Mazda 6 s Grand Touring
The brawn of a V-6 scratches an enthusiast itch.
BY ERIK JOHNSON

Here are a couple of rules sane people live by. First, never eat a stick of butter in less than a minute, even if there’s money involved. And second, never buy a V-6 family sedan. We’ve been tempted by the butter thing, but what about that second one?
In fact, the Mazda 6s seems to make a pretty good argument to the contrary. Its standard 3.7-liter V-6 makes an impressive 272 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, tops among the competitive set. And even with all that grunt, torque steer is held nicely in check; you can turn onto a busy street in a hurry without fear of careening into the conversion van in the next lane. You’ll get up to speed quickly, too, as the V-6 hustles the 6 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, 1.8 ahead of an automatic four-cylinder 6i.
The V-6 mates only to a six-speed auto. There’s a manumatic function, but leaving the lever in D is satisfactory for all but the most nutball bombing runs, which, in our hands, happen with some frequency: The 6 is indeed a fantastic bombardier and one of the best to drive in its class, with a willing chassis and responsive steering and brakes.
Opt for the V-6, and gas mileage suffers. We got 18 mpg from the six, while an auto four returned 21 mpg - a 17 percent difference - although who among us wouldn’t swap 3 mpg for 102 horsepower?
Thing is, those ponies don’t come cheap. The 6s begins at $24,800, about $3K more than an automatic i. Excepting output, you’ll only give up larger, wider wheels and one speed in the gearbox; other equipment remains the same. The 2.5-liter four can also be paired with a manual, saving a further 900 bucks, upping the involvement factor and returning even better mileage (we got 24 mpg). Our fully loadeds Grand Touring came in just $210 shy of 33 grand. Pricey.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED: $32,790 (base price: $28,930)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 227 cu in, 3726cc Power (SAE net): 272 bhp @ 6250 rpm Torque (SAE net): 269 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 109.8 in Length: 193.7 in Width: 72.4 in Height: 57.9 in
Curb weight: 3620 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 6.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.4 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 30.6 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 6.3 sec
Standing ј-mile: 14.7 sec @ 98 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 132 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 165 ft
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 17/25 mpg
C/D observed: 18 mpg
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So, yes, a six-cylinder 6 uses up more funds and fuel than its four-cylinder sibling, and the smaller-engined car is indeed the saner choice. But the V-6 brawn of thes scratches an enthusiast itch that thei simply can’t. To some, that’ll be worth the extra coin and more frequent fill-ups. Just like how wolfing down that butter was totally worth the $100.
Keep Reading: 2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring – Short Take Road Test
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