Mazda 6 long-term report: report 4

The car: Mazda 6 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 SE-L Nav+ Run by: John Bradshaw, chief photographer

Why it’s here: I’ve explored SUVs and estates, but can a stylish saloon fulfil my needs just as well?

Needs to: Offer plenty of space for all my photography gear, provide a comfortable ride on long journeys and have a raft of equipment and modern safety tech

Mileage 3664 List price £26,795 Target Price £26,198 Price as tested £27,595 Test economy 51.9mpg  

29 August 2019 – A Brucey Bonus

A lot of modern technology is included on the Mazda 6, even on my entry-level model. Front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control and smartphone mirroring are all featured as standard. But one thing that’s also featured as standard, surprisingly, is an old-school CD player, which is built in on all trim levels. 

I’ve always been a bit more disc than download, instead sticking to the DAB radio that’s more often included in modern cars, rather than syncing to my phone. But having the CD player is a bonus; in fact, I’ve been able to listen to the Bruce Springsteen autobiography audiobook that I received for Christmas a couple of years ago.

I’ll be making solid use of the CD player with the story’s 16 CDs during my regular 70mph motorway trips. Given that the audiobook is more than 18 hours long in total, I still wouldn't be finished even after a round trip from London to Aberdeen and back. 

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