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It is time for the facelifted 2018 Mazda 6 model to be introduced to the market. Third generation model was delivered in 2012, and it represents a mid-size flagship sedan of the Japanese company that achieved a decent amount of success thanks to its nice and interesting looks.
This refreshment will bring more elegance and premium feel with various upgrades allowing to better compete against pretty powerful rivals in a crowded market. We can put all interior and exterior changes to the side as the biggest change here is the new turbocharged engine that will give it a little bit more power than before, and that is something this model truly needs.
Engine
Let’s start with what we are getting under the hood. As a base, we again have the 2.5-liter I4 unit that is well known from previous years, but the big improvement comes with 2.5-liter I4 that is turbocharged and produces more power. The naturally aspirated engine offers 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque while the turbo powerplant could give 250 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque. The base version is capable of getting to 60 mph in decently fast 7.6 seconds, but the new unit will be able to propel this car to 60 mph in under six seconds.
One of the negative effects that will be felt with the inclusion of more powerful engine is the drop in fuel efficiency, but this is not the most important factor for those that are looking for that extra power. The naturally aspirated unit was capable of returning 26/38 mpg city/highway, but with the inclusion of cylinder deactivation system, we expect that figures on the highway might reach 40 mpg. At this moment there is no official info about mpg and what we can expect from the new powerplant in this segment.
2018 Mazda 6 Design Changes
As we already mentioned, this is a refreshed model, and it brings redesigned front fascia, additional chrome details, 3D grille and inserts. It is hard not to note that it looks similar to the CX-5 crossover. While there aren’t any huge changes here, it is visible that the headlights are slightly slimmer and reshaped while the chrome lines under those give it a little bit extra of elegance. The lower part of the front segment is also somewhat different and now brings remodeled intake.
Interior
When it comes to the interior of the 2018 Mazda 6, we can easily notice that there are materials of higher quality than before, but that there are no significant changes to the layout. Lots of latest safety tech has been included while premium Japanese Sen Wood which comes as an optional trim. It seems that the infotainment display is new, or its position has been slightly different in the new model as it now stands taller and is more upright than before. We can only conclude that the interior looks good and that we are glad that the company didn’t change it all that much, but the small improvements they offer are pushing the luxury to a whole new level.
2018 Mazda 6 Price and Release date
We are still waiting for the details about this, and we can only predict what will happen. Base price should not change a lot as the naturally aspirated engine will be entry unit in the lineup like before, so you can expect to see something in the region of $21,945. Similar trims will be available again, and the Touring model should start from $24,195 while the Grand Touring from $30,695. One thing that could increase the price is the addition of the optional 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, and we might see an increase of few grand on each trim. We expect the 2018 Mazda 6 to go on sale early next year.
Source: topspeed.com
