The rear seats are quite comfortable, whether sedan, hatchback or wagon. There's more than 96 cubic feet of useable space inside the Mazda6 sedan, according to the EPA measuring system, and that translates to plenty of room for four, or five in a pinch.
There are half-liter cupholders in the doors and in both front and rear center consoles, and lots of other open and covered storage. The seat pockets and door pockets are huge. Our only complaint is that the interior door handles lacked heft.
The interior design is complemented by carbon fiber, titanium and body-color finishes. The optional electroluminescent gauges are illuminated in red light, but are conventional white-on-black during the day, with nice, large and pleasing graphics. Switchgear is labeled equally well, legible during the day and illuminated in red at night.
The sedan's trunk is a good size at more than 15.2 cubic feet, and the trunk lid is designed with hinges that do not impinge in any way on the storage space. The compact, lateral-link rear suspension allows for a perfectly flat trunk floor. The standard 60/40 split rear seat folds to expand luggage space. The release levers are in the trunk, a plus for security and convenience, and the seats themselves are spring-loaded so they fold instantly with just one pull of the release.
The rear liftgate of the hatchback opens to reveal a covered cargo compartment with 22.0 cubic feet of space, nearly 50 percent more than that of the sedan. Cargo space more than doubles to 58.7 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded. As in the sedan, the 60/40 split seats fold with the touch of a button, and there is no need to remove the head rests for a near-flat cargo floor. Cargo tie-downs and two hidden compartments in the side panels add to the hatchback's versatility.
The rear compartment of the wagon provides 33.7 cubic feet of luggage space with the rear seats up and a generous 60.4 cubic feet with them folded. Adding greatly to its utility are a retractable cargo cover shade and a barrier-type net, or dog fence, that emerges from the floor and attaches to the interior roof. Tie-downs are provided.
