First Drive - 2009 Mazda6: Mazda's latest entry in the mid-sized sedan wars

Just so we know what we're talking about here, the all-new 2009 Mazda6 is: "The most important and significant new vehicle Mazda has launched in a decade," according to Mazda. Can't get much clearer than that.

Why is it so important to Mazda? Because they need to take on Honda, Toyota and Nissan, in this case the Accord, Camry and Altima. Well, actually, they've already taken them on. Now Mazda needs to win - on the road, and in the showroom, as determined by market share, if not outright sales. And it's significant because the midsize sedan segment, now second to pickup trucks (with SUVs third), will be taking over, soon.

I've driven all four of these cars, and the new Mazda6 does win on the road. It's the best of the four in this class, because of its sharp styling and zoom-zoom heart. Its character and soul. Great handling and interior room. Lowest comparable price, by about $325 (Camry), $700 (Altima) and $950 (Accord). And many of its specs.

There are two versions of this second generation Mazda6, both with new engines: the Mazda6 i with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual gearbox, whose base price is $19,220 including freight; and Mazda6 s with a 3.7-liter V6 and six-speed automatic, at $24,800. Options can add another $7000 to the i, and $4000 to the s (for example an optional Blind Spot Monitor, that works better than the one invented by Volvo). But the base prices are well equipped, including stability control, six airbags and a tire pressure monitor. Even the cloth upholstery is rugged and sporty, not funky-looking at all. Mazda does the best cloth in the business.

The Mazda6 was largely designed, engineered, developed and is mostly manufactured in the United States, specifically for the North American market (the European and Asian version is slightly smaller). For our needs, the wheelbase has been stretched by 4.5 inches, and the track has been widened by about 2 inches, improving the ride and handling. Meanwhile, no dexterity has been lost; in fact, the turning circle has been decreased by three feet thanks to a new front suspension that allows the wheels to turn tighter. So it will be easier to park, and probably won't need a longer space to accommodate its 6.9-inch increase in overall length. It's now the same size as the Altima and slightly smaller than the Accord, with a bigger trunk and more rear legroom.

The 2.5-liter engine replaces the tried-and-true 2.3-liter. In addition to increased bore and stroke, its class-leading 170 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque come from a new cylinder head along with new intake and exhaust manifolds, and electronic throttle bodies. It gets 21 city and 30 highway miles per gallon with the optional five-speed automatic transmission.

The new inline-four is wonderfully smooth, thanks to structural changes including a stiff block, crankshaft balancers and new flywheel, as well as redesigned motor mounts. I gave it a good run in California traffic and on the Ortega Highway and was impressed by the engine's oomph and flexibility; with 14 more horsepower and a small increase in fuel mileage, it's a big advancement over the 2.3-liter. They don't make four-cylinders like they used to, and isn't that nice? Fours and sixes are the new sixes and eights.

Speaking of sixes, the 3.7-liter V6 is also new, with a robust 272 horsepower, or 60 more hp than the 3.0-liter in the previous Mazda6. The engine comes straight out of the CX-9 SUV, which won last year's North American Truck of the Year, and features an aluminum block and heads with twin cams. I drove it the other direction on the Ortega Highway; it loves to rev and the throttle response is crisp. It gets 17 to 25 mpg on 87 Octane. It's got a sporty dual exhaust but is still quiet enough that 80 mph on the freeway feels like 70. Of course, in California, because the flow of traffic is 80, it always feels like less, at least when you're in a new, safe car.

And speaking of safety, in government crash testing by NHTSA, the new Mazda6 is the only car in its class to earn five stars from all angles: front, side and rollover. A new chassis and body structure - only the firewall remains the same - is way more rigid, thanks partly to high-tech bonding instead of welding in many spots. Such bonding is costly, but the price doesn't reflect this.

The upgraded air conditioner cools powerfully and quietly, down to 60 degrees. They drove the Mazda6 down in Mexico last summer, to challenge and bulletproof the AC. Nice test-driving job. The line for applicants forms here.

Another improvement is in the brakes - more testing in the Mexican mountains, and also Colorado. Big vented front rotors with more boost, yielding a firm brake pedal. On the Ortega Highway I used the brakes as hard as was feasible, with complete satisfaction. Also pushed it through the twisties, enjoying the 16.2:1 steering ratio without inducing understeer in this front-wheel-drive car.

The six-speed automatic with manual mode is the only transmission available in the Mazda6 s, and it too is satisfying. Seamless. It features AAS, or Active Adaptive Shift, a program borrowed from the RX-8 sports car. Sensors read the winding roads and keep the transmission from endlessly upshifting and kicking down, while adding downshifting under braking for deceleration. Such programs are sometimes misguided, intrusive, or annoying, but Mazda (not surprisingly) gets it right. I deliberately tried to confuse it by shifting at all the times that many transmissions won't allow, and it obeyed my commands without resistance or drama. I wish I could figure out how to wire AAS into my girlfriend.

The handling is tight and precise, especially when compared to the Camry or Altima. The ride is firm and comfortable. The seats are great and the interior clean and stylish. Even the entry-level $19,000 model feels like a car that might cost six or seven thousand dollars more.

"We use BMW a lot as our benchmark," says a Mazda engineer.

It shows.