The second-best selling medium car in Australia, Mazda6, is now available with advanced safety technologies across the entire range.
Dubbed i-ACTIVESENSE, the safety suite of three diver aids (blind spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert and auto city braking) is now offered on all models as part of a Safety Pack. It's priced at $1490 on entry and mid-spec models, and slightly less for the upper echelons.
Already available on the Mazda3, smart city brake support (SCBS) is new to the Mazda6 and can automatically brake the car if it detects an imminent collision at speeds under 30km/h.
The optional Safety Pack also adds a blind-spot monitoring system, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and rear cross-traffic alert. The latter warns the driver of approaching vehicles that may be out of view while reversing.
Previously some of the advanced safety systems weren't offered on the entry-level Mazda6 Sport and Touring models, and can be had for $1490 as part of the Safety Pack.
On the mid-spec GT models it’s priced at $1290, while the top-end Atenza's price has risen by $400 now that SCBS is included.
Along with the safety option/upgrade, Mazda has made a couple of other minor tweaks to its strong-selling medium car, which is only beaten on sales by the fleet-friendly Toyota Camry. A new colour, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, replaces Stormy Blue Mica, and models fitted with the Safety Pack get more boot space via the adoption of a space-saver spare tyre.
The removal of the full-sized spare tyre liberates an extra 45 litres in the sedan and 55 litres in the wagon, taking cargo capacity to 483 and 506 litres respectively.
Sales of the Mazda6 have dropped in the first three months of 2014,
despite cementing its place as the second-best-selling medium car. Sales
of 1698 were down almost 14 per cent on last year's performance of 1971
for the same period. The Camry was the best-seller in the segment,
managing 4983 sales thus far in 2014, up from 3932 the year prior,
representing an increase of 26.7%.
Mazda says the new Safety Pack will start arriving on new Mazda6 vehicles in the coming months.
Mazda6 pricing (not including on-road costs)
Sedan
2.5L petrol Sport with Safety Pack $34,950
2.5L petrol Touring with Safety Pack $38,990
2.5L petrol GT with Safety Pack $44,510
2.5L petrol Atenza $47,210
2.2L diesel Touring with Safety Pack $41,840
2.2L diesel GT with Safety Pack $47,360
2.2L diesel Atenza $50,060
Wagon
2.5L petrol Sport with Safety Pack $36,250
2.5L petrol Touring with Safety Pack $40,290
2.5L petrol GT with Safety Pack $45,810
2.5L petrol Atenza $48,510
2.2L diesel Touring with Safety Pack $43,140
2.2L diesel GT with Safety Pack $48,660
2.2L diesel Atenza $51,360