Yeah - the 6i 5-speed kicks ass!
It suffers in the responsiveness department compared to the compact Mazdas because they've tried to make it a little cushier and comfy. It still kicks ass in the mid-size-ish sporty-ish sedan market
The crappy Michelin All Seasons (H rated on my 6i non-Sport package) hurt it a LOT! The Pro ES and P5 come with awesome Z rated Dunlops! And the MP3 and MSP with even better summer tires.
The suspension is SO MUCH more refined than any kinds of Protege I've ever driven (and trust me, there isn't a SINGLE one I haven't driven!). There is some body lean. but it does not detract from handling and the 4 cylinder being lighter up front than the 6, can really handle the twisties or hairpins on an AutoX course
Yeah, its no MP3 or MSP, but its a slightly different animal!
And yeah - with Greddy and others working on Turbos for the 6i and possibly even the 6s, not to mention the HUGE number of aftermarket parts already available (it took 2-3 years for the 3rd gen Pro to catch on, and the 2nd gen, which I owned, NEVER had good aftermarket support) - its a good time to own a slightly more lucurious Mazda with great potential for improvement and an excellent base package! I don't - for a moment - regret upgrading from my 2nd Gen Pro. Although I miss having Z rated tires and light wheels, and strut tower braces - all those (and many more) upgrades are already available! Heck, my 2nd gen didn't have a ready-to-install CAi (you had to mod the 1.8l CAI) EVER! The 6 already has AEM and Injen, and DuratecPerformance is bulding another. There is supposedly work underway for a chip or programmer too!
And Mazda demo'ed (in Tokyo and Paris) an MSP 6 with a turboed 280HP 4 cylinder, and AWD. And Cool new stuff like cameras instead of side-view mirrors and a revamped and improved interior!
I think its awesome and impressive that mazda has made such a smooth (pun intended) transition from awesome compacts to the excellent mid-size Mazda 6, without giving up what mazda's are bought for - driving fun!
