Journal-News

If the 2009 Mazda6 was a woman, it'd slap me. I ogle it just a little too long. Take a look at this car. (Go ahead, it's OK to look.) It's astounding.

Cosmetically, Mazda underwent a nip/tuck worthy of Beverly Hills' finest. Engineers and designers stretched the body 6.9 inches, widened it 2.3 inches and lengthened its wheelbase 4.5 inches. The result: more space inside (a 6 percent increase in total volume), a bigger trunk (16.6 cubic feet) and a smoother ride. See, it is possible to make a car larger without impacting its performance.

The first-generation Mazda6 may have been a little cramped, but now, space-wise, it's on par with the big boys such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Chevrolet Malibu.

While the midsize sedan segment — with more than 2 million vehicles sold annually — has become home to function trumping form, Mazda bucks the trend. The Japanese-based carmaker took a great platform and improved it (now the Mazda6+ platform), and then made everything else that goes on it better. A new exterior, a new interior and new powertrains — now that's the way to redesign a car. Then give it a starting price under $20,000 and you've got a winner.

The new look starts with the front end. It's aggressive without going over the top. The curvy grille with a single line moving across it and a matching line marks the intake below the body-colored bumper.

Redesign starts with engines

At the heart of the Mazda6 are new engines. The base models come with a new 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine. It pushes 170 horsepower and is mated to a standard 6-speed manual transmission (a 5-speed automatic is available). That's plenty of power to pull the 3,200-pound sedan. The aero-friendly design also helps the Mazda6's 4-cylinder reach 30 mpg/highway (with the automatic transmission) and 21 mpg/city, placing its mileage just below the top selling midsize sedans.

Then there's the optional 3.7-liter V-6, which packs 272 hp and 269 lbs.-ft. of torque to give the Mazda6 true vroom-vroom. Mazda has a knack for calibrating its accelerators for that linear — straight line — performance. There is no pause, no hesitation — just push the pedal and speed up. It's performance simplicity at its best and one of the elements that keeps the sport in this sedan.

There are lots of other well-tuned attributes to this car. The rack-and-pinion steering feels perfectly weighted on fast twisty roads or the highway — a combination not all cars can offer. The independent front and rear suspension lets you cut corners sharply while safely keeping the car's body well planted on the road.

Best upgrades found inside

The Mazda6's interior marks some of the car's best improvements. First is the space. By stretching the wheelbase, Mazda was able to make the cabin more spacious. The front row offers 42.5 inches of legroom — more than the Malibu and the Camry. The second row has 38 inches, which beats out the Malibu and Accord.

However, the beautiful sloping roof takes away head room in the second row, making the competition feel larger in the back.

The redesigned dash, black-faced instrument panel and metallic trim give the Mazda6 a machined look, an instrument for speed. Cubbies in the center console provide space to hold your phone and music player. Overall, the layout is clean and exact with easy-to-reach switches.

And driving is what you want to do with this car

It will handle the daily driver duties with ease. But on the weekend, it will let you carve up country roads. Most of all, whether sitting inside or walking up to it in a parking lot, the Mazda6 will bring a smile to your face.

Just try not to ogle too much.

Scott Burgess is the auto critic for The Detroit News. He can be reached at (313) 223-3217 or sburgessdetnews.com.