Practical Elegance: 2020 Mazda 6 Signature

By LSB Ken on April 13, 2020 • ( 1 Comment )

Mazda has developed a reputation for delivering fun at a price that most can afford. However, for the range-topping 6, Mazda shows that it can deliver fun, luxury, tech and style for a price that doesn’t shout “DEBT.”

The 2020 Mazda 6 Signature received a new trunklid badge and key fob for 2020. Neither of these updates changes the fundamental excellence of the Mazda 6. It’s fundamentally the same 6 we experienced when the Signature trim was new for 2018. The mid-size sedan class is known for being the sensible choice: practical, efficient, with enough room for the in-laws. Mazda proves that fun need not be left out of the equation.

The 2020 Mazda 6 Signature is powered by a 2.5 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder, with plenty of power (between 227-250 hp, depending on grade of fuel used), but it is the torque that steals the show: 310lbft, delivered down low and held throughout the rev range. Driven responsibly, this power train is smooth and surprisingly quiet. Put your foot into it and the torque can entertain you, your head hitting the headrest as the cabin fills with a surprisingly pronounced intake growl. There’s even some faint turbo whistle and blow off valve noise audible at times. This is Mazda, after all, and Mazda does fun.

The 2020 6 Signature has a taut ride quality. Do not mistake taut to mean “too firm,” as it occasionally can when an auto manufacturer does “fun.” Instead, the ride is well-damped without floatiness or harshness. Steering has a heft that is just right, if a bit less aggressive off-center than perhaps ideal. Bumps, potholes, and other sort of disruptions you may encounter are dealt with comfortably. Ride motions are not upsetting to passengers even on rough pavement. The only gripe to mention is the road noise present at highway speed. But at city speeds, the car is wonderfully serene.

Serene may not be a word you’d associate with a non-luxury brand automobile, and yet it applies to the 6 Signature. Sink into the soft Napa leather seats and admire the real, Japanese Sen wood trim, exclusive to the Signature model we tested. Notice the combination of textures and colors, delight in the soft to the touch dashboard, and be pleasantly surprised by the soft sides of the center console. Mazda clearly sweated all of the details when crafting this interior, and created one of the best in class. For the tech savvy, consider that the Signature trim has navigation with traffic-sign recognition and a 360 degree camera with front and rear parking sensors, among a bevy of other safety features. It also has an 11-speaker Bose audio system that plays surprisingly loud without distortion.

The 2020 Mazda 6 Signature delivers elegant, tasteful styling, sporty performance, and a truly luxurious interior at a price that doesn’t totally break the bank. In the world of midsize sedans, that is a home-run.

-Ken Wilson