Strange to think really that Mazdas were for a long time fairly dull, slightly odd cars that just happened to be shipped over here and tolerated because the company brought us such automotive masterpieces as the MX-5. Like letting the most popular girl in school bring her plain friend on a date.
That assessment would be completely wrong now, though - because all of a sudden, Mazda actually sells some pretty good cars. The Mazda 6 has been of a sleeper in the family car segment, but it is steadily increasing sales at the expense mostly of French rivals.
Recently facelifted, the car has become even more acceptable through the raft of tweaks that Mazda introduced to address some of the criticism aimed its way. Weight was shed, the front end was nipped and tucked to bring in more of the swoopy Mazda design language and the ride quality was improved as well.
The weight loss is important, because this is Mazda's principal step in improving economy and CO2 emissions. Emissions figures are good, if not pioneering in the class. These are good measures to be focusing on, however, because future hybrid and EV technology will pile on the pounds.
Mazda claimed that owners of the pre-facelift 6 had complained that the car's ride was too harsh for UK roads, which the company has now addressed. Whilst the suspension isn't class-leading, the car rides comfortably enough to deal with all the imperfections Britain has to offer.
The interior is spacious all round, aside from potential headroom issues for tall passengers in the rear of the hatchback. There are some nifty touches with quick-release mechanisms on the rear seats which make the most of the available space. The quality of materials on the dashboard is nothing to moan too much about - the plastics feel as robust as on other Mazda models, lacking any premium pretensions.
There are six engines to choose from in the 6 range - three each of petrol and diesel. The entry-level units do the job, but feel a bit gutless in the face of the 6's spirited handling. The more powerful petrols can be thirsty, so the best option is the mid-range diesel, which offers the best mix of torquey urge and reasonable economy.
The 6 is a fine alternative to the standard mainstream cars on offer, keenly priced and with a decent amount of standard kit. You could do far worse.