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2004 Mazda6 5-Door S Road Test

A Unique Entry in a Crowded Midsize Segment

I have to admit to being a little on the worried side. Id driven my Mom and Grandma to the airport in a Mitsubishi Diamante, which is a midsize sedan on the larger end of the scale, but now they would be returning after a month of sightseeing and visiting relatives and friends in England, Scotland and Sweden, and were bound to be carrying more luggage than when they left. Whats more my 3-year old son just had to come along for the ride, adding a child seat to the back row. Making matters still worse was the fact the Mazda6 5-Door S in the parking lot is not as large a car as the Diamante that was previously stuffed to the gills. What to do?!

My heart stopped when they finally cleared customs and made their way out to the airports massive greeting area, there were more bags than I remembered. Expressing

On my way to the airport I began to worry about the logistics of fitting all of my mothers and grandmothers luggage into the Mazda6 5-Door. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

my concern we made our way out to the parking lot, two baggage dollies filled to overflow. I immediately moved the child seat to the 60 percent half of the split folding rear seatbacks, so that I could maximize cargo space by folding the other 40 percent forward if needed.

Opening up the trunk I then realized there might be hope after all. I forgot that the Mazda6 5-Door doesnt actually have a trunk at all. Despite looking every bit like its sedan sibling, at

All my luggage concerns disappeared once I began loading all the suitcases into the hatchbacks expansive trunk. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

least at first glance, the 5-Door boasts an extremely convenient hatch with an additional 192 liters of cargo capacity over the sedan - 622 L (22 cubic feet) compared to 430 (15.2). It offered just that much more height so that I could stand the bags upright rather than having to lay them on their sides. By doing so I managed to squeeze them all in the back without having to even make use of the 40 percent section of rear seatback, allowing my Mom, the rear seat passenger, more room to stretch out and get comfortable - necessary after such a long flight in the steerage section. After a "quick" trip

Mazda seems to be on the leading edge of a new midsize liftback trend. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

to the grocery store where Mom bought about eight bags of groceries, which now crowded the front passenger and back seats, we made it home in relative comfort.

Im still singing the Mazda6 5-Doors praises, having been a big fan of hatchbacks since they reached their popularity height in the mid-70s, as its easily one the most functional "4-door" sedan on the market. Mazda seems to be on the leading edge of a trend in the auto industry, ironically just when hatchback purveyor Saab has left the configuration in the dust with its new 9-3. The new Malibu MAXX, based on the same chassis architecture as the Saab by the way, follows Mazdas lead by entering the 5-door

The Mazda6 5-Door is great for those who are looking for a little extra cargo space, while maintaining the sporty looks of a sedan. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

midsize fray.

Could this be a trend? Since the advent of the SUV, which I shouldnt have to tell you has become more popular than anyone could have guessed, functionality has somehow become fashionable. Sport wagons are the latest departure (or return from the past depending on your age), catering to consumers who appreciate the added space but dont want to lumber around town in an overweight, dynamically awkward truck. It only makes sense that there are people who dont need the cargo capacity of a wagon, and prefer the sportier styling of a sedan in a 5-door package.

The Mazda6 5-Door is not a completely new idea for Mazdas midsize sedan however, having been the Asian originator of

With high tactile quality plastics and impressively supportive leather seats, the interior of the 5-Door S is wonderful. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

the concept when the second generation 626 arrived on the scene in 1983 (running through to 1987) - incidentally named "Import Car of the Year" by Motor Trend. With European styling influences the 626 GT Touring sported a rakish C-pillar, more distinctive from the sedan than the new design, and was easily the more attractive of the two. Combined with its added functionality it has therefore continued to be the most sought after on the used market.

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