Mazda 6 how big is medium?

[aussie muscle]

in latest Imotor Monthly, the new Mazda6 will be bigger and better. It's now only 36mm shorter than a commodore. Does this mean it's not a medium car anymore? going by it's dimensions, i think it's time they stopped classing it as a medium car and call it the large car that it is?

I think it's unfair that Falcon gets labelled a large car and the same sized Mazda is somehow a mid-sizer.????

iMotor Monthly
http://iselect.goauto.com.au/mellor/...nthly?readform

[Fiesta_Man69]

Camry - medium. Aurion - large. Same car, different engine, somehow makes a difference to their dimensions. Go figure.

Current Mazda 3 is almost same size as original VB Commodore, and that's a 'small' car....

[mik]

would`nt it be nice if the dimensions where listed on a universal one to ten scale to get a good idea of their true size, that includes interior dimensions, some of these cars don`t have much shoulder, hip, leg room, other cars have an abundance of room to sprawl out and relax, the description small, medium, large can be totally misleading in different cars.

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

in latest Imotor Monthly, the new Mazda6 will be bigger and better. It's now only 36mm shorter than a commodore. Does this mean it's not a medium car anymore? going by it's dimensions, i think it's time they stopped classing it as a medium car and call it the large car that it is?

I think it's unfair that Falcon gets labelled a large car and the same sized Mazda is somehow a mid-sizer.????

iMotor Monthly
http://iselect.goauto.com.au/mellor/...nthly?readform

I see your point but you left out that the new Mazda 6 is 59 mm narrower than the Holden commordore. By any measure that's still quite a bit. OTOH a Mondeo is wider than a Falcon so does that make the Mondeo a large car ?
Yeap its confusing...from what I've seen the new BMW 3 series looks far bigger than what its been in the past...the lines are getting blurred...

[tezxr8man]

the medium cars have been large cars for years now, yet falcon and commodore are getting slaughtered in sales because big cars aren't cool and chew too much juice
WHAT THE???

[Yellow_Festiva]

Every car now has gone up one segment in recent times.

My focus is a 'small car' but 15 years ago the Festiva was a small car.

Now 'sub compact / city' cars are things like the Fiesta, Yaris, Colt etc. Back then it was the Handi, Matiz, Mira and For Two etc.

I think they need to really put a standard in place to define what class a car falls in. The Camry / Aurion is a classic example of this.

Micro = under 3.6m (not really in OZ yet but very popular in Europe)
City / compact = 3.6 to 4m
Small = 4 to 4.4
Medium = 4.4 to 4.8m
Large = 4.8m+

Just my opinion ;)

[jpd80]

Small car segment is now basically occupied by vehicles half a whisker smaller than true mid sized cars

Mid Sized cars have now grown to almost the same size as large cars, combine those two segments
and there around 14% of the market, a smart manufacturer would be working out how to straddle
both markets wit one car....like Camry - Aurion or god forbid, Ecoboost Falcon - I-6 Falcon

[chevypower]

So the moral of the story... don't rely on somebody else to tell you how big it is. Take that how you will.

[39ClevoUte]

The other point that is often missed is the thickness of the doors. A mid car could have the interia of a early falcon but be 100mm narrower, Same with length, two cars may be nearly the same in size either actually or to look at, but the outside edge of the bumpers on one could be say 400mm from the engine and the other only 200mm.
I know which doors I'd rather be behind, it's the biggest difference I reckon.

[2011G6E]

Our daughter has a Mazda 6 diesel six speed manual...amazing car, goes like a cut snake, and uses less fuel than a motor scooter.

Inside it's not as big as our Falcon, so yes, I would call it a "medium" car. I don't even think our sons Aurion has quite as much room...not sure though.

[mike_nofx]

Originally Posted by tezxr8man

the medium cars have been large cars for years now, yet falcon and commodore are getting slaughtered in sales because big cars aren't cool and chew too much juice
WHAT THE???

Yes that's why Falcon and Commodore sales are falling, because of the category they are in. Ford should advertise the Falcon as a medium car and watch sales sky rocket.

Not sure why they class some large cars as medium, maybe because it's easier to get a 5 star crash rating in a smaller class?

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by 54Ghia

The other point that is often missed is the thickness of the doors. A mid car could have the interia of a early falcon but be 100mm narrower, Same with length, two cars may be nearly the same in size either actually or to look at, but the outside edge of the bumpers on one could be say 400mm from the engine and the other only 200mm.
I know which doors I'd rather be behind, it's the biggest difference I reckon.

Except that Falcon uses EUCD slim door technology from Mondeo/Fusion...
Crash testing pretty much validates safety across Mid size and large cars..

Perhaps people these days see less need for Falcon and Commodore's added interior width
and while large car sales have fallen, Mid Sized car have basically stabilized at 8% of the market.
And if that follows through, then perhaps the sub $30K starting price of Mid cars undercuts entry level big cars
by around $6,000 to $8,000, not an insignificant amount.....

[39ClevoUte]

Mazda doors look about 75mm, Falcon about 125mm. Just my opinion.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by 54Ghia

Mazda doors look about 75mm, Falcon about 125mm. Just my opinion.

The width of the door is no indication of strength, it's the internal intrusion panel that does the work..
and of course, the B-pillar in side crash situations...

[39ClevoUte]

Even if they both rated the same, strength wise, one has 2 inches further to travel before it gets you, plus the seats are wider and your further from the door, it all adds up to me, I'd rather be in a Falcon and not a Mazda.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by 54Ghia

Even if they both rated the same, strength wise, one has 2 inches further to travel before it gets you, plus the seats are wider and your further from the door, it all adds up to me, I'd rather be in a Falcon and not a Mazda.

The seats on the Falcon are positioned further outboard, give away is the width of the centre console.

Head strike on the top of the door frame is certain death in the pole test, unless the car is fitted with curtain airbags.
This is of far more consequence than the apparent air gap of a door body frame and its 1 mm panel steel

[39ClevoUte]

My brother has a Mazda 6 and it does not feel as solid or as safe as my wifes Falcon. You feel a lot closer to the outside and it feels and sounds a lot tinier (is that a word?).
So what is the truth???

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by 54Ghia

My brother has a Mazda 6 and it does not feel as solid or as safe as my wifes Falcon. You feel a lot closer to the outside and it feels and sounds a lot tinier (is that a word?).
So what is the truth???

Look from the rear and you'll see the biggest difference with mid Size and large cars is the side profile,
the tumblehome on doors and window frames curves in much faster than on the falcon.

Having driven a good selection of Camrys Mazdas, Mondeos and Falcons, I can attest to the tinnier feeling and
that alarmingly close window frame in mid sized cars, both of those signal Falcon as a more substantial vehicle but, equally
it also adds a lot of weight which on its own is not a bad thing but when combined with unreal expectations of
exceptional economy are hard to fathom. If Ford could use even more advanced High Strength alloys in places
like they do in Mondeo, Falcon Ecoboost could get even closer to Mondeo in weight, that would be interesting
in terms of a large car for Asia considering Ford has no immediate plans to build Mondeo in Ford Asia Pacific Africa.
A falcon that's much lighter and using more international parts bin has to be the way forward in the next few years...

[naddis01]

I diagree about feeling closer to the door in the Mazda 6. I quite often hit my head on the top of the door sitting in the BF but never in our Mazda 6. To me the top of the door (where my head would hit in a crash) is definately closer to me in the Falcon than in our Mazda 6.

I can't say it feels any tinnier than the Falcon. I guess it is just a matter of perception.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by 54Ghia

My brother has a Mazda 6 and it does not feel as solid or as safe as my wifes Falcon. You feel a lot closer to the outside and it feels and sounds a lot tinier (is that a word?).
So what is the truth???

FG Falcon is the safest car ever sold in Australia. Just ask Monash Uni. Amazingly good real world safety results.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by phillyc

FG Falcon is the safest car ever sold in Australia. Just ask Monash Uni. Amazingly good real world safety results.

The Mazda6 also scored quite high, actually the same rating as Falcon.

[RASER]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

in latest Imotor Monthly, the new Mazda6 will be bigger and better. It's now only 36mm shorter than a commodore. Does this mean it's not a medium car anymore? going by it's dimensions, i think it's time they stopped classing it as a medium car and call it the large car that it is?

I think it's unfair that Falcon gets labelled a large car and the same sized Mazda is somehow a mid-sizer.????

iMotor Monthly
http://iselect.goauto.com.au/mellor/...nthly?readform

Of course they are going to say its "better", the powertrain does semm to be.

BUT

The new Mazda family-look front is fugly
As u say its now huge in size [good for our American brothers!]
No hatch, which was a great thing

Lets wait and see it in the flesh

[RASER]

Originally Posted by phillyc

FG Falcon is the safest car ever sold in Australia. Just ask Monash Uni. Amazingly good real world safety results.

I think u mean "Aussie Made"

It would not touch a large S-Benz, 8-AUDI or 7-BMW in safety