The first time I saw a latest-generation Mazda6 was on the UK press launch, which was of course crawling with the things. A handsome-looking machine, this, I thought, but that was nothing to my reaction when the car reviewed here arrived at CARkeys Towers. With no other 6s within sight, it stood out from its automotive surroundings in no uncertain manner, and made me wonder if I had ever seen such a beautiful family car.Others seem to be of the same mind. This review is being written and published in the same week that the 6 was confirmed as being one of three contenders for the 2013 World Car Design of the Year title. The others are the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Jaguar F-Type.Even if the Mazda doesn't win, it hardly matters. The point has already been made. Can you imagine the Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia being considered as on remotely the same level as those elegant sports cars in a conversation about design? Well, there you go, then.The 6 is available as a saloon, as tested here, or an estate, but not, despite the well-known preference among UK buyers for this body style, a hatchback. Mazda justifies this by saying that according to its market research hatchback owners tend not to fold down the rear seats of their vehicles, and those who need the resulting extra space can buy a CX-5 instead (assuming that they want an SUV and, if they do, that that's the one they'll pick).I think the company is playing a risky game here. Whether or not owners will actually use the extra practicality a hatchback offers, saloons inevitably have more restricted access to their luggage compartments. Furthermore, Mazda has assumed, following a long-standing if baffling motor industry tradition, that saloons don't need rear wipers the way hatchbacks and estates do, but having driven the 6 in grotty weather I can happily say that a wiper would have made life a great deal easier.The Sport Nav trim level of the test car is the highest of three in the range. The "Nav" part refers to an entirely satisfactory navigation system which adds £600 to the price of the regular Sport. Apart from that, you get bi-xenon headlights with a cornering function which I'm beginning to think every car should be required to have as standard, LED daytime running lights, a reversing camera, heated and power-adjustable front seats, full leather upholstery, a smart entry system and an eleven-speaker Bose audio system.You also get 19" wheels and low-profile tyres which simply don't suit the car at all. They are responsible for the Sport being the worst-riding car in the range (blowing any chance of the 6 being the elegant tourer its looks suggest it should be) and, along with the very notchy gearchange on manual-transmission versions, make it quite cumbersome to drive in town.In fact, this particular 6 is better the faster the you drive it, though don't be fooled by the name of the trim level that it's at all sporty. The amazing sharpness of the original 6, two generations old now, is definitely a thing of the past.Mazda offers two versions of a 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine producing 150 and 175PS, or 148 and 173bhp in old money. I have to confess here that I was convinced the test car had the 175PS unit and was surprised, on checking, to be told that it was actually a 150.The reason for the confusion was that, although the 150 noticeably runs out of puff when you rev it to the red line, it's very strong at the kind of engine speeds people are most likely to use. I rarely took it much beyond 2000rpm and never, other than for research purposes, beyond 3000, and it always provided as much performance as I needed.Officially, the 150 has CO2 emissions of just 108g/km, so under current regulations you'll be asked to pay just £20 a year in Vehicle Excise duty from year two onwards. The EU test also suggests combined fuel economy of 67.3mpg, and if you can match that, good for you. According to the trip computer (which, according to my measurements, under-reads very slightly) I averaged around 54mpg - not bad, I think, for a large and more than adequately powerful saloon car. Engine 2191cc, 4 cylinders Power 148bhp Transmission 6-speed manual Fuel/CO2 67.3mpg / 108g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 9.0 seconds Top speed 131mph Price £25,595 Details correct at publication date
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