2016 Mazda6 beats all other mid-size sedans in comparison

Automobile Magazine’s mantra is “No boring cars.” That is the underlying reason the 2016 Mazda6 was chosen by the magazine in a comprehensive comparison test against the Toyota Camry XLE, Honda Accord Sport, Hyundai Sonata Sport, and Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium. Automobile wants vehicles that are fun and engaging to drive, and the Mazda6 is the leader of this group in that area.

Being just a fun car would not have been enough to win this test though. The Accord is no slouch. Frankly, all of the cars in this test are near-great at every aspect of what this class asks of a car. Take this comment from the Automobile story; “We agreed the Mazda6 is the sleekest, best-looking sedan here…” That is pretty high praise. Many buyers put looks near the top of their priorities list when shopping for a car either purposely or subconsciously.

Automobile also thought the engine in the Mazda6 was the best of the bunch (remember they did not include V6 engines in the testing). Automobile said, “Though the Mazda6 has an overtly sporting flavor, we’d rate the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G inline-four engine -- and the car’s well-balanced ride and handling dynamics -- within a hair of the Honda Accord either way.”

Finally, the Mazda6 was singled out for its handling. Automobile thought the Accord Sport was close but said “It’s the only one of the bunch that could even remotely be called a sport sedan. There’s a fluidity to the handling that even the Accord can’t match.”

In this matchup, the Mazda6 seems to not just won on being fun, but rather most aspects of the vehicle were at the top of the class. If we have one gripe with this comparison, it is that Automobile didn’t choose a Camry XSE. That new for 2015 trim was created specifically for shoppers in this class that live by the “No boring cars” mantra.

Note: Image is of a 2016 Mazda6