I test drove one mostly because a family member is interested and wanted me to come. I drove it because I wanted to experience the difference in power between the 2.5 in the new 6 and the 2.0 I have in my CX5. I have to say the difference in power is much less than I expected, but it is only 30 horsepower. The 2.5 does have a noticeable difference in power mostly when pushed but its not a big difference, especially in the lower RPM range. It can feel flat footed in the lower rev range just like my CX5. Now it could have been because the car I was driving had 13 miles on it and mine has 11,000 miles so mine is broken in and the 2.5 I drove isn't or maybe it was because I had three passengers in the car. I believe the new 6 has a weight advantage too.
The New 6 is a real nice looking car but the interior feels cramped and somewhat claustrophobic. The roof line is real low and my head was only about an inch or two below it in the front and almost against it in the rear; I am 6'-3" tall. The cabin is quieter than my CX5 but the ride is stiff. The GT had the 19" wheels so I'm sure this contributed to that. I couldn't really take it on any twisty roads but from what I could tell the handling is very secure and sporty and the limits have to be much higher than the CX5 just because of the lower center of gravity. The steering and brakes felt identical to my CX5 with maybe the steering feeling a little more responsive in the CX5; maybe this is because the 6 is so much longer than the CX5. Given the price point I don't see this car dethroning the Honda Accord or and Toyota Camry but being a very good looking great handling niche car. The Camry and Accord are functionally better all around family sedans in my opinion and Honda power trains are hard to beat. Good luck trying to get a deal on one right now too. They already have a waiting list for them and there are no incentives (not surprisingly) for them unless you want a 2012.
Some other things I noticed was when started the Skyactive 2.5 sounds just like my 2.0. The front hood flutters a little in the same spot as my CX5. The interiors look very similar with similar materials (good thing). The leather interior is very nice. This car cost over 30k and I can get a comparably equipped 4 cylinder Honda for less.
The New 6 is a real nice looking car but the interior feels cramped and somewhat claustrophobic. The roof line is real low and my head was only about an inch or two below it in the front and almost against it in the rear; I am 6'-3" tall. The cabin is quieter than my CX5 but the ride is stiff. The GT had the 19" wheels so I'm sure this contributed to that. I couldn't really take it on any twisty roads but from what I could tell the handling is very secure and sporty and the limits have to be much higher than the CX5 just because of the lower center of gravity. The steering and brakes felt identical to my CX5 with maybe the steering feeling a little more responsive in the CX5; maybe this is because the 6 is so much longer than the CX5. Given the price point I don't see this car dethroning the Honda Accord or and Toyota Camry but being a very good looking great handling niche car. The Camry and Accord are functionally better all around family sedans in my opinion and Honda power trains are hard to beat. Good luck trying to get a deal on one right now too. They already have a waiting list for them and there are no incentives (not surprisingly) for them unless you want a 2012.
Some other things I noticed was when started the Skyactive 2.5 sounds just like my 2.0. The front hood flutters a little in the same spot as my CX5. The interiors look very similar with similar materials (good thing). The leather interior is very nice. This car cost over 30k and I can get a comparably equipped 4 cylinder Honda for less.