Mazda6 Estate Review
Published: 21st February 2005
Mazda6
Ease of Use
The Mazda6 Estate is a very intuitive car to drive, visibility is generally good although because of design constraints it can be awkward to reverse into tight spaces.
The low swooping roofline doesn't make it the easiest of cars to get in and out of. But once you are installed the cabin is roomy with impressive head, leg and shoulder room in the front and rear.
You can enjoy 1,700 litres of stowage capacity available at the pull of a handle. The Mazda6 Estate incorporates the innovative 'Karakuri' rear seats which fully flatten with the pull of a handle. The backrests are flattened, the seat is lowered slightly and a completely flat loading area appears and there is no need to pull up the seat bases or remove the headrests. The load cover incorporates an integral net which could be used as a dog guard or as a luggage net to keep your cargo in place.
On a practical level the Mazda6 Estate 2.0 TS incorporates large door bins with bottle holders, map pockets in the rear of the front seats, illuminated lockable glove box, rear armrest incorporating 2 x cupholders and centre console incorporating 2 x cupholders. The front doors feature courtesy lights which illuminate the road or pavement as you step out of the car to light your way.
The TS model features cruise control with steering wheel mounted controls and is one of the easiest systems that we have used.
The TS model features parabolic projector headlights which were excellent - not as powerful as Xenon headlights but a good alternative.
Safety and Security 
The following safety & security equipment is standard on the Mazda6 Estate 2.0 TS:
MAIDAS ( Mazda Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System), (SRS) supplementary restraint system - central control unit and crush sensors and dual stage airbags, dual-stage front airbags (driver and front passenger), curtain airbags (front and rear), ABS (anti-lock brakes) and EBD (electronic brake-force distribution), 3-point seatbelts (front and rear), high mount stop light, front passenger airbag deactivation system (when used with a Mazda car seat), intrusion minimizing safety brake pedals, whiplash minimizing head restraints (front), ISOFIX child seat fittings (rear), remote central locking, deadlocking and Thatcham category 1 alarm and immobiliser.
