The Mazda6 comes in a sporty 5-Door hatchback style, in addition to the more traditional four-door sedan. The 5-Door excels at carrying cargo, yet it doesn't look like a hatchback; in fact, it takes a sharp eye to distinguish it from the sedan.

All 2008 Mazdas come with a roadside assistance program, toll-free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year throughout the United States and Canada. A comprehensive three-year/36,000-mile warranty covers all but routine-wear items. Additionally, 2008 models receive a five-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty and a five-year/unlimited-mileage corrosion warranty.

The Mazda6 is among the sportiest of the midsize sedans. Visually, it has more personality than the Accord and other family cars. It has a strong front-end treatment that's consistent with other Mazdas. Cat's-eye headlamps and big, multi-element tail lamps enhance the action at each corner of the car.

The Mazda6 benefits from a kind of muscular conservatism inside and out. Everything in, on and under this car makes sense, and it all looks good doing it. The relationship of the lower body to the upper body looks perfect, yet the roof shape is designed for people, not for style. Its sporty profile makes the Mazda6 look smaller than it is.

The shape of the Mazda6 is truly fetching when painted a hot color. The basic Sport sedan is handsome, and its dual oval exhaust outlets are a nice, sporty touch. The outside door handles are well designed and easy to grab. Sport VE and higher models are accented by a body-color front grille, front and rear air dams, side sill extensions and, on Grand Touring models, clear-lens fog lamps.

The hatchback features an extended rear roof pillar that slopes back into a raised deck lid. As Mazda says, it looks fast even when standing still; and yet casual observers may not notice the difference between the 5-Door and the sedan. Overall length and height dimensions are identical for the two bodies, although the hatchback weighs about 100 pounds more.

Of the two body styles, the sedan offers the stiffer structure. A stiff chassis is a key element to achieving sharp handling and a smooth ride.