| First Drive | Inverness, Scotland | 2010 Mazda6 |

Mazda has focused on improving economy and emissions with its revised 6, though there are some minor styling tweaks too. With these revisions, how does one of our favourite family cars stack up?

In the Metal

Mazda didn't really have to bother much with the exterior restyle of the 6 - this has been one of the best looking cars in the family class since the moment it arrived. So, the changes to the facelifted model are small and include sliver-backed bezels for the headlamps, reshaped rear lights and some new alloy wheel designs. On the inside, there are chrome rings around the main instruments and controls, piano black facia panels and soft-touch padded coverings for most of the dash. In short, the Mazda6 is even more classy than it was before, while build quality is still sky high.

Comfort is a given in the 6 and it offers plenty of space for those in the front or rear. The hatch has one of the largest boots in this family sector and the estate is every bit as useful as before with its huge cargo bay. There are handy levers in the side of the estate's boot walls to drop the 60/40 split-and-tip rear seats flat for ultimate load capacity.

What you get for your Money

Mazda is more concerned about saving owners some money, so most models in the revised 6 range have better fuel economy, improved emissions or both. The 1.8-, 2.0-and 2.5-litre petrol engines now offer reduced emissions. For the least powerful 2.2-litre turbodiesel, power goes up to 127bhp while economy improves to 54.3mpg and emissions drop to 138g/km. The 161bhp 2.2 turbodiesel keeps the same power output as before, but 52.3mpg and 142g/km are welcome improvements to its consumption and emissions.

The most heavily revised engine in the range is the 177bhp 2.2 turbodiesel, which now shares the same 52.3mpg economy and 142g/km emissions as its less powerful sister engine. Mazda has achieved this by fitting a smaller turbocharger that sacrifices some top end power, dropping from the old motor's 182- to 177bhp, but gaining greater flexibility and 295lb.ft of torque is pretty useful in anyone's book.

Mazda continues to offer the 6 with generous levels of standard equipment across the range. The entry point S model has air conditioning, a CD stereo, electric windows, alloy wheels, ESP, six airbags and all models now come with emergency stop signals that flash the hazard lights when the driver really stands on the brake pedal. All models also now come with smart turn indicators to make use of the signals if the driver forgets to. The TS models gain a rear spoiler, while the TS2 now has hill hold assist and parking sensors front and rear. The top spec Sport now has active bi-Xenon headlights that help see further round corners. The Sport is the only model available with the most powerful 177bhp turbodiesel and 2.5-litre petrol engines.

Driving it

Mazda hasn't simply tweaked the engines for the revised 6. Its engineers have been busy refining what was already a superb family car. They've come up with changes to the electric power steering, revisions to the aerodynamics to better push air around the front wheels and upgrades to the front and rear suspension. It all adds up to a Mazda6 that drives with even more panache than it did before - and we were already big fans of this family machine.

Ride comfort is better than before, filtering out ruts and ridges with greater dexterity while still offering that trademark Mazda control to keep body float at bay. On any type of road, the 6 is composed and assured, and the revised steering gives superb confidence on back roads while remaining relaxed on the motorway and nimble in town. Refinement is also a degree better thanks to the improved aerodynamics, but a Ford Mondeo still has the edge for hush.

No matter, the Mazda6 comes back with its brilliant range of engines. The 1.8-litre petrol unit is still a little under-endowed and is only available in the hatchback model. Go for the more potent petrol engines and you won't be disappointed, but most 6 buyers opt for a diesel engine and this is where the Mazda is at its finest. Choose the 127bhp 2.2 turbodiesel engine and we wouldn't argue with the cost-performance analysis, but we would recommend going for the 161bhp diesel if your budget has enough stretch in it as this engine provides far greater oomph and satisfaction. This mid-ranking diesel is the best all-rounder, but again we wouldn't criticise anyone who picks the 177bhp 2.2-litre turbodiesel. It's a much improved unit over its predecessor thanks to a smaller turbocharger that slightly reduces power but does away with lag at any engine revs. All of the diesels come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, as do the two more potent petrol units. The 1.8 petrol uses a five-speed manual, while the 2.0-litre petrol can also be had with a five-speed automatic gearbox.

All of the diesel engines pick up cleanly and smoothly from low revs with no stutter, fuss or much in the way of diesel chunter. They push through the gears with authority, cruise in easy style and offer an instant hit of acceleration for overtaking to rank them alongside the best diesel engines in class.

Worth Noting

Among the many notable features of the revised Mazda6, we'll take the chance to come back to economy and emissions. In particular, we'll concentrate on the diesels as they now all offer more than 50mpg economy and emissions well below those of most rivals' figures. This is a prime consideration for a car where a large number of its sales come from company fleets. Mazda even introduced these engines and the revised 6 range a few weeks earlier to the UK to lessen the impact of the changes to the company car and road tax rates. That kind of action and the improvements Mazda has wrought deservedly keep the 6 right alongside the very best in the family car class.

Summary

You may have gathered that we're big fans of the Mazda6. It may not have supercar performance or exotic engines, but this is just the sort of superbly thought out family car that leaves a lasting impression. Mazda's sensible, informed revisions to the 6 range keep it right at the forefront of its class and slap, bang in our affections. Family cars don't get better.