2023 Mazda 6 Sedan 2.0 SkyActiv-G Review

Nowadays, the competition in Malaysia's D-segment sedan market remains fierce. Consumers not only value the practicality of household space but also look forward to a balance between driving quality and technological features—after all, users in this segment often seek an "all-round" experience. The 2023 Mazda 6 Sedan 2.0 SkyActiv-G, as a popular option in this segment, focuses on "balance" as its core selling point: it offers the reliable quality typical of Japanese cars, upgrades in active safety features, and enhanced comfort functions, while maintaining Mazda's signature driving dynamics. To verify if it can truly meet the dual needs of family users and driving enthusiasts, we conducted an in-depth, week-long test drive covering daily commutes, highway cruising, and short weekend trips.

The first impression on seeing the 2023 Mazda 6 in person is that its design is very memorable. The front face adopts Mazda's signature family-style shield-shaped grille, paired with chrome strips and a lower-through black trim, retaining a sense of business while adding a touch of sportiness. The body side profile is smooth, with a waistline slightly rising from the front fender to the rear, complemented by 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, creating an appearance that is both elongated and stable. The rear design is relatively simple. The LED taillights feature a smoked finish, offering high recognition when illuminated; the small duck-tail spoiler on the trunk lid and the dual exhaust layout subtly enhance the sporty attributes. The lighting system has been fully upgraded to LEDs, including the headlights, daytime running lights, and fog lights, with sufficient brightness for Malaysia's rural roads when lit at night. The automatic headlight function can automatically switch in tunnels or shaded roads, offering convenience during use.

Sitting inside, the interior quality exceeds expectations and feels more premium. The dashboard uses soft-touch materials and leather wrapping, delivering a tactile texture in frequently touched areas. The inner side of the door panels is also adorned with leather coverings and stitching, with meticulous attention to detail. The center console layout is driver-focused, with an 8-inch touch screen tilted approximately 7 degrees toward the driver's seat, reducing the need to move your view significantly when operating it. Below the screen are retained physical buttons and knobs, making it more convenient to adjust air conditioning or volume compared to purely touch controls. In terms of core features, the dual-zone automatic air conditioning comes with rear air vents, while the front seats support electric adjustment—8-way adjustment for the driver seat with memory function and electric adjustment for the passenger seat—which significantly enhances long-distance driving comfort. The rear seats support a 60:40 split configuration, making it practical for weekend trips carrying long items like camping gear. As for storage spaces, the front and rear door panel compartments can accommodate large mineral water bottles, and the central armrest box is deep enough to hold personal items. Overall, it meets the needs of family use without any issues.

Space performance is one of the core requirements of D-segment sedans, and the size data of the Mazda 6 is striking: a length of 4865mm and a wheelbase of 2830mm, which fully meets real-life seating expectations. After adjusting the front row to a suitable seating position, a 175cm passenger still has a fist's margin overhead. The rear space is even more impressive, with legroom allowing a margin of more than two fists. Even with three adults seated side by side, the horizontal space does not feel cramped. Worth mentioning is the almost flat rear floor, so the middle passenger's feet won't be left with nowhere to rest, which is very family-friendly. The trunk's standard capacity can accommodate three 20-inch suitcases, and folding the rear seats can expand the space, making it fully capable of holding luggage for long-distance trips. Additionally, the rear is equipped with USB charging ports, so passengers no longer need to share the front port for charging. These detailed considerations are thoughtfully addressed.

In terms of power, the 2.0L naturally aspirated engine delivers a maximum power of 162PS and a maximum torque of 213N·m, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. During daily commuting, the start is very smooth, and the throttle response is linear. Even in Kuala Lumpur's morning rush hour traffic, following the car ahead is quite easy. When switched to sport mode, the transmission's shifting logic becomes more aggressive, keeping the RPM above 3000rpm. The power reserve for overtaking is sufficient, for example, accelerating from 80km/h to 120km/h on the highway is smooth and does not feel sluggish. However, as it is a naturally aspirated engine, the acceleration capability in the higher speed range (e.g., above 120km/h) is somewhat weaker, but it completely meets the needs of daily use. The fuel consumption performance is as expected. After a week of test driving, the fuel consumption in mixed conditions (city + highway) is about 7.2L/100km, slightly higher than the official figure of 6.5L, but considering Malaysia's heavy traffic conditions, this result is quite good.

Handling has always been Mazda's strong suit, and the Mazda 6 is no exception. The steering wheel is precise with minimal play, and you can clearly feel the road feedback when cornering. Combined with the independent suspension system featuring MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link setup in the rear, the body roll is well-controlled during cornering. Even when navigating through winding mountain roads quickly, the vehicle remains stable. The suspension also balances comfort well, absorbing most of the minor bumps from Malaysia's common potholes or speed bumps, ensuring that rear passengers do not feel overly jostled. Regarding braking, the brake pedal feels linear, and the braking force is evenly distributed. During emergency braking, the vehicle maintains a stable posture, inspiring confidence. During highway cruising, wind and tire noise are well controlled, and at 120km/h, interior conversations do not require raising voices deliberately. Although active noise cancellation is not standard, overall sound insulation is above average in the same class.

Safety features are one of the highlights of the Mazda 6. It comes standard with six airbags, ABS, vehicle stability control, as well as lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and forward collision warning systems. During the test drive, we specifically assessed the automatic emergency braking feature: at a speed of 30km/h when approaching a stationary vehicle ahead, the system first issued a warning, and if no deceleration action was taken, the car automatically braked. The response was very timely. The ACC adaptive cruise control is very useful on highways, automatically following the car ahead and maintaining distance, reducing the fatigue of long-distance driving. The 360-degree surround-view camera is also very practical, especially when reversing in narrow parking lots. It provides a clear view of surrounding obstacles, making parking easy even for new drivers.

In summary, after a week of test driving, the 2023 Mazda 6 Sedan 2.0 SkyActiv-G has obvious core advantages: its balanced space makes it suitable for family use, it achieves a good balance between handling and comfort, its safety features are comprehensive, and its interior quality surpasses some competitors in the same class. Compared to similar models such as the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, the Mazda 6 excels in handling, and its price (with a guide price of RM 180,000, which is in the medium to lower range among D-segment cars) is more competitive, offering great cost performance.

This car is most suitable for people who value balanced performance, such as family users who need enough space for their family and also hope to occasionally enjoy the fun of driving. At the same time, its interior quality and safety features can meet the needs of young professionals who seek quality. If you want a D-segment sedan with "no obvious shortcomings," the Mazda 6 is definitely worth considering. Overall, it is not a "specialized" car, but with its well-rounded performance, it sets an example of what a D-segment sedan should be like.