The volume D-segment is dangerous territory to occupy. The appetite for saloon models outside of the premium segment has diminished as customers look at crossovers and downsize to spacious hatchbacks.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the upper-medium saloon segment has experienced the most decline over the 10 years since 2003, going from a market share of 18.6% to just 9%. There have been casualties, with Mazda brand rivals such as Seat dropping the Exeo from the UK.

However, the Mazda6 has always been a sound alternative choice in a declining market, standing out from the obvious choices of the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia.

Estate versions of saloons usually struggle to keep their good looks when they get stretched out, but the Mazda6 Tourer retains the saloon’s style.

The latest model is helping Mazda to recover from the recession, with its total registrations up by 16.7% as of October.

The estate version offers Mazda dealers the opportunity to upsell the practicalities of more space in the back for a £1,720 jump over the entry-level saloon model.

There’s not quite as much space in the Mazda6’s boot as there is in a Mondeo, but it’s a 20-litre increase over the saloon version. It has swallowed weekly trips to the shops with ease, but we will no doubt test the Tourer’s load-lugging capabilities further during the inevitable road trips around the Christmas period.

There has been a little niggle in the early stages of ownership, with a worrying build-up of condensation on the inside of the windscreen when returning in the morning after parking it overnight. This meant having to wait a while for the air-con to dry off the excess water build-up before being able to drive.

This problem will likely become more annoying as the temperature drops further and the excess water turns to ice. It’s a slightly worrying indicator towards build quality and it is something which we will monitor and have to get our local dealer to look at.

 

What’s been said about the Mazda6 Tourer

Car buyer
The Mazda6 Tourer is a smartly styled, well-made and user-friendly estate that’s roomy, practical and cheap to run.

Auto Express
There’s a decent list of standard equipment, while the 6 Tourer’s 2.2-litre diesel delivers efficiency without sacrificing performance. It’s not the most spacious estate in the class, but you’ll soon forget that when you take the Mazda on a twisty B-road.