IT'S good to have a car that feels solid – doors that clunk shut, and a dash free from irritating rattles. But the ‘big car’ feel can sometimes be taken a bit too far. These days even baby hatchbacks possess an air of opulence and with it often comes a densensitivity from the road and elements. Whereas, once a sporty saloon had varying degrees of athleticism, albeit accompanied by some rough edges and tininess, now that brittle edge has been traded in for the sort of cosseting insulation you’d expect to find in a Merc or the like. One marque that has ploughed its own furrow – and is all the better for it – is Mazda. The current breed of 6 hatchback is beautifully screwed down and feels as if it is hewn from rock, but the driver gets all the info from the road fed directly to his fingertips and there’s an immediacy about the performance. This quality is particularly evident in the 2.2D 180, a gutsy diesel that doubles up as family runabout with good economy and a credible sporting saloon. It maybe lacks some of the refinement of rivals but makes up for it in terms of driver involvement. Under that smoothly sloping bonnet is a four cylinder turbo diesel that punches out 177bhp delivering a pretty impressive all round performance. A 0-62 time of 8.7seconds is nippy enough but it’s the mid-range clout that really makes the difference. With plenty of power on tap, there’s little need to thread your way through the gears – merely point and squirt and the Mazda responds. Despite the strong acceleration and a tendency to push the Mazda because of its willing nature, the fuel consumption remains meagre. My average of 47mpg was remarkably close to the official combined statistic of 52.3mpg, so well done Mazda. Significantly the CO2 emissions and economy are no worse than the less powerful 161bhp version despite the performance gain. The springing is fairly stiff so there’s little body roll, encouraging fast cornering. Despite the firm damping, the ride is reasonably compliant and certainly causes the passengers no discomfort. With a large body, not much smaller than a new Mondeo, there’s ample space for passengers and their luggage – it will absorb no less than 510 litres of cargo with rear seats in place and more than 1,700 litres when they are folded flat. So far so good, then for the smart looking 6. But nothing’s perfect and the Mazda’s achillies heel has to be the cabin styling which reflects design a few years ago rather the current trend set by Ford, Audi and VW which use higher grade plastics and materials that are more tactile and friendly to the touch. Another minor grouse is that noise levels, not helped by intrusion transmitted by the tyres, are higher than expected. Not only is the 6 hatchback – price £23,665 – hugely likeable for its usable performance and thrifty economy but it is one of the most practical saloons on the market. Mazda6 2.2D 180 Sport Price: £23,665 Mechanical: 177bhp, 2.2litre diesel engine driving front wheels via 6sp manual gearbox 0-62mph: 8.7secs Max speed: 135mph Average mpg: 52.3 Insurance group: 16 CO2 emissions: 140g/km BiK rating: 21% Warranty: 3yrs/60kmls, 12yrs anti-rust, 3yrs paint | 
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