2014 Mazda6: Introduction from Autoblog

The new-for-2014 Mazda6 sedan is more than just a pretty face. For Mazda, it marks the company's best effort yet at competing in the highly competitive midsize sedan segment, all the while staying true to the brand's core value of offering high levels of driver involvement above all. We certainly came away impressed after our first drive of the sleek Six in France last fall, and we knew right from the start that this would be a car we'd want to spend a lot of time with back here at home.

So with that in mind, the folks at Mazda graciously agreed to loan us the fully loaded Soul Red tester you see here for a one-year stay in the Autoblog long-term garage. Because of how important this car is to the segment, and to Mazda as a brand, we know there's going to be a lot to talk about it over the next 12 months. Right now, though, allow us to introduce you to the newest member of our long-term family. 

All that, combined with small one-off items like the premium for Soul Red paint, $75 clear film rear paint protection, $75 cargo mat, $125 door sill trim plates and $900 package that includes Mazda's radar cruise control and forward obstruction warning, and the as-tested price of our car is a cool $31,765, including $795 for destination.

Inside, our Soul Red exterior is matched with a full-on black interior (a two-tone Almond and black setup is also available).  The cabin looks modern, with a 5.8-inch touchscreen display. That said, our initial impressions of the interior are that it's comfortable and quiet, though we'll see how that holds up after more butts get in those seats.

We'll be watching fuel economy closely, too, as Mazda rates the new Six at 26 miles per gallon city and a lofty 38 mpg highway. That's with the standard 2.5-liter Skyactiv inline four-cylinder engine under the hood, putting out 184 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission (with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters on our GT model).

Our first impression of the 2014 Mazda6 has left us very eager to spend a year with this new Japanese sedan. We enjoyed our time with it in France, and beyond the fact that Mazda has a really solid competitor in one of the most frequently shopped segments, this car certainly proves that the automaker is capable of building truly solid products with no assistance from former parent company Ford. Here's hoping we feel the same way after 365 days.

***Courtesy of Autoblog.com