engine is already slated to make an appearance under that sexy long bonnet, along with few other naturally aspirated options. If Mazda can deliver on its promise of providing better refinement (read noise isolation) and brings some of the design cues from Vision Coupe concept that made its debut last year, there is no doubt that we will see a lot many Mazdas on the road than before.