mt.biker
11-20-2002, 05:04 PM
http://www.caranddriver.com/image_cache/DATA/Caranddriver/images/2002/december/0212_6_main.jpg
They did until recently (make them), in niche-like numbers for the segment — Hyundai's Sonata outsold the 626 last year. When we searched our archives for words describing the most recent 626, we didn't find many flattering ones. In a December 1997 assessment, we damned it faintly saying, "Generally, this is a softly defined, softly suspended, softly powered four-door that makes a soft case for shopping your Mazda store." We also indicted its toad-in-a-hole seating and dearth of features. In our final swipe at that soap-bar sedan, a June 1998 comparo, just 14 words were allotted to summarizing the 626's virtues.
Softly powered?" Not anymore. Our flagship 6 s's 3.0-liter V-6 was born in America as the Duratec but schooled in Japan, where Mazda ginned up new cylinder heads with continuously variable intake-valve timing and swirl-inducing vanes cast in the intake runners. The pistons compress air and regular unleaded down at a 10.0:1 ratio. The cam covers are magnesium, and all accessories bolt directly to the aluminum block to quell the vibes. Peak output is 220 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 192 pound-feet at 5000 rpm — that's respectable in the middling-sedan class, but it's 20 horses off the pace set by V-6 Accords and Altimas.
Playing backup to our V-6 is a right decent five-speed manual transmission. Its short-throw lever moves much more accurately than the 626's vague shifter, although it falls somewhat short of the rifle-bolt action of Honda's latest six-speed for mechanical precision. Clutch takeup is authoritative yet easy to modulate smoothly over the relatively short pedal travel.
http://www.caranddriver.com/image_cache/DATA/Caranddriver/images/2002/december/0212_6_interior.jpg
http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/roadtests/2002/december/0212_roadtest_6.xml
You can read the rest at the above link. If you read it you'll notice how they basically say the car is still lacking and notice how many times they mention Honda in a Mazda review. Honda Ownz. Anyhow i've been in the older mazda 626 and it was underpowered but it sounds like they've made a second attempt at it but it still is lacking. Poor mazda that company always did rub me the wrong way.
They did until recently (make them), in niche-like numbers for the segment — Hyundai's Sonata outsold the 626 last year. When we searched our archives for words describing the most recent 626, we didn't find many flattering ones. In a December 1997 assessment, we damned it faintly saying, "Generally, this is a softly defined, softly suspended, softly powered four-door that makes a soft case for shopping your Mazda store." We also indicted its toad-in-a-hole seating and dearth of features. In our final swipe at that soap-bar sedan, a June 1998 comparo, just 14 words were allotted to summarizing the 626's virtues.
Softly powered?" Not anymore. Our flagship 6 s's 3.0-liter V-6 was born in America as the Duratec but schooled in Japan, where Mazda ginned up new cylinder heads with continuously variable intake-valve timing and swirl-inducing vanes cast in the intake runners. The pistons compress air and regular unleaded down at a 10.0:1 ratio. The cam covers are magnesium, and all accessories bolt directly to the aluminum block to quell the vibes. Peak output is 220 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 192 pound-feet at 5000 rpm — that's respectable in the middling-sedan class, but it's 20 horses off the pace set by V-6 Accords and Altimas.
Playing backup to our V-6 is a right decent five-speed manual transmission. Its short-throw lever moves much more accurately than the 626's vague shifter, although it falls somewhat short of the rifle-bolt action of Honda's latest six-speed for mechanical precision. Clutch takeup is authoritative yet easy to modulate smoothly over the relatively short pedal travel.
http://www.caranddriver.com/image_cache/DATA/Caranddriver/images/2002/december/0212_6_interior.jpg
http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/roadtests/2002/december/0212_roadtest_6.xml
You can read the rest at the above link. If you read it you'll notice how they basically say the car is still lacking and notice how many times they mention Honda in a Mazda review. Honda Ownz. Anyhow i've been in the older mazda 626 and it was underpowered but it sounds like they've made a second attempt at it but it still is lacking. Poor mazda that company always did rub me the wrong way.