Mazda 6 review - Reliability and safety

The Mazda brand has an excellent reputation for reliability and has been praised for this in the annual Auto Express Driver Power satisfaction surveys over the years. The car finished an impressive sixth out of 75 cars in the 2020 survey, while Mazda was ranked fourth on the list of best brands. 

It’s also worth noting that, externally, the Mazda 6 is a beautifully built car. Panel fit and finish are exemplary and the appearance is very much that of a carefully assembled premium car.

The Mazda 6 was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2013, and was awarded a full five-star score, with individual rankings of 92 per cent for adult protection and 77 per cent for child protection. Pedestrian safety was rated at 66 per cent and safety assist systems an impressive 81 per cent.

All models feature this Smart City Brake Support system, which insurers officially recognise as a major safety benefit. The system was improved in 2016 with proper pedestrian detection and activation at higher speeds.

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Warranty

Mazda offers a three-year/60,000-mile warranty on the 6, supported by a paint and surface corrosion guarantee that has the same age limit but no mileage cap. This package is fully transferrable, and also covers anti-perforation rust protection for 12 years, again with no mileage limit.

An extended warranty is available, which can be tailored to an owner’s requirements, with quotes available through an online calculator.

Servicing

Service intervals for the 6 are disappointingly frequent – a check-up is required every 12,500 miles, or on an annual basis if you don’t cover that many miles. As ever, following these intervals to the letter is a requirement of maintaining the full warranty cover. It may be an inconvenience to high-mileage company car drivers, but Mazda’s robust build quality and integrity does keep the cost of maintenance down.