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Alternative
is a popular word nowadays. Tofu is an alternative to
meat. Alternative medicine sends you to the herb garden
in lieu of the folks at Pfizer. Doing things differently
than the norm is cool. Take the Mazda 6 Sport Wagon,
for example, an alternative to a pair of popular types
of vehicle—family sedans and compact SUVs.
Want a little more sport and versatility
than the omnipresent Camry and Accord can offer? Voila,
the 6 provides three body styles (sedan, five-door hatch
and wagon) and plenty of that famed zoom-zoom attitude.
How about those driving enthusiasts who need extra space,
but who’d rather back over themselves with a sloppy-handling
SUV than drive one? For them, the Sport Wagon can pack
in a spacious 33.7 cubic feet of cargo (the same as
a Honda CR-V), but has the ability to slice through
twisty roads.
There is only one engine offered in
the Sport Wagon, a 3.0-liter V6 that—while powerful
enough—isn’t as robust as other six-cylinders
in its class and is noisy at higher revs. There are
two transmissions offered, a six-speed automatic and
our test car’s five-speed manual that felt a little
sticky. Also, manual wagons might be attractive in Europe,
but for most here in the United States, they’re
as sought after as pickled herring. Don’t count
on finding many at your local Mazda dealer.
Styling
has been tweaked for 2006, and the interior now features
“piano black” glossy surfaces in lieu of
the outgoing model’s silver plastic. Instrumentation
glows red, while all vital radio and A/C info is transmitted
high onto the dash in one wide display, keeping the
driver’s eyes close to the road. The sporty steering
wheel telescopes far out, which provides a very comfortable
seating position for taller drivers, while rear passengers
enjoy ample space even if Hakeem Olajuwon’s up
front.
Our 6 came in S Grand Sport Wagon trim
that included almost every feature we could desire at
a reasonable $28,570. Heated power leather seats, Bose
audio, a moonroof, xenon headlights and steering wheel
controls were welcome luxury features, while the aggressive
18-inch wheels filled out the fender arches with hunky
muscularity. With this much equipment, the Grand Sport
Wagon can also be considered an alternative to entry-level
luxury wagons like the Volvo V50, Saab 9-3 SportCombi
and Audi A4 Avant. It may not have the hoity-toity badge
recognition, but the 6 offers many of the same features
for a lot less money.
If
you’re one of those independent people who, instead
of keeping up with the Joneses, enjoy running in the
opposite direction, the Mazda 6 Sport Wagon could be
a great choice. It is the tofu of automobiles, substituting
for several types of cars by offering a healthy mix
of practicality, luxury and driving excitement. If being
alternative is cool, then count the Mazda 6 Sport Wagon
as yet another example. 
Warranty/Service: 48-month/50,000 Mile Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty; 24-hour
roadside assistance, loaner car program.
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