Will a Six-cylinder, RWD-equipped Mazda6 be More Popular?
As you know, midsize sedans are losing quite a bit of appeal these days, yet Asian and European automakers have no plan to abandon them like their American counterparts.
For a while, we feared that Mazda would drop its entry. With just 1,402 units sold in Canada last year—down 39 percent from 2018—the Mazda6 is the brand’s least popular model (if we exclude the MX-5, which is a niche product). It also trails every other sedan in its class not named Volkswagen Passat.
But as it turns out, a next-generation Mazda6 is in the works and slated to arrive on the market within two years. Prepare for a major change, though.
As reported last spring and reiterated now by Car and Driver magazine, Mazda is developing a new “Large Architecture” with both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive applications in mind.
The engine under the hood would be an equally new inline six-cylinder SKYACTIV-X mounted longitudinally. In some cases, a 48-volt mild hybrid system would be included to help reduce fuel consumption. Output may even exceed 300 horsepower.
If you think Mazda is too small as an automaker to dream big like that, consider that it has recently expanded its partnership with Toyota, which could invest money of its own to adopt the six-cylinder SKYACTIV-X for the future Lexus IS and RC.
With regard to styling, the next Mazda6 will likely be inspired by the marvelous Vision Coupe concept from the 2017 Tokyo Auto Show.
Ultimately, it promises to separate itself from the Accord, Camry and other similar sedans in a move to get closer to entry-level luxury cars like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class in terms of performance and prestige—with a more affordable price.
Will it work? Hard to tell. The company has just reinvented the compact Mazda3 by giving it exceptionally good looks, a more upscale interior and the option of an AWD system, but so far sales are down due to the car’s higher price and those increasingly popular SUVs.