2019 Mazda6 Sedan Diesel Technology & Safety Review

P2,250,000 may sound like a splurge for a Japanese midsize car, but the 2019 Mazda6 Sedan in diesel stands proudly with this price tag without blinking an eye. And it’s rightfully so, considering the plethora of tech and safety features that come with the car that could make the driver’s life easier.

But these features don’t come without quirks, so here’s a closer look.

What’s included: keyless entry, push-start ignition, adaptive LED headlights, power-adjustable front seats with cooling and memory function, automatic climate control, auto-dimming frameless rearview mirror, four cameras for a 360-degree view, remote trunk opener, USB charging ports (front and back), cruise control, electronic parking brake with brake hold, head up active display, auto up/down windows on all fours, auto start/stop, and the 8-inch floating infotainment system with offline navigation.

I’m pretty sure the list above is quite a mouthful to recite and I wish I’m lying that the Mazda6 Sedan has these on board. Each feature works as it’s supposed to, and I particularly love how seamless it is to move forward from the auto brake hold. It will also only engage if you press the brake pedal hard, allowing you to crawl through traffic if you prefer to.

What you won’t like: Display for the 360-degree view camera is low-res, Apple Carplay/Android Auto isn’t standard

These gripes may come as nitpicks, but I guess that happens when it’s hard to find fault in a car. The screen’s resolution for the 360-degree-view camera needs improvement. Because of this, there were some instances when the camera was rendered useless. Plus, if having Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is your thing, you will need to add P17,000 to have one installed.

Lastly, charging your gadgets while seated at the back of the Mazda6 is only possible if only two rear passengers are on board. The USB ports are situated on the foldable center armrest. Yes, that’s definitely a nitpick, and so is shutting down the i-Stop feature.

What’s included: 360-degree-view cameras, front and rear parking sensors, lane keep assist, blindspot monitors, ISOFIX child seat tethers, dynamic stability control, ABS with EBD, seatbelt reminder for the front occupants, and six airbags.

A handful of active and passive safety features is pretty much expected in a car of this price point, and Mazda didn’t fail to deliver in this regard. Of note, the Mazda6's blind spot monitor isn’t annoying plus the lane keep assist can be set to be intrusive or just a warning. Pretty cool if you don’t want the car steering itself for you.