5-door v Sedan
I visited the local (San Jose, CA) Mazda dealer yesterday to check on the availability of the wagon... which unfortunately haven't yet reached the dealers here. Anyway, I walked right past two 5-door Mazda6's before the salesperson pointed them out to me... the changes to the shape of the body are there, but very understated. The rear window is angled slightly more, the shape of the c-pillar is a bit different and the standard rear spoiler could be a giveaway. Also, all of the 5-door appear to come with the "sport" body-colored grill and lower panel extensions.
Amazing, though, was the amount of room available when the hatch was opened. You could easily fit a big-screen TV back there through the opening, one would simply need to slide it forward over the folded rear seats in order to close the back.
My only downside is that I really don't like the "sport" styling pieces. I prefer the regular black egg-crate grill which I actually think looks more aggressive than the body-colored one, I don't tend to like the lower body cladding or the rear spoiler either. I think a car with a nice overall shape like the 6 doesn't need this stuff.
The Mazdausa web site now has some option details on the wagons. It appears that one can still get the manual transmission (yes!) but no 4-cylinder (I suppose I can understand their sales volume concerns in the U.S. on this item). It also appears that 17" rims are standard on the wagon, as they aren't a part of the sport package anymore. Unfortunately, that grill is (Ugh).
I've been looking for a fun wagon with a manual transmission for a while and short of a used BMW 528i wagon, I have few other options. The Audi A6 wagons weren't sold with a manual in the U.S. from what I can see, unless you get the Allroad. Honda obviously no longer makes an Accord Wagon, Toyota... bland, plus no wagon. Subaru... a possible option given their new turbo options, but again they cost a lot more and I don't need to pay for all-wheel drive which I will never really need and the WRX is a bit too small for my needs.
The Saab 9-5s can be had with a 230 hp turbo 4 and a manual tranny, but the only dealer within 50 miles of me just plain sucks and I don't want to deal with them anymore. Plus, their resale value is pathetic (though you can buy a slightly used one for cheap, as I did with my last car) and they are difficult to resell.
After driving the 6 5-door yesterday, though, I think Mazda has a real winner on their hands with this whole family of cars. Tight handling, quiet, comfortable, adequately powerful, priced fairly, great to look at (except that stupid "sport" grill... Robert Davis... if you're listening) and available with engine and tranny choices that none of the competition have, namely the manual transmission with the 6-cylinder, zoom zoom!
The salesperson is putting me down for a titanium gray wagon with the 5-speed, luxury package, Bose (but no sport package if possible) on Monday. The ultimate family truckster!
Until the Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon comes to the States, if ever, this is the only option out there!
