Mazda 6

Mazda 6

Recommended. The sharp-looking Mazda 6 is a cracking family car. It's not as spacious as a Ford Mondeo, but it's good to drive, well built and refined.

Big may be beautiful, but Mazda reckons less is more. It's put the new 6 family car on a diet, saving as much as 50kg over the old model.

Should buyers care that the 6 has cut out the carbs? Well, yes. Less weight helps makes the 6 more agile than many rivals, with crisp cornering, plenty of grip and little body roll. For a car that's likely to spend most of its time ploughing up and down motorways, it's good fun on twisting routes, although steering feel could be better.

The old Mazda 6 could put a smile on your face, too, but it wasn't such a good all-rounder. The new model rides better, soaking up bumps and potholes around town, but still delivers firm control at higher speeds.

It's more refined, too. Wind and road noise stay in the background, even at motorway speeds, so passengers can chat without raised voices.

The engines don't disturb the peace either, unless worked really hard, and the 2.0-litre diesel is the pick for high-mileage drivers. With 243lb/ft or torque, it pulls hard from around 2000 revs and will hit 60mph in a little over 10 seconds. The six-speed gearbox (petrols come with a five-speeder) is a little notchy but the tall sixth gear means the engine is relaxed and quiet at 70mph.

Economy is good, too - another advantage of the Mazda's low kerbweight. Official figures promise 50.4mpg on the combined cycle.

There's just one diesel engine (although both higher and lower powered versions are rumoured to be on the way), but there's a choice of three petrol engines: a 118bhp 1.8-litre, a 145bhp 2.0-litre and a 168bhp 2.5-litre. The 2.0-litre strikes the best balance between performance, price and economy, although keen drivers will enjoy the 2.5's turn of speed.

Three body styles are available: a four-door saloon, the five-door hatchback that British buyers tend to prefer, plus a roomy estate.

All three versions have plenty of space for the driver and front seat passenger, and a comfortable driving position with plenty of adjustment. It's a different story in the back. There's plenty of legroom, but the sloping roofline of the saloon and hatch steal some headroom. Tall passengers will be more comfortable in the rear seats of the estate.

The saloon and hatch both have generous boots, but the estate is obviously the one to go for if you need to carry lots of kit. There's 519 litres with the rear seats upright, and 1751 litres when they're folded. Extending the boot is quick and easy - just tug a lever in the boot and the seats tumble forward to leave a long, wide, load space.

Prices are competitive and Mazda hasn't skimped on the standard kit, especially where safety is concerned. Stability control and six airbags are fitted to all versions.

Ford's Mondeo sets a very high standard against which any new family car must be measured. The 6 isn't quite as roomy inside, but otherwise it runs the big Ford very close.