Geneva Motor Show 2018: Mazda 6 wagon facelift

Following in the footsteps of the sedan version revealed at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, the updated 2018 Mazda 6 wagon has been revealed at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show ahead of a mid year Australian debut. The Mazda 6 is one of our favourite mid-size cars, and this update appears to have taken its premium feel even further upmarket to compete with competitors such as the Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat and new Holden Commodore.

Sporting a new look, some interior changes and revised drivetrains, the 2018 Mazda 6 wagon pushes forward with Mazda’s plans for a more premium range of cars. The updated Mazda 6 wagon and sedan will launch in Australia half way through 2018.

The exterior of the updated 2018 Mazda 6 wagon has been lightly updated, though with less changes than its sedan sibling. The front end is the main change, with a larger grille now taking centre stage of the car’s design. Revised headlights also feature, with more aggressive graphics now featuring. The car’s alloy wheel designs have also changed in both 17- and 19-inch size formats, whilst the rear bumper has also changed. Unlike the sedan however, the wagon’s tailights remain identical.

There are a number of detail changes with the 2018 Mazda 6 wagon’s exterior however. The front foglamps have been relocated from the front bumper to inside the headlights for a cleaner, more aerodynamic look. The front indicators are now LED like the CX-9, and the grille material is now made of a mesh material.

Whereas the 2018 Mazda 6 wagon’s exterior revisions aren’t major, the interior has once again received a significant update with notably more upmarket materials used everywhere in the cabin. A new dashboard appears more minimalist than before, whilst a strip of suede with stitching adds a further soft touch point in the cabin. Revised air conditioning controls appear much more premium than before and are sure to plorierate through the Mazda range at some point.

Newly available equipment to the 2018 Mazda 6 includes ventilated front seats, as well as a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen with Mazda’s MZD Connect infotainment system, a 360-degree parking camera, newly-digital portions of the instrument dials – which could show Mazda’s intention for digital dials for the future – as well as even more active safety equipment including a system called Intelligent Speed Assist. This system helps the car not exceed the speed limit by applying the brakes if the driver inadvertently exceeds it. The car’s adaptive LED headlights have also had their performance increased, with an 80 metre increase in available headlight range.

Mechanically, the 2018 Mazda 6 wagon will feature a range of four-cylinder engines. Its sedan sibling has earned the 170kW/420Nm 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine from the CX-9 SUV, though it’s not confirmed if the wagon will also receive the same engine – we’re really, really hoping that it does. Otherwise, the updated Mazda 6 will receive the same 2.5-litre petrol and 2.2-litre turbo diesel units as the current car, albeit revised.

The petrol offering has had its outputs increased to 143kW/258Nm (up from 138kW/250Nm) whilst a new cylinder deactivation system helps fuel economy. The diesel powerplant has also had its outputs healthily increased to 135kW/445Nm (up from 129kW/420Nm), yet thanks to new technology such as a selective catalytic reductions (SGR) system, NOx emissions and fuel economy have improved. Australian numbers for both will be confirmed closer to the car’s launch.

The car’s chassis has also undergone revisions to make it ride better thanks to revised dampers and for a quieter driving experience both in engine and road noise reduction with thicker seals and more sound insulation.