The all-new 2014 Mazda6 sedan has ditched its heavy camouflage for its web reveal. Previewed by the Takeri Concept shown at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, the new car is the second of a new generation of Mazda vehicles to adopt the brand’s full range of SKYACTIV technologies and the “KODO – Soul of Motion” design direction.
Looking very much like a sedan version of the Mazda CX-5 crossover, the Mazda6 sports a deeply-sculpted front fascia with the brand’s ‘signature wing’ grille, as well as hood creases that extend from the tips of the grille and flow into the body character lines. As a first for the Japanese automaker, LED luminescence front lamps give the car a piercing look.
The simple yet practical interior offers more passenger room in than in the previous model and features soft materials on areas frequently touched by occupants, such as the door trims and the upper part of the dashboard panel. The trunk has a 32mm wider opening than on the previous model for easier loading and offers a cargo capacity of 483 liters.
In Europe, the 2014 Mazda6 will initial launch with a choice of two four-cylinder gasoline engines, one a SKYACTIVE-G 2.0-liter unit making 148-hp (150 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 210 Nm (155 lb-ft) at 4,000 rpm and the other a SKYACTIVE-G 2.5-liter producing 189-hp (192 PS) at 5,700 rpm and 256Nm (189 lb-ft) at 3,250 rpm. Both engines come standard with an i-stop idling stop system and can be had with either a 6-speed manual or optional 6-speed automatic transmission.
While the new Mazda6 is the second vehicle to adopt the comprehensive suite of SKYACTIV technologies, it is the first to get the brand’s new ‘i-ELOOP,’ the world’s-first capacitor-based regenerative braking system. Under real-world driving conditions, i-ELOOP is expected to improve fuel economy by up to 10 percent.
The Euro-spec 2014 Mazda6 will be present at the 2012 Paris Motor Show in both sedan and wagon guises.
