The life of a car guy isn’t always easy or as satisfying as one might think. Most of you know what I mean. You spend your free time reading, thinking about cars, taking care of your own car-just Something associated with cars. And if you keep this up long enough, your family, neighbors, and co-workers are bound to catch on to your curious affliction. You know what happens next-they are going to ask your opinion of what car they should buy. And in North America, every year hundreds of thousands of car guys are asked that same question, yet almost no one ever follows our advice. While I do not have concrete proof to back this up, something tells me that if these people were taking the advice of car guys, the Mazda6 would surely be selling in greater numbers than they do.

So, what’s going on here? Your neighbor Joe leans over the fence, and tells you he’s looking for a nice, mid-size family car, and what do you recommend?. You pause for a moment, think, and respond, as a car guy, recommend the Mazda6. And you roll off what you’ve read in the car magazines, that it is engaging, fun to drive, offers crisp handling and steering. Meanwhile, Joe’s eyes are glazing over, and he doesn’t hear a word you’re saying, because in reality Joe already made up his mind. He’s buying a Toyota Camry, he just wanted approval from the neighborhood car guy. Joe may as well have asked where he should go for Italian for dinner. You tell him about the small Italian restaurant downtown, where the chef makes the pasta fresh everyday, buys farm fresh produce, and then he goes to eat at Olive Garden.

Such has been the maddening problem with the Mazda6, held as one of the most respected mid-size cars available from the auto enthusiast community, yet one that is constantly overlooked by the general buying public. And Mazda has been struggling to find the right answer. While past 6′s have been praised for their handling and fun to drive capabilities, some critics blamed the 6 as being a size too small to go toe to toe with the Accord and Camry. In its 2009 redesign, the last generation 6 grew up in size, yet the sales figures just were not there. I even heard from a Mazda rep that sales of the last 6 never met what the company thought they could sell.

With the all-new Mazda6, you get the feeling Mazda took a step back and figured they couldn’t beat Honda and Toyota by imitation. Instead, they have gone the opposite direction-build on the virtues of the 6 and upon its reputation, and see what that brings. Mazda’s smaller role in the mid-size car business actually works to its benefit, in that style-wise, Mazda can take far more risks without the fear of offending long-time customers. And let’s face it, if Mazda buyers expect a fun to drive car, it should be exciting to look at as well. Even on our base model test car finished in a somber Meteor Gray, there is no way you can miss the deep-dish front spoiler, pronounced grill opening flanked with aggressive-looking headlights that taper back to flowing fender lines for a much softer, elegant look than the front end suggests. Taken as such, the Mazda6 may sound like a disjointed design, but in person, it all blends very well. Style is subjective, but in my opinion, the Mazda6 sits at the top of its class, alongside the Kia Optima and Ford Fusion.

Step inside the Mazda6 and its position as the driver’s car of mid-size sedans is confirmed. Slip into the bucket seat and it is immediately clear that Mazda understands that a driver’s car is all about creating an environment that is driver-centric. It sounds simple enough, but in some mid-size sedans you get the sense the driver is just a passenger with the seat with the steering wheel in front of him. Not here. All controls are clear, easy to use, and within short reach. The meaty, just-right sized steering is a pleasure to hold, and would be at home in any German sport sedan. The same can be said of the beautifully executed gauge cluster. Our base Mazda6 may have been low on frills, but provided a distraction-free driving environment. No, there are not four dozen cupholders, or stowage space for six smartphones, tablets and game consoles, but this isn’t a minivan. That said, the Mazda has a roomy cabin with plenty of room for the family.

Presently, the only engine available in the Mazda6 is a new 2.5L four cylinder, rated at 184hp. Our base model test car featured a delightful six-speed manual. A six-speed automatic is an option, but in higher trim levels the automatic is your only choice. Interestingly, in Canada the manual is available on all trim levels. The 6 has always been known as a car with decent pep, and the new car is no different. However, when it came to gas mileage, the 6 always fell short of the competition-a major no-no when fuel consumption ranks fairly high on most shopper’s list of priorities. Mazda has finally addressed the issue with its SkyActiv technology, and the proof is in the numbers. EPA fuel economy estimates are 25/37 MPG city and highway, respectively, which is an impressive figure. While the powerful but thirsty V-6 is no longer on the menu, Mazda plans to add a 2.2L turbo diesel to North America. Until now, Volkswagen has been the sole provider of diesel powered family cars here, and the addition of a diesel Mazda6 should be interesting.

In North America the Mazda6 is available only as a four door sedan, while foreign markets continue to offer the 6 as a wagon. Trim levels in the US start with the base Sport, Touring, and top-spec Grand Touring. Standard equipment on our Mazda6 Sport included 17″ alloys, dual exhaust, LED taillights, six-speaker audio with USB port, and remote keyless entry. In other words, a pretty basic car, but very attractively priced at $21,675USD, including delivery. Of course, features most purveyors of family cars desire like satellite radio, navigation, and other luxury goods are available on higher trim levels. Yet I took delight in the simplicity of our Mazda6, and marveled that such a well-composed, enjoyable car with this much usable space could be had at this price. Short on content, maybe, but at no time did I ever feel I was driving a cheap car. The high standard of quality and driving pleasure make the Mazda6 Sport an outrageous bargain.

And to all the car guys out there, I sympathize. You passionately tell your neighbor Joe this is the family sedan he wants, for all the reasons  we’ve just shared. And without fail, he shows up the next day, proud of his new Toyota Camry. You politely decline his offer of dinner at Olive Garden, instead opting for the small Italian restaurant in town. And you take the long way home. The reality of the mid-size car war is the Accord/Camry/Altima is they constantly try to appeal to as many people as possible, yet live in terminal fear of offending anyone. The result are near perfect cars that offer practically nothing in terms of personality, or character, the very thing that draws us to cars. The new Mazda6 is a success because Mazda realized they weren’t going to build a Camry killer, but more importantly, is that they didn’t want to.

[Show as slideshow]

To say that the subcompact market is heating up in North America is an understatement. As little as five years ago this was a market buyers and automakers alike largely ignored. Sure, subcompacts were booming elsewhere, but the mentality from the car companies was always along the lines of “Americans will never embrace a subcompact car with a small footprint and modest power.” Isn’t it funny how a recession that just won’t go away and an ever-present threat of high gas prices was all it took to catch the American consumer up to what the rest of the world already knew?

The Mazda2 debuted as a 2011 model, and is a carryover for 2012. The question was, could Mazda inject its ‘Zoom Zoom’ mantra into a low-cost, low-power subcompact where buyers value price and fuel economy above all else? Read on to find out!

The Mazda2 is offered in one body style only, a five door hatchback. What immediately grabs you is despite being a five door, just how tiny the 2 is in person. Despite its tiny size, the car is every inch a Mazda. In fact, I found their now trademark smiling grin of a front end actually works on this car. All around, the Mazda2 is full of character that one may not expect in this class of car. The greatest hurdle any car company has when it comes to building a subcompact is to avoid a cheap looking car, and here Mazda excels. Smart, swoopy styling offset by alloy wheels, halogen foglights, rear spoiler and chrome exhaust tip all add up for a no-excuses exterior. It’s proof you don’t have to spend a fortune to buy a car that gets the details right, that you can still look smart and not advertise you bought Mazda’s cheapest car.

Our test car was finished in ‘Spirited Green Metallic’. Yes, it is eye-catching, and the car really pops in it. Whether or not that is a good thing is up to you. During my week with the Mazda2, no one had anything good to say about the color, and it didn’t help when a friend told me it looked like I was driving a giant snot. But that’s us old, cranky Generation X’ers talking. I have no doubt this color speaks to a younger, hipper crowd than us.

Inside, you can have the Mazda2 in any color you like, as long as it is black. It’s a sharp contrast to the lime green exterior, somber and serious. The Mazda2 offers decent room and comfort up front. I am 6’1″ and had all the room I needed. As for the backseat? Not so much. The seat itself was too flat, too firm, and was way too claustrophobic for a person of my size to spend anytime back there. The amount of luggage room was a disappointment, providing much less room than its competition. Gauges and controls are easy to read. It was actually shocking at just how simple the interior of the Mazda2 was.

The Mazda2 is powered by a 1.5L four cylinder engine rated at 100hp. Buyers can choose between a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. Our test car was equipped with the 5-speed manual. Around town the Mazda2 shined, easily zipping through traffic with ease. On the highway, passing moves take a little bit of thought and planning, as you’re not just going to drop a gear and whip past traffic. But the 2 revs freely and never seems to mind a good workout, in fact it seems to revel in it. The slick 5-speed manual only enhances the experience. Add in a featherlight curb weight, quick steering and a well tuned suspension and you have a car far more entertaining than its price would suggest. Our test car was fitted with snow tires for a winter that never really came to New England, so I can imagine with its standard all-season tires would be even more entertaining. There is a purity in driving the Mazda2 that recalls modest British and Italian sedans of the past. And decades later, slow cars that are a thrill to drive fast still holds a strong appeal.

The Mazda2 is offered in two trim levels, the base Sport and top-spec Touring. Our test car was the Touring model, which comes standard with 15″ alloy wheels, rear spoiler, foglights. cruise control, trip computer, leather steering wheel with audio controls and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo with a jack for your MP3 player. With a center armrest as its sole option, our Mazda2 Touring rang in at $16,820USD including delivery. It’s hardly news that many subcompact car buyers are requesting premium car features be made available to them, and it is here where the Mazda2 really falls down. Apart from the armrest, the only option missing on our car was an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink. That is it. Features like Bluetooth, satellite radio, navigation and heated seats simply cannot be had on a 2, while the competition does offer it.

As such, my feeling is the Mazda2 will serve as a niche car in an explosive market. The Ford Fiesta, which is related to the Mazda2 is more powerful, gets better highway fuel economy, and is available with features you cannot have on the 2. So it’s not a surprise that for every Mazda2 sold, Ford sells five Fiestas. But I digress. All this talk about features and all takes away from the general goodness of the Mazda2. For the price of admission Mazda is charging, you simply will not find a more rewarding car to drive. Period. And there is a jack for your iPod, and a 12V plug for your portable GPS. For the enthusiast lamenting the loss of simple, straightforward and affordable yet practical cars that are fun to drive, the Mazda2 is the answer to your prayers.

[Show as slideshow]