Centennial Mazda touts 2014 Mazda6

Centennial Mazda recently received the new 2014 Mazda6 and is now previewing the vehicle at its showroom, 6525 Centennial Center Blvd.

“The vehicle is catching the eyes of our customers,” General Manager Alex Estay said.

Estay said the midsize sedan is expected to be a larger seller for the automaker and Centennial’s sales team is seeing a lot of interest in the Mazda6, which is part of the competitive passenger-car segment.

“The 2014 6 is a dynamic vehicle,” Estay said. “Its bold design makes a strong statement.

“It’s not too big, not too small, but just right, with seating for five passengers. It’s more practical than a sports car but not overly bulky when compared to large SUVs. Pricing is well within the value-minded reach of the majority of the car-buying public and it’s fuel efficient as well. This is a perfect vehicle.”

At 3,300 pounds, it is a lighter vehicle than its predecessor; the previous Mazda6 came in at 3,600 pounds, depending on the trim level.

The car’s standard engine is 2.5-liter, double overhead camshaft direct-injected, 16-valve aluminum four cylinder and is the only engine available now. A 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel will be available later this year.

Besides the engine, this year’s new feature is a six-speed automatic transmission.

The entry-level sport trim model comes equipped with a SkyActiv-MT manual transmission as standard and offers an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated fuel economy rating of 25 miles per gallon city/37 mpg highway/29 combined mpg. When compared with the previous-generation Mazda6 Sport with a six-speed manual, the 2014 Mazda6 Sport sees a 19 percent mpg increase in the city and 23 percent mpg increase on the highway.

When paired with the optional SkyActiv-D automatic, city mileage increases by nearly 24 percent to 26 mpg and highway figures increase by nearly 27 percent to 38 mpg. The EPA-rated combined fuel economy is 30 mpg. Touring and Grand Touring models feature the SkyActiv-D transmission as standard equipment.

Centennial Mazda offers a selection of new and used Mazdas, including the Mazda3, Mazda6 and MX5 and offers factory-authorized service.