2019 Mazda 6 Review

The entry-level Sport starts with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder (187 horsepower, 186 lb-ft of torque) and a six-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights, push-button start, 60/40-split folding rear seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It also comes with an 8-inch touchscreen (also operated by a rotary knob controller), Bluetooth, one USB port and a six-speaker sound system.

Standard safety features include blind-spot monitoring, a rearview camera, rear cross-traffic alert, and Mazda's i-Activsense set of features that bundles forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning and lane keeping assist. Mazda's G-Vectoring Control Plus is now standard this year as well.

It's worthwhile to step up to the Touring trim, which adds features throughout the vehicle. Here you get gray-painted 19-inch wheels, a sunroof, proximity keyless entry, automatic wipers, automatic high beams, simulated leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. Rear passengers get additional vents in the center console and a center armrest with two USB charging ports.

The Grand Touring starts where the Touring leaves off, but it adds the desirable turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (250 hp, or 227 hp on non-premium fuel, and 310 lb-ft of torque) and the six-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The infotainment system gets more power, too, with the addition of an 11-speaker stereo and satellite radio. There are also auto-dimming rearview and driver-side mirrors as well as heated side mirrors.

You can tell the Grand Touring Reserve apart by its upgraded LED lighting, silver-painted 19-inch wheels and rear spoiler. Comfort improvements for the driver include a heated steering wheel, a power-adjustable front passenger seat and driver-seat memory functions. There's leather seating for everyone else, along with ventilation for the front row and heating for the rear. Above the gauge cluster sits a transparent panel that works like a head-up display, showing information such as traffic signs and your current speed.

Aside from the addition of a gunmetal front grille, the fully loaded Signature trim level primarily improves the look and feel of the interior. You'll find higher-quality materials such as microfiber suede, wood, bright silver finishes on various controls, and upgraded leather, along with the addition of LED interior lighting and a frameless rearview mirror. Other feature additions consist of a digital gauge cluster, a surround-view camera system with front and rear parking sensors, and a navigation system.