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The 2009 Mazda6 needed to do a lot of sweet talking to win me over; I reviewed the 2008 Mazda6 and had some not-so-nice things to say about it, so I was quite interested to see what improvements to the all-new 2009 Mazda6 might tempt me to change my mind. There are a lot of new features to amaze and impress, yet while hugely improved, the Mazda6 is still a work in progress. To start off, this sport sedan is looking a lot sportier while offering more room — lots more room. The backseat has now officially graduated to “roomy” — some might even say comfy. Outside, a more aggressive look sets the Mazda6 apart from the crowd of (yawn) boring sedans. Its rear isn’t so great with its bulging taillights, but I don’t like my butt either. Honestly, I’ve got to give it to the folks at Mazda; the car looks both richer and faster than before. Fortunately, it doesn’t just look faster; it is faster — a lot faster. The new Mazda6 is much more fun to drive now that it actually does “zoom zoom.” It has a tighter turning radius for those U-turns out of the school parking lot. The driving experience nearly had me sold until I had to hit the brakes hard. When I pushed on the brakes, it seemed like it took awhile for the car to stop, which made me nervous. That’s when this sport sedan transformed into a heavy block of lead. There also was a weird moment later on when the transmission slipped, which sealed it for me. The Mazda6 still needs work. The interior sports a face-lift, with new perforated leather seats (read: spilled milk collectors). The trim, however, is…um…interesting. Mazda calls it “nagare,” which is Japanese for “flow.” But I don’t get it. It’s rather hard to describe: It’s like black and gray bamboo that’s kind of stripey and reminiscent of a zebra, but not a cool-looking zebra pattern like my tote bag, just a strange zebra. There’s a bunch of techie stuff, including Bluetooth (really easy to sync my cell phone) and an auxiliary port in the center console, which has a removable shelf in its bin to help keep things organized. The bin isn’t big enough to hold a purse, though, so you’ll have to keep it to essentials, especially since there aren’t any nifty little cubbies for phones or other items. In the backseat, there are two seatback pockets for books and stuff, and a couple of cupholders in the armrest. In a clear bid to win over families, the Latch connectors are easy to reach. Thanks, guys! The 2009 Mazda6 is working its way up the ladder of fabulosity. It’s much better than before, more fun to drive and easier to work with, but a few glaring style gaffs and an imperfect braking experience left me lukewarm.
