mazda6 2.5l individual
Let me begin with my conclusion for this car. It’s good. Apart from the somewhat whiney engine, this is a very good car.
At just over R300 000, the Mazda6 is not too badly priced for the spec that one gets. Leather seats, sunroof, six-speed transmission, six-CD changer and multi-function steering wheel all come standard for that price. The 2.5-litre engine that gives the driver 126 kW of power and 228 Nm of torque isn’t too shabby either.
The interior is a nice place to be with all the creature comforts one would expect. The seats are comfortable, ergonomics are good, everything has a solid finish and the instrument cluster is pretty. Very nice, although I get the feeling that Mazda may just have been hedging their bets when they made this car. Everything is good, but not too good, nice, but not too nice, and pretty, but not too pretty. They tried to design this car to appeal to both sides of the fence; the enthusiast and the conservative. It hasn’t worked. They’ve just ended up sitting on the fence instead.
When it comes to exterior design, once again, the Mazda6 is a relatively neutral vehicle. There is nothing too outstanding on this car, neither for better nor for worse. That being said, Mazda have really stepped things up a notch of late as far as design is concerned; for instance, compare this with the Mazdas of old and you’re bound to be impressed by its looks. But don’t be fooled. Don’t compare this car with its own predecessors; compare it with its current rivals.
When I look at the BMW 3-Series, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4 I fail to be impressed by the Mazda6. It might be more visually stimulating than the Volkswagen Passat, but in my opinion that’s not really a challenge. Solid lines and curves don’t make it an ugly car; it’s just all fairly, once again, neutral. Maybe it would impress behind the wheel.
But no – somehow Mazda have managed to drag this theme of fence-sitting into the driving experience as well. Although the gearbox is nice, short and sharp, first gear is far too short, the engine whines, steering and throttle response are a bit numb and driving this car feels like, well, like driving. It’s a bit of a chore, and I’m a firm believer that driving should be a hobby and not just a means to an end.
While the Mazda6 is a good car, its neutrality is its downfall. Its looks do nothing bad for me, but they do nothing good either. The driving experience does nothing bad for me, but still does nothing good. The standard features are, once again, standard in class, even if the pricing is slightly better.
Now let me go back on what I said previously: This is not a good car. It is, however, a good tool. Too much like a tool to be desirable in fact, and therein lies the problem. The Mazda6 has no character, no soul. It’s a bit like a trusty power drill. Everyone has one, but who really yearns for one? No-one. The only time it comes into your mind is when you need to use it. A great tool no doubt, but there is no true desire for it.
Now, as I began with my conclusion, let me conclude with my beginning. This is a car I really wanted to be impressed by. But I just wasn’t. If you drive short distances, are a little grey man and want your day at the office to be more exciting than your trip there, then this is the car for you. If, however, you want to feel even remotely excited when you look at or drive your car, this most certainly is not the car for you. The Mazda6 is a trusty power drill.
porsche cayman s sport
What an appropriate first real post – my favourite brand of car – Porsche. (And that’s not Porsh, phonetically it’s Porsha, let’s end that debate right now). But yes, before I get sidetracked, back to my Porsche. Well, sadly not mine, but the limited edition Porsche Cayman S Sport that was in the hands of my boss for two days… My fantastic boss that let me take this baby for a spin!
What a piece of eye candy – the only thing that could tear me away from the car’s taut, muscular and just plain sexy exterior was the desire to get behind the wheel. And it’s a good thing I did. 1 of only 700 made, this limited edition needed to be something special, and how special it was…
Having been the first (and to date, only) Porsche I had ever driven, I was bound to be easily impressed. But quite honestly I maintain that I would have been impressed had I driven a hundred of the things.
The suede-clad interior is a fantastic place to be, although probably not that practical with driver’s palms being sweaty with the anticipation of what is to come. And yes, I talk from experience. But a car like this is not about practicality. If you want to take more than one set of golf clubs to show off to your buddies at the 19th hole, buy a Bentley. This car is about the experience.
Unfortunately the test vehicle I had swindled my way into was not bright orange as I had wished, but plain old Porsche silver. Still, not that I was complaining; the silver accentuated the body’s considerable curves just fine for my liking. And inside was just as nice a place to be. Nicer in fact, with all that power on lying dormant beneath my right foot. And with the engine finally in the middle where it belongs, sitting just about on top of that punchy boxer engine and hearing its growl was an experience to behold. And I hadn’t even turned the key yet.
Time to shine. The ignition button glows as I press it into the dash with my tingling fingers. I take it easy down the main road, still surprised at the thrust I get from the slightest twitch of my right ankle at each traffic light, as well as the braking capabilities. While powerful, the car still has less than 300 kW, but the communication through the pedals, steering and chassis certainly make it feel like more. After taking it easy for a while I hit the temptingly open highways, and before I know it the speedo needle jumps over 200. “This is phenomenal,” I think to myself before forcing myself to calm down. As vast a challenge as there ever was in this car…
It was a trade off really, drive fast or drive for longer? A choice I’d be happy to debate again. The round trip back to my office took no more than twenty minutes, far too short for my liking. But what a vehicle. Beautiful; outside and in, precision engineered, German to the tee – just the way I like it.
The Cayman S Sport is not a perfect car though. Impractical it may be, the sporty aspect of the vehicle is extremely impressive. But why is there a power button, shouldn’t that always be on? Especially when it’s a gimmick that adds 8 bhp, approximately 5 kW.
That being said, it is a miniscule criticism, but here comes quite a significant one: If I was to choose between this car and the regular Cayman S (with my own money, of course), there’s no way I could bring myself to buy the Cayman S Sport. Financially it’s just not worth it. The Cayman S Sport certainly is an impressive little mid-range sports car, but impressive enough to fork out significantly more for slightly more power and a 0-100 time 0,1 seconds quicker? I never thought I’d say this about any Porsche, but, not for me, thank you very much.
the first one
This is my first post, hopefully of many, although that does depend on how many cars I get to drive. Yes, I like cars. A lot. So expect a lot of car posts – in fact, only expect car posts. I know, this makes me entirely dull, but I do not deny this – I’m your typical, car-crazy, speed-loving petrolhead. That being said, I’ve never owned an Alfa, so am I really a petrolhead? Well, if I could, I would, so let’s just say yes, at least until I get my hands on a sexy, red Alfa Romeo 156 GTA.
Given my somewhat limited experience, I may not have had the chance to drive all the cars I write about, so cut me some slack. Either way, you’re certainly going to get my opinion on whatever cars I choose to write about here; new or old, hot or cold and driven by me or not.
So, here we go.
