The car that set Mazda on the road to recovery has been facelifted. The external changes to the 6 aren't easily detectable which is probably a tribute to the styling durability of the original package.
Modifications to the interior are more evident with new surface materials and softer upholstery, showing that a model range which isn't luxury or even premium, can deliver a high quality look and feel.
Of course, the face-lifting has also much to do with the arrival of newer competitors, most notably the Volkswagen Passat which is being hailed as smart and classy.
The Mazda6 driver, stepping from old to new models, will notice that the centre instrument panel has a new dark titanium surface instead of silver metallic, highlighted with black piano audio knobs and switches. Most interior door handles are horizontal: he or she will find that on the 6 they are now vertical, both front and rear.
The revised line-up gets an all-new Mazda-produced 5-speed automatic gearbox and an all-new 6-speed manual which won't be available on the entry-level 1.8 118 bhp version that accounts for the bulk of Irish sales. Engines have been modestly reworked, while modified damper settings are said to provide greater road composure.
Mazda claims that the 6's precise and accurate driving style has been enhanced - and there's a discernible reduction in road and engine noise. The engine range extends to a 2.3 4-cylinder, but the flagship model will be the 256bhp turbocharged MPS that's set to beef up the 6 image further. It will be coming to European markets shortly.
The freshened-up 6 goes on Irish sale almost immediately with only a tiny price increase - about €190 for the saloon and €100 for the hatchback. The outgoing entry-level 1.8-litre Comfort saloon retailed here at €25,140, just a little less than the new entry-level Passat with a 1.6-litre FSI engine and a similar (115)bhp output.
Sales of the 6 globally are over 800,000, achieved in just over three years. European sales accounted for 250,000 of that figure. On the Irish market, almost 6,000 have been registered since launch.