uworich

and so the battle begins...
i was just wondering what everyone else thinks of these 2 cars... which one would YOU choose?

pandimus

i highly investigated the mazda 6 and that was my personal choice until i drove a tsx.

No navi on the 6, and the old transmission of the first 2 years was really rough.

fdl

The battle began a year and a half ago. You mind find some useful info by searching.

Personally I wouldnt mind having one of them Mazdaspeed 6's with 260 HP.

knthornt

Funny... when I was looking at cars (before I ordered my 05) the Mazda 6 was on my list. One of the big reasons I didn't get the mazda was lack of navigation, but the dealer ensured me that the 2005 Mazda 6 would have it.

Just another reason to not listen to everything the dealer says.

iamhomin

Asking on a TSX forum?

t_dot_porkchop

mazda = ford

pcdawg

I did look at the Mazda3 and Mazda6 before getting the TSX..

For the TSX u get better resale value, better reliability and better equipment, and interior.

Whiskers

I wanted the Nav, still couldn't figure out why the 2004 Mazda 3 had a NAV option but the Mazda 6. If the 6 had Nav I may have one now.

jcg878

The other day I went on a Patriots board and asked who was going to win the Super Bowl - Pats or Eagles. I don't know why they all said the Pats were a lock

Whiskers

So strange, I asked the same question on the Giants board and they also said the Pats would win....

jcg878

How many members - besides yourself - were logged on? I'm betting there's probably a solid 8 or so without bags on their heads

MTL_TSX

heres the thing, mazda6 looks awesome with all the body kit and everything,
except the fact that the interior is crap,
on the over hand the tsx looks awesome, but to equip it the same way as the mazda6 you'll need to pay maybe 2k more to get the spoiler and the aero kit which makes it very pricey, but if you had the money really worth it. the interior of the tsx is awesome, except that it is smaller than the mazda 6.

if you have the money go for the tsx, otherwise well the mazda6 is just as nice i guess,
i'm still debating myself...

scheißterhöffer

I, like many others, had it narrowed to those two. The key turnoff to me regarding the 6 was the styling. A little too boy racer for me, particularly the taillights and side sills (which I know are optional, but I think it looks too bland rental car-ry without), like it would get old fast. I still really like it, and the pic of the Mazdaspeed 6 in this month's C&D looks pretty good (side sills on current 6 are a little tacky, they seem a little more restrained in this pic), but I was trying to choose a car to drive for 7-10 years, and I thought the 6 was something I would outgrow in its current form. But I think I would have been pretty happy with one too, it was a pretty close decision.

Whiskers

Even the 8 were logged in as Guest with a powerful firewall so not to be identified.....

jcg878

6 wagon =

jcg878

Maybe Tom Coughlin was logged on to see what people thought about his quarterback decision. At least you guys have a reason to watch now - to see if Manning goes down <6x/game

Whiskers

Yep, thats the one. I am a wagon freak. I was so close to getting a Magnum but then I saw the Dodge emblem.....

darth62

Two points: first, I willhave to disagree with those who say this isn't a good forum for these sort of questions. In general, I find about 90% of the posters here to be very balanced - particularly when discussing vehicles like the M6, M3, and the Legacy GT.

Second, just so you know, Consumer Reports dropped the M6, RX8,and Mazda MPV from their recommended lists because all three vehicles had very poor reliablity scores.

mg7726

i can't stand the rear ricer lights...car looks ok, interior is no TSX hotness.

RMATIC09

tsx hands down IMO

pandimus

its kinda obvious that if you ask in this board which car is better a m6 or the tsx, your gonna get the tsx. Personally i think the m6 is a good car, if you cant afford a tsx go for the 6. Your going to get the majority of the same options for a heck of a lot less in price.

If you wanna here opinions of the m6 guys go to either

mazda6club.com

or

msprotege.com

samir786

42% residual after 3 years man. mazda's can't hold thier value.

Stokeless_TSX

I would never buy a mazda just for the simple fact they are owned by Ford now and I HATE FORDS!!! The car looks ok from the outside has good power BUT look at the interior. No comparison. The luxuary feel with the sporty edge the TSX has can't be found in the 6. I was actually looking to get a 350z or g35. G35 was a lil high on my price range the 350z didn't have the back seat option like the old 300zx's used to. the 2 by 2 version. So that counted those two cars out for me. Then I was looking at an RSX type S and heard about the TSX but never saw it. Saw one on the show room floor and I have to have it. Signed on the line and drove off happily ever after. =)

Sutto

I was actually looking at the Mazda6 as my first choice because I thought the TSX was more expensive than it is. The exterior of the 6 is alright but the interior doesn't come anywhere close to the TSX...it feels like a cheap car with leather on the seats.

Another thing is, as was said before, it's a Mazda (Ford). Acura has a little more snob appeal.

Godwhacker

= bad transmissions.

(sorry, needed to finish the algebraic equation there)

Everyone I have known who owned a Ford product has complained about the transmission not holding up over time.

As for the Eagles, Patriots and Giants...NAAAAH! its the Steelers!

somberlaine

Mazda 6 is a good car. The interior of both the M6 and the M3 is decent. I was considering the M6 myself, but when you add the options that come standard in the TSX (leather, nice stereo and all), it ends being as expensive as TSX. So why bother with a Mazda when you can buy an Acura for about the same price?
However, I still think that Mazda RX8 is one of the best cars out there. I wish I can have and RX8 and a TSX....

lokman

Although Mazda is owned by Ford, my personal impression is that Mazda is still light years ahead of the Blue Oval in terms of design, styling and quality.

I like the Mazda6's styling in V6 top level trim, but the 4-cylinder looks like a highly decontented version (at least low-end Accords don't look too different from their top-of-the-line models). However, having driven primarily Toyotas and Hondas/Acuras over the past 7 years, I was disappointed by the quality of the Mazda6 interior when I sat in it. The switchgear and feel of certain plastics and seat materials just didn't measure up to an Accord or Civic, let alone an Acura. That said, if I were in the market for a new car, the dollars would be the deciding factor between a Mazda6 or TSX if the difference were great enough.

lokman

Forgot to mention that CR's dropping of the Mazda6 from their recommended list for reliability reasons is also going to have a negative impact on my evaluation of said car. Too bad, because my family did have a 929 Serenia and MX-3 Precidia that never had any problems at all in over 5 years of ownership of each car.

Montag

I'm in the same situation. Although I'm not buying for a while I've looked at the Mazda 3 and 6 along with the TSX of course. Here's where I stand so far:

I actually love the styling of the Mazda 3 and even liked it after driving one but my two kids are getting older and I worry about the small size. I have a Civic EX right now but I think I need something bigger. If I was young and single and money was more of a concern, I would probably go for the 3.

I like the 6 as well but I when you equip it similarly it isn't all that much cheaper than the TSX and you'll likely make some of that up in resale. I also agree with scheißterhöffer that the 6 looks a little too boy-racer. I'm 43 and need something more befitting of my mature and responsible nature.

I'm also concerned a bit by reviews of the 6 that mention the high levels of road noise. Car and Driver was especially turned off by this. After years of driving small, fairly noisy cars, I'm ready to go to something a little quieter.

Also the TSX gets a little better gas mileage than the V-6 6s. I know that financially, this advantage is offset by the TSX's requirement of premium fuel but my point is that it should use less gas and therefore you can feel a little more socially responsible knowing that you are leaving some petrol for the next guy (in his F150 probably).

Reliablilty is also an issue although the Mazda may turn out to be very good in this respect. It's just too early to tell. The TSX is young too but Acura has a pretty good reputation there.

The Mazda probably wins in raw performance numbers but that's not all that important to me (my mature and responsible nature again). The Acura is quick enough and it clearly has the edge in refinement and luxury.

So right now I'm leaning toward the TSX (imagine that) but I'm still researching. That's why I'm on this board.

dzuy

i read in motor trend about how they are experiencing reliablility issues with the mazda 6 already.

nuff said.

nagidizy

You know, blanket statements really bite. I won't debate that "everyone" you've known has complained; I can't speak for the people you know.
But know this: my 1996 Contour SE (yup, Ford) has 180,000 miles on the original tranny (MTX) with nary a problem in the past. I got 165K or so out of the clutch, and only replaced it as a precaution. So now you know someone who hasn't complained about their Ford tranny. I suspect there might be others. Are you familiar with the less-than-stellar quality of some Acura TL automatics?

This will be, of course, heresy on this forum, but dynamically speaking, if I get a TSX, it will be at best a lateral move in terms of performance, if not down. Let the flames begin if they must. But strict performance numbers aren't the be-all and end-all of car purchases for many people. The TSX is far superior when it comes to quality, reliabilty, interior design, precision, and a dozen other factors. As someone else mentioned earlier, a good aspect of this forum is that folks aren't afraid to express appreciation for other cars/brands, even though they may have plunked their hard-earned cash down for a TSX.

Likewise, I think an unbiased look at the interior of the Mazda 6 will show it to be of decent quality given the price point and target demographics. Is the TSX interior better? Oh yeah, there's no doubt it is. It also costs several thousand dollars more. Is the Mazda as reliable as the TSX? So far, it looks like it isn't even close. But there are many people cross-shopping the Mazda with the TSX, people who aren't necessarily driven by economics to "settle for" the Mazda.

Montag's comments are pretty much right on the mark, or at least describe my take on the subject, with the exception that I am considering the Mazda 3 but no longer thinking of the 6. Others still high on the list are the Subaru Legacy XT Limited, and the VW Passat GLS TDI. And of course the Yugo, the Bentley ...

TSX 'R' US

if it was between the Mazda6 hatchback vs the TSX...I'm gonna be in trouble...

AlterZgo

I'm looking at these 2 cars as well. For those who think the TSX is much more expensive, you have to remember that the TSX comes fully loaded with the only real option being nav. OTOH, you can fully option out a Mazda6 and you still won't have stuff like HIDs, nav, electroluminescent gauges, etc.

The main reasons why I like the Mazda6 is because it, like the TSX, is not a big midsize car like the Camry or Accord, yet it still has a good amt of interior space. Another BIG factor is the fact that you can choose amongst sedan, hatchback and wagon. As a person with a new baby and who enjoys doing things like mt biking, skiing, etc., the 5 door hatchback is very appealing.

The things holding me back right now about the Mazda6 are:
* no nav
* no HIDs
* Ford V6 engine (I know 2 Ford Contour owners whose V6 engines failed just outside the warranty period).

The Mazdaspeed 6 comes with HIDs and nav is an option. It also comes with a high powered turbocharged engine and AWD. But, no hatchback.

I'm also looking at the Subaru Legacy GT sedan and wagon. I think I would probably get a Subaru Legacy GT wagon over a Mazda6. But, right now, the TSX is still on the top of my list of cars to consider. The TSX just seems to exude refinement and quality. Since I plan on keeping my next car for at least 10 years, the TSX seems more likely to give me 10 trouble free years than the other cars.

sauceman

I haven't ever considered the 6 seriously, if not to do some little cross-shopping in order to get the price on the TSX down a little.

I've had confirmation that I took the right route (for me) when I owned a gas guzzling 6 V6 in a drag race.

Plus, I always enjoy being in the TSX to give a bad surprise to any cocky M6V6 guy who thinks of himself to be completely untouchable since he's in Fortified V6 City.

majormojo

AlterZgo, I think that's a pretty fair conclusion. If you're looking for a long-term vehicle, odds are in favour of the TSX being more reliable and the styling probably won't look as dated. Having said that, I think the ext styling of the 6 is bit nicer than the TSX today. I haven't followed up to see if it has been an issue, but when I looked at the 6 over a year ago, it seemed like the faux Titanium finish on the interior plastic would rub off and get marked up easily. Interior and overall refinement, TSX is better hands down.

The 6 wagon sure is appealing though, one of the best looking wagons out there.

darth62

The Ford Contour SE was a fine performing car. I could see why you would feel it would be a lateral to the TSX .

darth62

In all honesty, I really dislike the HIDs. I liked the bright halogens on my last Accord better. No sharp cutoffs.

TheOne305

probably has to do with Mazda 3 is built in Japan and the Mazda 6 built in the USA.Thats what i notice on the sticker.

pandimus

exactly.. Basically the problem with the 3 having navi, and the 6 is the retooling of the factorys. it would cost them too much to do it currently.

ianz

for me when i test drove the mazda6 was the steering wheel, it's hideous! plus the mazda logo really doesn't help. The fully loaded mazda6 was too close to the price of the tsx for it to have any advantages, not to mention the gas mileage you lose for getting a v6 will eventually offset it. The red interior lights just pushed me more towards audi, which IMO mazda copied.