The market for mid-sized sedans is so competitive that it has been hard for good products like the Mazda6 to find the sales success of the segment leading Accord and Camry. For the second generation Mazda6, Mazda has wrapped aggressive styling around a much larger car in an attempt to stand out. The wagon and 5-door hatchback are gone. Shoppers who appreciated the sharp styling of the CX-9 will find the new Mazda6 appealing. Mazda offers three trim levels: Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. Each model is available with either a 2.5L four cylinder or 3.7L V6. With pricing ranging from the low twenties to just over $30,000, the Mazda6 is priced competitively with others in the segment.

The 2011 model sees a number of changes to interior trim pieces and material finishes. Exterior changes include new headlights, foglights, side mirrors and wheels. Interior changes include new seat cloth, new armrests, and a new steering wheel. The manual transmission is now only offered on the base S model.