Next-gen Mazda6 may be RWD 4-door coupe with straight-6 mild-hybrid engines -- report

Will it be a go or a no? This has been the lingering question about the Mazda6's successor ever since Mazda Japan showcased its Vision Coupe Concept at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. 

The Mazda6 (and its predecessor, the 626) have traditionally been midsize, front-wheel-drive sedans with class-leading handling.

But the next iteration of the long-running nameplate may ride on the same rear-wheel-drive (RWD) platform as the Mazda CX-60 and Mazda CX-90 luxury crossovers, according to a report by Japanese publication Best Car.

Rumors of a RWD Mazda6 have been going around since 2020, with Mazda officials at the time saying that the company did not have any imminent plans to produce one.

But Best Car reported that there has been a change of heart because of the success of the CX-60 and CX-90.

Dedicated RWD platform

The two large crossovers ride on Mazda’s “Large Product Group” platform, which is designed to take on European RWD models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

As such, the five-seater CX-60 and the seven-seater CX-90 get rear-biased all-wheel-drive systems and turbocharged 3.3-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve straight-6 powerplants with mild-hybrid technology.

The gasoline motor produces 284 PS and 450 Nm in the CX-60, while the heavier CX-90 gets a power bump to 345 PS and 500 Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, the turbodiesel unit for both models pumps out 254 PS and 550 Nm of torque. There’s also a plug-in hybrid version of the CX-90 that uses a 2.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine that produces 327 PS and 500 Nm of torque.

All models are available with an 8-speed automatic transmission that replaces the torque converter with an electric motor.

4-door coupe?

Best Car reported that the next Mazda6 may be a four-door coupe that serves as a “culmination of the Kodo design” instead of a completely new design language.

As such, it may use cues from the 2017 Mazda Vision Coupe Concept – which has four doors and takes the Mazda “Kodo” styling to sleek, swooping, and rather extreme levels.

In terms of interior materials, we’re guessing that a more luxurious Mazda6 will follow the leads of the CX-60 and CX-90 with things like soft Nappa leather, graphite panels and quilted Leganu suede inserts.

Would you pick a rear-wheel-drive Mazda6 over a BMW 5 Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

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