2025 Mazda 6 Atenza wagon review

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2025 Mazda 6 G35 Atenza wagon

The Mazda 6 was once a powerhouse in the Australian automotive landscape, going toe-to-toe with the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and others in the mid-size passenger car segment.

But that was then, and now, everyone just wants an SUV, and sales – and choice – of mid-sizers have all but evaporated.

Mazda Australia, however, has persisted with the Mazda 6 when rivals from Ford, Kia, and more have exited the market, with its third-generation model now in its 12th year on sale – albeit with myriad changes throughout that time.

Available in both sedan and more practical wagon form, are families overlooking mid-sizers like the Mazda 6 for good reason? Or are wagons like this a hidden gem?

How much is a Mazda 6?

Straight up, if you are a family considering a Mazda 6 as a primary car and still juggle with car seats and a pram, skip the sedan in favour of the wagon.

Starting at $37,590 before on-road costs in Sport form, and moving up to $42,260 for the Touring, $50,490 for the GT, and $53,890 for the Atenza as I have on test, the price of a Mazda 6 wagon is comparable to many family SUVs.

Note that the wagon sits $1300 upstream of the sedan, with no changes to specifications outside of body style and wheelbase that I'll detail a little later on.

In terms of what you get moving up the model range, the Sport and Touring are fitted exclusively with a 140kW/252Nm 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder engine, while the GT and Atenza add a turbocharged to the mix to up the ante to 173kW/420Nm.

Other changes in the Atenza grade include the addition of nappa leather seats, cooled front seats, woodgrain dashboard inlays, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a heated steering wheel, surround-view monitor, 19-inch alloy wheels, and a powered sunroof on top of the equipment available in lower grades.

Speaking of which, that Mazda 6 standard equipment list is long and generous, with features such as heated front and rear outboard seats, adaptive LED headlights, 11-speaker sound system, power-adjustable front seats, keyless entry, push-button start, auto-folding side mirrors, wireless smartphone charger, a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, and front and rear parking sensors that wouldn't look out of place on the spec sheet of a premium German brand.

As one of the only mid-size wagons still available, the only other competition for the Mazda 6 in its segment is the Skoda Octavia, and the variant that would stack up against this Atenza would be the high-performance RS at $58,490.

Though the Mazda 6 is down on power (173kW vs 180kW) compared to the Skoda, it has more torque than its direct rival (420Nm vs 370Nm).

However, the less traditional rivals to the Mazda 6 wagon might be the mid-size SUV, like a Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, or Kia Sportage.

How big is a Mazda 6?

As a mid-size wagon measuring 4800mm long, 1840mm wide, 1480mm tall, and with a 2750mm wheelbase, the Mazda 6 wagon is sized well to suit Australian family needs.

But don't go expecting this to be a Holden Commodore wagon-sized affair, because the Mazda 6 is markedly smaller.

Up front, passengers have ample space to get comfortable, and the electronically adjustable seats offer a good range of manoeuvrability, while the driver's seat memory function is handy for households where both parents drive.

Mazdas have long been fantastic at offering a great driving position, feeling low down to the ground with good visibility and ergonomics, and the 2025 Mazda 6 wagon is no exception.

Storage options are also aplenty in the front, with door pockets able to accommodate large water bottles, a wireless smartphone charging tray, cupholders, and an underarm storage cubby.

Moving to the rear seats, and while there is enough space for my six-foot-tall (183cm) frame, there might not be as much room as you'd expect.

Fun fact, the wagon version of the Mazda 6 has a smaller wheelbase than the sedan (2750mm compared to 2830mm), meaning there is actually less leg room in the former compared to the latter.

If getting adults in the second row is your main priority, the sedan version is more suited to the task, but the wagon still affords a level of practicality and comfort that is comparable to a Mazda CX-5 mid-size SUV.

But as a family station wagon with car seats installed and children taking up the second row, the Mazda 6 works wonderfully well.

Don't be fooled by the fact this isn't an SUV, because the Mazda 6 wagon will easily take on two car seats in the outboard positions.

In the back seats, there are amenities such as rear air vents, bottle-swallowing door bins, back-seat map pockets, and a fold-down centre armrest with two cupholders.

But one of the biggest selling points for the Mazda 6 wagon is undoubtedly its rear hatch opening and generous load space.

Opening the boot reveals a 506-litre cavity that will easily accommodate a full-sized pram, school bags, groceries, and more – all at the same time.

It's a serious amount of room with a long load floor so the Mazda 6 wagon will even take on board larger and bulkier items with ease.

In fact, so deep is the floor that I struggle to reach the back of the second-row seats to hook/unhook the top tether points.

Fold the seats down, and that space swells to a gargantuan 1648L, which means the Mazda 6 wagon will easily handle a trip or two to Bunnings or Ikea.

And just for reference, the popular CX-5 can fit a 438L load with all seats in place, expanding to 1340L with the second row folded – so the Mazda 6 wagon is definitively more practical than its SUV stablemate.

Does the Mazda 6 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Fitted with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, the 2025 Mazda 6 Atenza wagon features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.

For those that don't want to deal with smartphone mirroring, there is also in-built satellite navigation, AM, FM and digital radio, and Bluetooth audio streaming.

Mazda's infotainment system also features a rotary control dial in the centre console, making controlling the software so much easier when driving because you can intuitively press a button rather than trying to navigate with touch.

There are also steering wheel controls, with the buttons falling easily and ergonomically in hand.

And while this all sounds great on paper, the reality is that the MZD Connect software is starting to feel very dated, especially compared to rivals with newer hardware.

There are sizeable borders around the infotainment screen, for starters, and the menu layout and design – while being functional – looks decidedly ancient in a world with iOS 18 and Android 15.

However, the most egregious of all is the fact that the software struggles at times to keep up with inputs and commands.

On more than a few occasions in my week with the car, menus would become unresponsive or things would take longer to load than usual.

In summary, the Mazda 6's infotainment system works, and it works well, but the MZD system is now a decade old and those wrinkles are really starting to show when compared to younger, fresher systems from rivals.

Is the Mazda 6 a safe car?

The Mazda 6 range has been tested by crash test authority ANCAP previously, but rating has since expired, making the Mazda 6 technically unrated in line with the expiry dates ANCAP issues with its ratings.

Previous testing was conducted in 2018 resulting in a five-star score at the time, but that rating has now expired as of the end of last year. While the key safety features may not have changed, ANCAP’s evolving assessment criteria means it’s not possible to compare an older rating to a newer one, with current cars held to stricter occupant protection and safety system requirements.

Based on the previous ANCAP results, the Mazda 6 scored high in the adult and child occupant protection tests, notching a 95 and 91 per cent result respectively.

The Mazda 6 also scored 73 per cent in the safety assist category, while the vulnerable road user protection test yielded its lowest score of 66 per cent.

However, a caveat here is that the Mazda 6 was tested on the standards at the time, and with ANCAP tightening criteria for a maximum score since, it is unclear how well the Mazda 6 would perform to today's standards.

What safety technology does the Mazda 6 have?

The 2025 Mazda 6 wagon comes with a wide array of safety systems – both active and passive.

As standard, all new Mazda 6 models come fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure monitoring, driver attention alert, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and six airbags.

It's truly a standout safety equipment list, made all the better that it’s available in every new Mazda 6 sold in Australia.

Moving up the food chain, the top-spec Atenza only adds a surround-view monitor and adaptive LED headlights to the list.

Mazda has also done a wonderful job of calibrating each of the systems, with each active safety system working seamlessly and unobtrusively.

How much does the Mazda 6 cost to run?

Like all new Mazda models, the 6 wagon comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty that matches the industry standard offered by Toyota, Ford and Hyundai.

However, it falls short of the 10-year assurance periods from Mitsubishi and MG, as well as the seven-year warranty offered by Kia and MG.

Scheduled service intervals in the Mazda 6 Atenza wagon are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

According to Mazda Australia's service price guide, the first five years of ownership (taking them out to 75,000km) will set buyers back a total of $2576.

To insure, the 2025 Mazda 6 Atenza wagon will cost $1774.50 per annum, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Is the Mazda 6 fuel-efficient?

With a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine under the bonnet serving up peppy performance, the Mazda 6 Atenza wagon claims an official combined fuel consumption average of 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres.

However, in my time with the car, I averaged a lot higher at 9.6L/100km, mainly due to the majority of driving in inner-city conditions.

My fuel consumption figure is lower than Mazda's city-use figure of 10.1L/100km, and if you predominately drive on the freeway, the brand claims a 6.2L/100km figure.

Despite being a modern turbocharged engine, the Mazda 6 Atenza requires only 91RON petrol and features a 62-litre fuel tank that should get you almost 650km between refills based on my real-world use figure.

What is the Mazda 6 like to drive?

As a passenger car with a lower centre of gravity than an SUV, the Mazda 6 wagon is, by the laws of physics, simply better to drive (from a dynamics point of view) than many high-riders.

But also key to the Mazda 6's appeal is its great driving position that makes you feel ready to tackle the road ahead of you – even if that road is through gridlocked traffic.

Ergonomics is a strong suit of the Mazda 6, as all controls fall easily in hand for the driver and there are no obtrusive safety systems to distract away from the experience.

That isn’t to say the safety systems aren’t there, but they are tuned in such a way that they supplement your driving behaviour, rather than taking over.

The lane-keep assist system doesn't tug annoyingly at the wheel, nor does the front collision detection system think you are going to hit the parked car in front of you while the wheel is turned.

It makes for an easy, comfortable, and downright pleasant driving experience.

But one of the main reasons why you would pick an Atenza over a lower grade is the punchy 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine.

This engine was originally found under the bonnet of the now defunct CX-9 large SUV, and it was fun and peppy there, so in the smaller and lighter Mazda 6, it has only gotten better.

Don't be fooled by the 173kW/420Nm output numbers, though, because while this might rival some hot hatches on paper, this is hardly a return of the famed MPS nameplate.

The powertrain is tuned for smoothness above anything else, and delivers the thrust in a predicable, linear manner.

Immediately noticeable on take-off is the Mazda 6 Atenza's eagerness, a characteristic it maintains all throughout the rev range.

Mazda has used the turbocharger to eliminate flat spots in delivery of the 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine, and it works remarkably well.

For reference, the non-turbo version of the same engine makes 140kW/252Nm.

There is also a Sport driving mode that sharpens up throttle response and will hold gears for longer, but it never turns the Mazda 6 Atenza into a sports car.

As for ride comfort, well it’s suitably excellent, especially for a low-riding model with 19-inch wheels and thin sidewalls like this. Bumps and road imperfections are soaked up with ease, while even road and wind noise are kept to a comfortable minimum.

This was a key concern when the original version of this third-generation car launched back in 2012, but successive updates and improvements have largely fixed comfort and refinement issues.

Is the Mazda 6 wagon a better drive than an SUV? Almost certainly, but the question is, do buyers even care?

I'd argue that they should, given you are in the market for a car already, so why not choose the one that does the same thing, only a little better?

Can a Mazda 6 tow?

The Mazda 6 Atenza is rated to tow a braked capacity of 1600kg, which should be enough for a small trailer for gear, bikes or more.

The unbraked towing capacity is rated at 750kg, while the maximum towball download is 120kg.

With a punchy 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, the Mazda 6 should be able to haul, even close to capacity, with plenty of gusto.

However, buyers should also keep in mind the payload capacity of the Mazda 6, which is just 464kg. This means the vehicle could be overloaded with four adults and luggage, but for families, the figure should be fine.

Should I buy a Mazda 6?

Despite its ageing underpinnings, the Mazda 6 Atenza wagon presents a convincing argument against buying an SUV.

It offers better practicality that most family high-riders, while also being better to drive and comparable in price.

The cherry on top of the cake is that the Mazda 6 also presents itself as a handsome, upmarket model that looks and feels more expensive than it actually is.

If you don’t need a high driving position afforded by an SUV, or if you don’t need all-wheel-drive grip, the Mazda 6 wagon should be high on your consideration list as a family car.

How do I buy a Mazda 6? The next steps.

Stock of the Mazda 6 should be readily available around the country, depending on the desired spec and colour.

Buyers should definitely test-drive a Mazda 6 wagon before committing to buying, though, just to see if it is the right shape and size to suit their needs.

Click here to find the nearest Mazda dealership. If you’d like to start your search without leaving the house, Drive Marketplace also has a long list of Mazda models for sale.

To stay on top of all the news from the brand, you can click here.

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