2009 Mazda 6 s Grand Touring - Car and Driver (blog)
We’ve been tempted by the butter thing, but what about that second one. In fact, the Mazda 6 s seems to make a pretty good argument to the contrary. Its standard 3. 7-liter V-6 makes an impressive 272 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, tops among the competitive set. You’ll get up to speed quickly, too, as the V-6 hustles the 6 to 60 mph in 6. 1 seconds, 1. 8 ahead of an automatic four-cylinder 6 i. . The V-6 mates only to a six-speed auto. We got 18 mpg from the six, while an auto four returned 21 mpg—a 17 percent difference—although who among us wouldn’t swap 3 mpg for 102 horsepower. The 6 s begins at $24,800, about $3K more than an automatic i. Excepting output, you’ll only give up larger, wider wheels and one speed in the gearbox. 5-liter four can also be paired with a manual, saving a further 900 bucks, upping the involvement factor and returning even better mileage (we got 24 mpg). Our fully loaded s Grand Touring came in just $210 shy of 33 grand. So, yes, a six-cylinder 6 uses up more funds and fuel than its four-cylinder sibling, and the smaller-engined car is indeed the saner choice. Source: www.caranddriver.com
