Mami Drives: Mazda 6

[box type="shadow" ]I was provided with a Mazda 6 Grand Touring edition in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts, opinions and drooling are purely my own.[/box] I had a chance to ride around in the 2015 Mazda 6 recently and my only complaint was that I didn't drive around more because of what I had going on.

Like the Mazda 3, the one thing that I was giddy about was the mileage. Seriously, I need this SkyActiv technology to get more props because it's outstanding. With 32 MPG's combined fuel economy (28 MPG in the city and 40 MPG highway), you have to admit the Mazda 6 looks a bit sexier.

First of all, I felt like I was driving in a spaceship. The 6 is roomy and sleek in a way that you might not expect from Mazda. I got a chance to drive the 6 in "Soul Red" with almond leather interior.

The ride was smooth and you feel like you're in a luxurious high priced car, without the crazy car payment!

My Faves

So SkyActiv is my favorite thing EVAH from Mazda. But I also really like the comfort: leather seats (that are heated for the 3 days of cold here in Florida), 8-way power driver's seat (you need this, trust me), the satellite & HD radio feature, the rear view camera (the frog princess loves that one), the Bose 11-speaker sound system (sleek, I tell yah!) and of course, the moonroof. Why do I love moonroof's so much? I don't know, folks. The sky makes me happy.

Some of the Techy Things

Cruise control is taken to another level. I saw this in another model vehicle but it's worth mentioning here: this thing automatically controls the engine and brakes to maintain a safe speed and distance between you and the preceding vehicle. So you can set it to maintain a safe distance (1, 2 or 3 car lengths) and the system will maintain a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle down to 16 miles per hour.

Not So Fave

While I loved how beautiful the interior is, I was not in love with the acoustic-enhancing perforations in the available leather-trimmed upholstery. It was awesome for all the music but as a Mami, I kept thinking about possible accidents (drinks, food, puke) that might happen in the back seat and how difficult it would be to clean those out.

But seriously, that would be a minor inconvenience and I'm sure the car wash folks would be able to work that out.

The Verdict

I think that for the price you pay for this car (2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring edition with all the bells and whistles: $33,345) you are getting a hell of a ride. And with a potential annual fuel cost of $1,650 a year? You can't lose.

Disclosure: I was provided with a Mazda 6 Grand Touring edition in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts, opinions and drooling are purely my own.