Ride Report - '12 Mazda6 i Sport
Sep 3, 2012, 6:16 pm
#1
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Ride Report - '12 Mazda6 i Sport
I wanted to make Silver Medallion elite status on Delta again so I could get extra free bags again next year; I found an itinerary to DFW which would cost less than bag fees for a year so I jumped for it. Originally I was going to go to ICT but I thought I could get some really good BBQ in Dallas 
Taxis would have been over $50 round trip and buses would have taken too long, so I took advantage of Hertz's Freedom Rates (a.k.a. the Weekender Special) -- or, tried to. It wouldn't let me book anything other than a Camry with FRDM, but the pay-later rate for a mid-size was only $15 a day. I never got a car-firmation message until I was already walking to the car, but I had reason to be excited for one hell of an upgrade
http://mazdausa.com/mazda6
Car Description:12 MAZDA 6 2.5L S (2012 Mazda MAZDA6, i Sport (base) trim, 2.5L I-4)
Class: F
The i Sport trim is the base level for the Mazda 6. This car lived up to its stripped-down title, coming with no additional features other than what the factory put in anyway, equaling a MSRP of $22,275. This car has been around too, with a North Carolina license plate and 20,354 miles on the odometer. I only had it for a little over an hour and took it all of 22 miles.
Powertrain: This Mazda6 came with the 2.5L straight 4-cylinder "MZR L5-VE" engine, which produces 170 horsepower at 6000 rpm, and 167 lb-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. That's average for an engine this size, within 10 hp of its competition. It has a 5-speed automatic transmission that does a great job of shifting smoothly, and even has a manual mode which also responds nicely and timely. If you're not used to a 5-speed transmission though, you will be in for a surprise like I was when I realized there was no 6th gear. It also isn't exactly the fastest off the line, going from 0 to 60 mph in around 8 seconds. My final complaints regard the gear shift handle track; I've never been a fan of the maze-like setup cars like this have, and the manual mode is the opposite of what one would expect (backwards to shift up, forward to shift down). The Mazda6 with the 4-cylinder engine has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway. Either I was pushing it too hard (which is entirely possible), or if it was because of the air conditioner (it was HOT out!), or maybe it wasn't full when I got it (it appeared to be full...) but I averaged 11.4 miles per gallon
I did better than that in a Crown Vic!!!
Ride/Handling: The Mazda6, although weak on power, does handle well. It has firm brakes and a stiff suspension. Steering is also firm, but I think it could benefit from a little additional tightening. There's no doubt though that Mazda6 was built to feel sporty.
Interior: This car was pretty average compared to other FCARs in the Hertz fleet. There is enough space for 4 adults, although 5 people would be pretty tight. The black cloth trim looked fine, although the plastic steering wheel (and everything else) did cheapen the look a bit. The center storage console was wrapped in what appeared to be leather. There are two cup holders in the front, which can be concealed with a rotating door, and two in the rear inside the fold-down armrest. The chrome-coloring surrounding the gear shifter handle was a nice effort, but unfortunately was covered in fingerprints and smudges. There were two DC outlets, one in the center storage console and one in the center just below the climate controls (next to which, there is less storage space than meets the eye). The trunk on the other hand is surprisingly large, yet I wish you luck in getting anything larger than a medium-sized box through its small opening.
The dashboard was simple and easy to see, although I thought the old-school gear display could have been better thought-out. At least there is a small screen which tells you what gear you're in if you're in manual mode, or if you're just in drive. The screen also displayed the odometer, outside temperature, and trip A/B mileage readings. It's all very basic, and a MPG calculator would have been nice. I didn't use the radio at all but the display, which also displayed the time, would say "Hello" and "Goodbye" when you started or shut down the car. The radio and climate control buttons and dials were all pretty straightforward and basic; there were also radio controls on the steering wheel ^
Unfortunately, noise was an issue, especially at higher speeds. The engine isn't exactly quiet, and comes off as buzzy and even whiny at higher RPMs. Road noise is also an issue but isn't much worse than other cars in its class. Speaking of class, many sources claim that the Mazda6 is a mid-size sedan; from what I could tell, it's in the same situation as the 2012 Chevy Malibu, being large enough that it can pass for a full-size. It is certainly more spacious than other vehicles like the Ford Fusion.
Exterior/Design: This Mazda6 was painted in the polished slate color. It had no special features like a spoiler or spotter mirrors, just the standard 16-inch wheels. It does look sporty however with its sleek curves, low profile, and dual exhaust pipes.
Features: The Mazda6 came with standard features such as manual seat adjustment controls for both the driver and passenger
There were steering wheel-mounted cruise control system, and the steering wheel was of the tilting and telescoping variety. I also liked that the driver's window had both auto down and up directions. The key fob had buttons to lock and unlock the doors, as well as open the trunk; the key itself folded into the fob for more comfortable pocket storage, which was cool 
Bluetooth connectivity would have been welcome, as would a remote start system or even basic 4-way power seats.
Value: Using the USAA CDP and a $10-off PC, I paid $26 and change all in for a midsize, so this was certainly a treat. I never got a car-firmation message until after I visited the desk and got my contract (probably because she processed it then and there). I had no choice in other vehicles since Gold Choice was completely empty on both sides (I did see the other usual suspects in the lot though). However I was happy with this double-upgrade, although I think I would have objected if I had actually paid the F rate and got stuck with one of these.
By the way, big thumbs up ^ to the DFW crew. Despite the horror stories, these were some of the nicest and friendliest employees I've ever interacted with.
Summary
PROS:
CONS:
Final verdict: If you don't push it too hard, you'll be pleased with this alternative to the Malibu or Fusion (or any mid-size classified car). However, Mazda still hasn't gotten it all down yet, but there is some hope with the next generation debuting next year. If given this as an upgrade, I would take it again.
-J.
Taxis would have been over $50 round trip and buses would have taken too long, so I took advantage of Hertz's Freedom Rates (a.k.a. the Weekender Special) -- or, tried to. It wouldn't let me book anything other than a Camry with FRDM, but the pay-later rate for a mid-size was only $15 a day. I never got a car-firmation message until I was already walking to the car, but I had reason to be excited for one hell of an upgrade http://mazdausa.com/mazda6
Car Description:12 MAZDA 6 2.5L S (2012 Mazda MAZDA6, i Sport (base) trim, 2.5L I-4)
Class: F
The i Sport trim is the base level for the Mazda 6. This car lived up to its stripped-down title, coming with no additional features other than what the factory put in anyway, equaling a MSRP of $22,275. This car has been around too, with a North Carolina license plate and 20,354 miles on the odometer. I only had it for a little over an hour and took it all of 22 miles.
Powertrain: This Mazda6 came with the 2.5L straight 4-cylinder "MZR L5-VE" engine, which produces 170 horsepower at 6000 rpm, and 167 lb-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. That's average for an engine this size, within 10 hp of its competition. It has a 5-speed automatic transmission that does a great job of shifting smoothly, and even has a manual mode which also responds nicely and timely. If you're not used to a 5-speed transmission though, you will be in for a surprise like I was when I realized there was no 6th gear. It also isn't exactly the fastest off the line, going from 0 to 60 mph in around 8 seconds. My final complaints regard the gear shift handle track; I've never been a fan of the maze-like setup cars like this have, and the manual mode is the opposite of what one would expect (backwards to shift up, forward to shift down). The Mazda6 with the 4-cylinder engine has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway. Either I was pushing it too hard (which is entirely possible), or if it was because of the air conditioner (it was HOT out!), or maybe it wasn't full when I got it (it appeared to be full...) but I averaged 11.4 miles per gallon
I did better than that in a Crown Vic!!!Ride/Handling: The Mazda6, although weak on power, does handle well. It has firm brakes and a stiff suspension. Steering is also firm, but I think it could benefit from a little additional tightening. There's no doubt though that Mazda6 was built to feel sporty.
Interior: This car was pretty average compared to other FCARs in the Hertz fleet. There is enough space for 4 adults, although 5 people would be pretty tight. The black cloth trim looked fine, although the plastic steering wheel (and everything else) did cheapen the look a bit. The center storage console was wrapped in what appeared to be leather. There are two cup holders in the front, which can be concealed with a rotating door, and two in the rear inside the fold-down armrest. The chrome-coloring surrounding the gear shifter handle was a nice effort, but unfortunately was covered in fingerprints and smudges. There were two DC outlets, one in the center storage console and one in the center just below the climate controls (next to which, there is less storage space than meets the eye). The trunk on the other hand is surprisingly large, yet I wish you luck in getting anything larger than a medium-sized box through its small opening.
The dashboard was simple and easy to see, although I thought the old-school gear display could have been better thought-out. At least there is a small screen which tells you what gear you're in if you're in manual mode, or if you're just in drive. The screen also displayed the odometer, outside temperature, and trip A/B mileage readings. It's all very basic, and a MPG calculator would have been nice. I didn't use the radio at all but the display, which also displayed the time, would say "Hello" and "Goodbye" when you started or shut down the car. The radio and climate control buttons and dials were all pretty straightforward and basic; there were also radio controls on the steering wheel ^
Unfortunately, noise was an issue, especially at higher speeds. The engine isn't exactly quiet, and comes off as buzzy and even whiny at higher RPMs. Road noise is also an issue but isn't much worse than other cars in its class. Speaking of class, many sources claim that the Mazda6 is a mid-size sedan; from what I could tell, it's in the same situation as the 2012 Chevy Malibu, being large enough that it can pass for a full-size. It is certainly more spacious than other vehicles like the Ford Fusion.
Exterior/Design: This Mazda6 was painted in the polished slate color. It had no special features like a spoiler or spotter mirrors, just the standard 16-inch wheels. It does look sporty however with its sleek curves, low profile, and dual exhaust pipes.
Features: The Mazda6 came with standard features such as manual seat adjustment controls for both the driver and passenger
There were steering wheel-mounted cruise control system, and the steering wheel was of the tilting and telescoping variety. I also liked that the driver's window had both auto down and up directions. The key fob had buttons to lock and unlock the doors, as well as open the trunk; the key itself folded into the fob for more comfortable pocket storage, which was cool Bluetooth connectivity would have been welcome, as would a remote start system or even basic 4-way power seats.Value: Using the USAA CDP and a $10-off PC, I paid $26 and change all in for a midsize, so this was certainly a treat. I never got a car-firmation message until after I visited the desk and got my contract (probably because she processed it then and there). I had no choice in other vehicles since Gold Choice was completely empty on both sides (I did see the other usual suspects in the lot though). However I was happy with this double-upgrade, although I think I would have objected if I had actually paid the F rate and got stuck with one of these.
By the way, big thumbs up ^ to the DFW crew. Despite the horror stories, these were some of the nicest and friendliest employees I've ever interacted with.
Summary
- 2.5L 4-cylinder engine (170 hp, 167 ft-lbs. of torque)
- 5-speed automatic with manual mode
- 21/30 mpg
- Base trim, cloth/manually-adjusting seats
PROS:
- Sporty look
- Manual shifting mode
- Comfortable seat, even if it is cloth
- Plenty of space inside
- Smooth gear changes
CONS:
- Buzzy and occasionally loud and whiny engine
- Slow off the start
- Maze-like gear shift track and backwards manual shifting
- Completely-manual driver seat adjustment controls
- Tacky plastics
- Tiny trunk opening
- 11.4 mpg???
Final verdict: If you don't push it too hard, you'll be pleased with this alternative to the Malibu or Fusion (or any mid-size classified car). However, Mazda still hasn't gotten it all down yet, but there is some hope with the next generation debuting next year. If given this as an upgrade, I would take it again.
-J.
Last edited by GW McLintock; Oct 9, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Sep 3, 2012, 6:26 pm
#2
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By the way, drzoidberg wrote a brief review of the same vehicle in 2009 on the National forum. Sounds to me like not much has changed 
-J.
-J.
Sep 3, 2012, 7:47 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
Nice review jzweighaft! I added it to the Hertz review index.
I assume this doesn't have SkyActive technology and we'll have to wait until the 2014 model year for that?
You're right, not much has changed since I rented it in 2009, lol.
I assume this doesn't have SkyActive technology and we'll have to wait until the 2014 model year for that?
You're right, not much has changed since I rented it in 2009, lol.
Last edited by drzoidberg; Sep 3, 2012 at 8:02 pm
Sep 3, 2012, 9:45 pm
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2009
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-J.