2004 Mazda6 Sport Wagon

A week behind the wheel left no doubt that the Sport Wagon is fully capable of justifying Mazda's contention that "It's all about the drive." That's hardly a surprise, since the same well-sorted chassis elements found beneath the Mazda6 4-door also appear here: double wishbones up front, a multilink rear setup, a coil spring at each corner and anti-roll bars fore and aft. Directional control is provided by a decently weighted vehicle-speed sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering system that zips lock to lock in a quick 2.54 turns. Like the sedan, the entire package is skewed toward the tauter side of the control-compliance spectrum to impart a welcome degree of handling confidence. Insist on pressing to the limits, and the Sport Wagon's 60/40-weight bias and clear displeasure at being thrown into quick transitions does become evident. But hold things at brisk-plus levels and you'll find it a most engaging travel-mate.

Motivation for the Sport Wagon comes courtesy of Mazda's 2,967cc twin-cam V-6 that churns out 220 hp and 192 lb.-ft. of torque.

Motivation for the Sport Wagon comes courtesy of Mazda's 2,967cc twin-cam V-6 that churns out 220 hp and 192 lb.-ft. of torque. Although it benefits from variable valve timing that enhances overall flexibility, those peaks arrive at 6,300 rpm and 5,000 rpm respectively. In real-world terms, that means extracting maximum amusement from the Sport Wagon—which at 3,389 lbs outweighs its sedan counterpart by nearly 150 lbs—demands a fairly aggressive right foot, and a mindset that recognizes that your mileage numbers will likely fall somewhat shy of the 19/26 city/hwy figures posted by the EPA. On the flip side, stopping chores are most capably handled by the Sport Wagon's healthy 11.1-inch front/11.0 inch rear ABS discs, which deliver straight, short velocity drops with impressive efficiency and minimum drama.


Mazda anticipates that its new Sport Wagon will account for about 30 percent of the 70,000-80,000 annual sales now projected for its tri-tier 6-pack (sedan, wagon, 5-door). With a distinctive presence, dynamic personality and great versatility, we suspect the Sport Wagon will live up to expectations. You still might not be able to take it with you, but this new Mazda does make it easier—and considerably more fun—to bring at least some of it along for the ride. (www.mazdausa.com)