I can appreciate cynicism about any car that is touted as being a basis for so many different brands/ models. The Mazda6, by the way, is touted as the basis for so many different FoMoCo vehicles, from the 6 itself to Taurus replacement to Cross-Over Utility Vehicle to Minivan back to Luxury branded vehicles that it might be easy to question, without seeing it or driving it, whether or not the 6 is really true to it's roots and what a Mazda- diehard might want from a Mazda mid-size sedan.
Thankfully, we know that it's actually a really stunning entry in this segment (at least, to drive) and the fact that it'll shortly be available in this market with 5 doors, wagons and, apparently, AWD should be taken as a sign that Mazda isn't going to go the way of a homogenized version of it's old self. Long after many thought the rotary was dead, we see it, not only return but, do so in a suicide-door 4-place example of real innovation, the RX8.
Like I said, I'm a Mazda fan from long ago... I stand by my position that cars can only really be judged after they've been released and show up on the road... I backed out of a P5 after seeing the 3s 5-door in the metal and, trust me, as much as I think the photos portray a sporty 5-dr, in the metal, the car looks even better... really substantial... and I haven't even seen it moving or outdoors, yet.
Mazda's biggest problem, frankly, is in getting the word out to the mass market... against Accord or Camry (or even Altima), for example, the 6 has been woefully undermarketed. They spent a lot of money but, as much as I think they were right in positioning it as a dynamic sports sedan, the ads hardly showed the car other than spinning a 6 in the sand and didn't do justice in selling a really compelling value story (comprehensively equipped with for example, the only standard s/w audio controls in the segment) or the craftsmanship story (the interior materials are way better than any other Tier 2 competitor in the segment and, in some instances, better than most Tier 1s... the Altima, by comparison, is an '80s GM or Korean product) or, even, a compelling style story. There wasn't a really strong whole vehicle shot that wasn't uncompromised by lurid power slides. I love performance but, for the mainstream buyers out there, I can't imagine anybody walking away from these ads with any clear image of the product other than the lurid power slides... You need more to sell against Camry (despite the fact that they're trying to position Camry as more "fun") and Accord, especially with a new model nameplate (6 replacing 626 and 3 replacing Protege).
Their website, on the contrary, is one of the best for getting the story (including the advanced stuff, like on the 3)... alot better than Honda, for example, but (then again) they probably don't need to do much, anyway...
I think with 3, they can afford to be a bit more "fun" but their work is still cut out for them in making sure people know what the product is and how it fits or compares with the Civics, Corollas and Jettas in the world... I know Jetta is more expensive, but the 3 could sell to the same buyer, albeit with a better price/value story.
A long post, I know, and for that I apologize, but part of the reason I do what I do is because these products stimulate this kind of discourse...
