2008 Mazda 6 Review
2008 Mazda 6 Review
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Used 6 for sale
Appraise This CarMazda 6 model years
Mazda 6 types
- Hatchback
- Sedan
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Fun to drive, smooth power delivery, attractive design inside and out, availability of versatile hatchback body style.
Cons
- Engines are less powerful and fuel efficient than competitors, tight rear seat accommodations, stability control not available.
What’s new
The Mazda 6 is mostly unchanged for 2008. The Sport Wagon model has been discontinued, leaving only two body styles, and the Touring and Grand Touring can now only be equipped with the six-speed automatic. Minor feature adjustments, such as larger wheels for the Sport trim and a standard Bose audio system for the Touring, round out the changes.
Edmunds says
In its twilight hours, the 2008 Mazda 6 midsize sedan still offers a choice of body styles and an extra shot of driving excitement to a segment typically known for blandness. However, newer rivals have upped the fun factor, while providing more space, more power and more miles per gallon.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2008 Mazda 6 i Sport 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $5.35 per gallon for regular unleaded in California.
Monthly estimates based on costs in California
$272/mo for 6 i Sport
6 i Sport
vs
$251/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Vehicle overview
Since it debuted five years ago, the Mazda 6 has been the sports car of the midsize sedan segment. Taught, communicative steering and a poised chassis are hallmarks of a car that begs to be driven with enthusiasm -- even if the destination is the local Wal-Mart. Its stylish design and driver-oriented cockpit exude a visual excitement that others in this staid segment shy away from for fear of turning off more conservative buyers. The 2008 Mazda 6 still happily boasts a sporty personality, yet provides plenty of family-friendly practicality.
For 2008, the 6 provides a little less of that practicality, however. The Sport Wagon has been killed off, the latest casualty in the American purge of the dreaded wagon species. Nevertheless, the unique "five-door" hatchback model remains. This body style is popular in Europe, but rare in America where even the slightest whiff of a hatchback makes consumers go "yuck." Still, the hatchback maintains a very sedanlike profile and to some eyes, its fastback profile is more attractive than the traditional four-door sedan. Plus, its 22 cubic feet of cargo space is the largest available in the family sedan market -- topping even the full-size Ford Taurus.
With so much versatility and driving fun, why not pick a 6? The four- and six-cylinder engines have never been particularly powerful in this class, and newer competitors have made these modest motors seem like Calista Flockhart duking it out on "American Gladiators." The Nissan Altima, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry all offer at least 270-horsepower V6 engines, while at the same time bettering the 212-hp Mazda's fuel economy. The base four-cylinder is pretty much the same story, although the power gap isn't as significant. In this era of gas mileage awareness, less power and higher consumption is a tough sell.
An all-new Mazda 6 will debut next year that will hopefully address the power, fuel economy and rear seat space issues. In the meantime, though, if you can look past the current model's downsides, the 2008 Mazda 6 is still an attractive choice. If buying something other than the Camry-Accord-Altima status quo is appealing, then the 6 should definitely be considered -- especially if a "fun to drive" demeanor is a top priority.
Performance & mpg
All 2008 Mazda 6 models are front-wheel drive. Standard on the i model is a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 156 hp and 154 pound-feet of torque. The s model upgrades to a 3.0-liter V6 that makes 212 hp and 197 lb-ft. The Sport trim level comes only with a five-speed manual, while the Sport Value Edition offers a five-speed automatic. The Touring and Grand Touring trims are only available with a six-speed automatic. The Mazda 6 s will run to 60 mph in about 8 seconds flat, which is respectable, but at least a second off the pace of the segment speedsters.
Revised 2008 fuel economy figures for the four-cylinder i model are 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway with the automatic transmission. The six-cylinder s model rates 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway with the automatic. The Sport trim's manual transmission has a negligible effect on fuel mileage.
Safety
All Mazda 6 models come with antilock disc brakes, traction control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Stability control is not available. In government crash tests, the 6 scored a perfect five stars in frontal impact testing and four stars in side impact testing. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal-offset crash testing, the Mazda earned the top rating of "Good."
Driving
Like most other Mazdas, the 6 is a thrill behind the wheel and is the sports car of its class. Neither engine is exceptionally powerful, especially off the line, though the V6's smooth, quiet power delivery offsets this. The four-cylinder is also smooth, but it gets a little noisy at higher rpm. Communicative steering goes a long way toward making the 6 fun to drive, whether it's on the highway or from corner to corner on back roads. The well-sorted suspension achieves a superb balance between comfortable ride quality and athletic handling.
Interior
Inside, the 2008 Mazda 6 has a clean and contemporary design, with solid build quality and easy-to-operate controls. Most materials are attractive, but they're a step below in quality compared to what's found in the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. The front seats are supportive, but rear hiproom and shoulder room are tight. The sedan has a 15.2-cubic-foot trunk capacity, while the hatchback boasts a very impressive 22-cubic-foot cargo hold that expands to 59 cubes with the rear seat folded down.
2008 Mazda 6 models
The 2008 Mazda 6 is a midsize car available as a four-door sedan and a "five-door" sedan with a hatchback. Both are available in "i" and "s" versions, which denote the four- and six-cylinder engines respectively. The versions are further broken down into Sport (four-door only), Sport Value Edition, Touring and Grand Touring. The Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, full power accessories, air-conditioning, cruise control, a tilt-telescoping steering wheel and a six-speaker stereo with a CD player.
The Sport Value Edition adds an eight-way power driver seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and an in-dash six-CD changer. The Touring adds heated mirrors, leather upholstery, heated front seats and a seven-speaker Bose stereo. The Grand Touring adds xenon headlights, foglamps, a sunroof, electroluminescent gauges, automatic climate control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The s Grand Touring model differs by including 18-inch wheels.
The only factory options are a sunroof on the Sport Value Edition and Touring, and a navigation system on the Grand Touring. Satellite radio is a dealer-installed option on all Mazda 6 models.
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4 out of 5 stars4/5Above Average
#16 out of 28 among Midsize Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Mazda 6 from 2008-2022.$430/yr
vs. $415/yr
for Average Midsize Car
for Average Midsize Car
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).1.11x/yr
vs. 0.87x/yr
for Average Midsize Car
for Average Midsize Car
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).9.1%
vs. 10.2%
for Average Midsize Car
for Average Midsize Car
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2008 Mazda 6.
5 star(67%)
4 star(28%)
3 star(3%)
2 star(2%)
1 star(0%)
61 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.88 out of 5 stars
Second new Mazda, love them.
Alan McGuiness, 03/12/2015
2008 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl 5A)
Traded in my 2004 with 111K on it for a new 2008 Mazda 6I, all the bells and whistles, leather heated seats and interior, CD player with awesome Bose speakers, sunroof, heated mirrors, compass in autodimming mirror, etc. Owned this one for 7 years, just spent my first out-of-pocket on a replacement headlight bulb. Absolutely no other issues or complaints, and I push my vehicles hard. … This one did 135 MPH in Death Valley a couple of years back, and the radio plays louder the faster you go!! Armorall the entire leather interior annually, holding up perfectly.
4 out of 5 stars
2008 mazda 9 yrs later
Chris L., 04/05/2017
2008 Mazda 6 i Sport 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl 5M)
I bought this 2008 mazda6 in 2016 from an elderly family member. When I bought it it only had 23,000 miles on it. In the last year I've added about 15,000 miles.. So far so good. I've done body work, (obviously no fault of mazda) , however the car did sit for a few years so it did need brakes and tires right away. Also because it sat I chose to change the Trans fluid. Since I've had it … it has had 2 open recalls which were done and mazda was very quick and courteous. The car is a lot of fun to drive and technology is great for its time. Being I do own a newer subaru I feel the car is a bit outdated but again for its time I feel it is upto par. Also it should be noted that I do take the car from NJ to Boston frequently ( approx a 4 hr trip) and it is nothing but reliable and fun. My only 2 complaints are, I feel the steering could be a bit tighter and Im getting a creeking noise from the rear end when the car is coming from a cold start and is put in gear but goes away within minutes. In my opinion the car is a great value, the man I bought it from owned 3 stemming back to the old 626. I would definitely recommend the car.
4.38 out of 5 stars
Impressed
Matt, 07/27/2010
2008 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl 5A)
OK, first I need to provide a little background on my previous vehicles; my last 6 vehicles have all been V8s, they have also all been GMs. That being said, a 4 cyl. motor is going to feel down on TQ and HP, no matter who builds it. And, I was fully prepared for that before I bought the 6. I love this car, period. I am a sales rep and I drive a lot for work. I wanted a taut, well … mannered car that had a sporty feel and was good on gas. The 6 fits the bill. I bought my '08 used with only 8300 miles. For the price this car can't be beat. Long road trips are a breeze. I can drive 250+ miles nonstop, and get out feeling very little signs of discomfort or fatigue. I am 6'3".
3.25 out of 5 stars
Not what I thought a Mazda would be
christy22, 05/24/2013
2008 Mazda 6 i Touring 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl 5A)
I bought my 2008 Mazda 6 with 36,000 miles on it.
Right away, I had A/C issues.
With 90,000 miles on it, I had to have the transmission rebuilt and change out the valve body.
As I now understand it (reading consumer reviews on the issues of this car), the valve bodies are made overseas and built with a poor grade metal so these cars have transmission issues.
I finally sold the car 1 … month ago having rebuilt the transmission and fixed the A/C 3 times.
I had only heard good things about Mazda's, but I won't buy another one.
2008 6 Highlights
Hatchback
i Sport Value Edition
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $20,750 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 24 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $272/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 22.1 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the 6 include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover5 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalPoor
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintPoor
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