Mazda6 Triplets

Mazda Motor Corp. is the proud parent of triplets with the expansion of the midsize Mazda6 family.

The staged birthing sequence began with the sedan that launched to critical acclaim 18 months ago in the North American market. It now is joined by the '04 Mazda6 5-Door and Sport Wagon.

The family resemblance is unmistakable. The hatch enters the world almost as an identical twin to the sedan — a move that is generating debate. Hatches have been unpopular in the past; Mazda's thinking is to give the sedan and hatch — the only midsize notchback for sale in the U.S. — the same sporty lines, but a choice of cargo holds.

If the idea is to have customers see the car as sporty first and then discover it has the utility of a hatch — it works. The downside to mirror-image design is that Mazda estimates 10%-15% of 5-door sales will come at the expense of the sedan.

The triplets are designed to take volume from about 70,000 sedans annually to 80,000 to 90,000 sales of all three body types this year.

Are the effort, cost and complexity worth the relatively small sales boost? Mazda says all three babies were planned from the start, and the parent was prepared to build and support them all. Mazda says the strategy gives it an advantage in the C/D passenger-car segment with a breadth the sedan-centric competition doesn't have.

It's hard to win by powertrain in this segment where each new entry ups the ante. The available 3L DOHC V-6 and 2.3L inline 4-cyl. are not the most powerful, but they generate a respectable 220 hp with 192 lb.-ft. (260 Nm) of torque and 160 hp with 155 lb.-ft. (210 Nm) of torque, respectively. Mated to optional 4-speed and 5-speed automatics, they can be uninspiring, especially the 2.3L. But the standard 5-speed manual shifts smoothly and makes for a spirited romp. The automatic gearbox hunts for gears on hills, and the V-6 starts to complain if it lingers too long in third.

About 55% of Mazda6 sedan buyers have opted for the V-6 in a segment where a 25% take rate is the norm. That number should climb, as 70% of 5-door buyers are expected to opt for the larger engine, and the V-6 is standard on the heavier (about 350 lbs. [159 kg]) wagon for North America. About 18% of sedan customers are mating the V-6 to the 5-speed manual transmission, and 25% of I-4 buyers are doing so as well.

The wagon's second-row seats fold down, with no need to remove the headrests for a near-flat load floor. A clever feature is the retractable cargo cover shade and a cargo net to keep objects from flying forward. The net can be positioned behind the second row, or behind the driver when the second row is folded flat.

The Mazda6 trio rides on a taut platform, deemed strong enough that stakeholder Ford Motor Co. will base a bevy of future vehicles on these bones. The double-wishbone front and E-type multilink rear suspension do their part for a responsive ride. The cars stick to turns with minimal body roll, partly due to the wide front track and stabilizer bar. Rack and pinion steering, with a quick steering ratio, allows for more aggressive driving.

Performance-wise, the wagon was the most fun on a slalom course as part of the test drive in San Diego. The 5-door also bobs and weaves nicely. The sheer size and weight of the hatch door double as a stress member for increased vehicle strength and rigidity.

The pricing is reasonable, basing at $20,795 for the 5-door and $22,225 for the wagon. The new entries are expected to account for 30% of the mix each, but the wagon could prove a sleeper hit.

Borrowing a page from BMW AG, the plan is to add variants or significant features to keep the line fresh and enticing.

“We just want to be that quirky little car company from the Black Forest outside Hiroshima — the BMW of Japan,” quips John Mendel, chief operating officer of Mazda North American Operations.