Mazda 6 Signature experiences

AustinTX

Member
:
Genesis G80 3.8L RWD Ultimate
I will be leasing a new vehicle in the next 6 weeks and the Mazda 6 Signature trim fits the bill pretty well to replace my Genesis G80 (terrible car - can't wait to return it to the Hyundai dealer and never see it again).

I would like to hear from people who own a Mazda 6 Signature model and their likes and dislikes and how they overall feel about that trim level. I had a short test drive with a sales person on board, but that really doesn't replace the ownership experience.

If you currently own/lease a Mazda 6 Signature model, I would love the hear anything you have to share. I might also look at a C%-5 Signature trim model, but I prefer sedans and I'm not a fan of the only available interior color for the CX-5. My Mazda 6 would have the parchment interior, not a fan of dark brown interiors.

Thanks!
 
Genesis G80 (terrible car - can't wait to return it to the Hyundai dealer and never see it again).

I'm curious to hear your reasons for hating the Genesis.
The reviews on the latest ones seem pretty positive.

As for the 6, I have had my 2017 for just over a year, and other than the paint chipping rather easily, it has been a great car to drive.
 
I appreciate everyone's responses so far, and I did see the reviews. I am more looking for actual owners that live with the car and have experienced the little things that may be annoying (or greatly enhancing the ownership experience).

I'm curious to hear your reasons for hating the Genesis.
The reviews on the latest ones seem pretty positive.

As to the Genesis G80, here is my experience after 3 years. I will point out that I did tons of research before getting that car and ended up totally unhappy, to the point where I hate getting into my car every-time I have to drive:

I got the "Ultimate" spec G80 with the 3.8L V6 (non-turbo) with RWD (there were no AWD models available in TX when I was looking over a 3 months period) - this is the top spec with all the goodies, including driver assist features

  • Gas mileage is atrocious - 18 mpg on a 3.8L RWD
  • Transmission programming is dangerous - in SPORT mode when doing a full kick-down to pass it more often then not doesn't shift into a rev band where you actually get power - you then have to manually (paddle shifters) shift down another two gears to get the vehicle to move) - this happens regularly and has put me into one or two hairy situations when trying to avoid accidents while entering intersections or merging into faster traffic
  • The car vibrates hard when in gear (i.e. when waiting at a light) - so hard that passengers ask if the seat massage function is on (which isn't available on this vehicle)
  • The car vibrates at all speeds while driving - vibrates as in: the steering wheel moves 1/2 inch to the left and right) - car was balanced 12 times, new tires were fitted - no change
  • The "Ultimate" Spec radio (17 speaker whatever super duper radio) doesn't support Android Auto or Apple Car Play. They offer map updates twice a year for $250 each (so over a three year lease I would have to pay $1,500(!) for updated maps). The lower spec trims got a free software update for their head units that enabled AA and ACP, the Ultimate spec got nothing. So I paid $15,000 more for an "Ultimate" over a base model and am in return asked to pay $1,500 for the privilege of having somewhat up to date maps (way worse than Google maps in term of being up to date). Dealer and Hyundai response was: "yeah, deal with it".
  • Satellite radio receiver failed, needed head unit replacement. Took weeks to get a radio and then time to get it replaced, all the while I am paying a monthly subscription for a service (SiriusXM) I have no access to.
  • The car was in the shop for more then 11 weeks in the 3 years I leased it (that's almost a month a year). Loaners provided: Chevy Cruze base model, Nissan Versa (that's the worst car I have ever driven, and the only one worse than the Genesis), Hyundai Elantra, other low end rental cars. So I pay for a top of the line "luxury" car and get to drive an entry level compact for my lease payment. Hyundai - after much fighting from me - reimbursed me for a one month lease payment.
  • No remote start on they key fob - app only. OK, but the app costs $300/year to have access to ($900 for the three year lease), because the remote start is part of the highest level package. Since my car is garaged (home and work), the remote start would only be useful a few times (parked outside in the very hot or cold). My estimation is that with 2 remote starts per week I would be paying about $2-3 per remote start in app fees. Best thing, during the trial period when I did use the remote start in the majority of attempts it didn't work - in places like Austin Bergstrom International airport (surface parking), downtown Austin (street parking) and Houston and Dallas. Some "couldn't connect" message - Hyundai's response was "Whatever" - so I never subscribed to the service after the initial trial period was over.

The list goes on - for a very long time. My car was at three different service centers, I had Hyundai dealer representatives and techs out from Hyundai corporate twice. In the end, no-one wanted to make sure that I was satisfied with their vehicle. Here's a statement from the Genesis website:

THE GENESIS EXPERIENCE. AT YOUR SERVICE.

True luxury is about the complete experience. Designed around real needs and wants, respecting how you actually live. This is the Genesis Experience, our thoughtfully crafted suite of owner benefits.

My experience was the complete opposite. Cheap fixes that would unravel after 50 - 100 miles (on the vibration issues), representatives that would do anything to dismiss my concerns as long as it didn't cost Hyundai any money. Everyone finally just told me "that's normal" when I pointed out issues during test drives with service managers, Hyundai mechanics, etc. I'm a Mechanical Engineer (30+ years of experience) with a specialization in Automotive Engineering - I know what's normal and what's an issue. My car has issues that passengers notice who have zero automotive background.

It looks to me that Hyundai designed that car to a spec sheet (this is what Audi, BMW, Lexus, MB have on their cars -> match the specs) and executed on many things to the minimum level to get the specs covered. Looks great on paper, but 18 mpg average, ongoing vibration issues, and "old" tech doesn't cut it when your competition is executing everything better. My 2005 Audi A6 had most of the features the G80 has in 2015 (10(!) years later), had quattro AWD and got better gas mileage and had zero problems in 3 years. It didn't have a HUD or the driver assist features (these were simply not available anywhere at the time), but otherwise it was simply a better car. Better performance from a 3.2L engine as well. My Chrysler 300C was a better car with better UI and better mpg at similar performance and levels of luxury.

The dealership experience is abysmal, you get the same dealership experience as the people who want $99 on a base model Accent - no offense to owners of this car, but they are at the dealership because they want small payments, not a luxury experience.

I cannot wait for the day I take possession of my new lease and the Hyundai is gone ... All the research I did was on reviews, and they were mostly glowing in magazines and with people who do Youtube reviews. They don't live with the cars though, so I am looking for feedback of actual Mazda6 Signature owners to find out the real story ...
 
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Mazda 6 Signature

Hi,

I'm an owner of a 2018 Signature and can offer some insight into the vehicle.

I bought the car in July and have put some miles on it so far.

The car handles well, is reasonably quiet on the road and definitely rides better than previous years without sacrificing handling. It has electric assist steering, but it feels more like a well sorted hydraulic system. Something I haven't seen in electric assist steering on other cars I've driven. The seats are comfortable and finding a comfortable position isn't hard. I find the build quality to be solid and so far, the only defect was with a retainer grommet on the drivers floor mat. Otherwise I've not had any other issues with the car. The quality of interior materials is definitely a cut above other cars in the segment.

Things I'm not real high on are the "floor covering". You really can't call it carpet. It's more of a fuzzy floor mat than anything. It's out of character to the rest of the interior materials. The infotainment system is okay. The interface is in need of an update, but it is quick enough in performance and is pretty straight forward to use. The electronic instruments work reliably, but aren't as feature rich as other manufacturers. The surround view system works, but the rear camera isn't very sharp and is not really usable at night. I don't think the camera has an infrared mode like some others for night operations. The last thing of note is I'd suggest avoiding the Soul Red Crystal color. It looks beautiful, but isn't very durable when it comes to chipping. I already have a couple of tiny dings in the paint. 1 on the hood, 1 on the drivers door.

The turbo 4 has plenty of get when you need it, enough to chirp the front tires in the first couple of gears yet the engine will easily get 40 mpg when cruising. The safety features like radar cruise control and such work well.
I installed an after market remote starter on the car and there is a downside to that. The one I got, Fortin Evo one, will cause a system fault in the radar cruise when the remote start is used. It can be cleared by stopping and restarting the engine with the start button. Fortin is aware of this and is working on a resolution. I preferred the Fortin because you can use the key fob to start the vehicle whereas the Mazda system has a separate fob. The benefit of the Mazda remote start is you can control the heater/AC with it remotely. But it is more expensive.

I shopped around for a car for some time and came to the conclusion that the 6 was the best bang for the buck in the segment.

If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.
 
I appreciate everyone's responses so far, and I did see the reviews. I am more looking for actual owners that live with the car and have experienced the little things that may be annoying (or greatly enhancing the ownership experience).



As to the Genesis G80, here is my experience after 3 years. I will point out that I did tons of research before getting that car and ended up totally unhappy, to the point where I hate getting into my car every-time I have to drive:

I got the "Ultimate" spec G80 with the 3.8L V6 (non-turbo) with RWD (there were no AWD models available in TX when I was looking over a 3 months period) - this is the top spec with all the goodies, including driver assist features

  • Gas mileage is atrocious - 18 mpg on a 3.8L RWD
  • Transmission programming is dangerous - in SPORT mode when doing a full kick-down to pass it more often then not doesn't shift into a rev band where you actually get power - you then have to manually (paddle shifters) shift down another two gears to get the vehicle to move) - this happens regularly and has put me into one or two hairy situations when trying to avoid accidents while entering intersections or merging into faster traffic
  • The car vibrates hard when in gear (i.e. when waiting at a light) - so hard that passengers ask if the seat massage function is on (which isn't available on this vehicle)
  • The car vibrates at all speeds while driving - vibrates as in: the steering wheel moves 1/2 inch to the left and right) - car was balanced 12 times, new tires were fitted - no change
  • The "Ultimate" Spec radio (17 speaker whatever super duper radio) doesn't support Android Auto or Apple Car Play. They offer map updates twice a year for $250 each (so over a three year lease I would have to pay $1,500(!) for updated maps). The lower spec trims got a free software update for their head units that enabled AA and ACP, the Ultimate spec got nothing. So I paid $15,000 more for an "Ultimate" over a base model and am in return asked to pay $1,500 for the privilege of having somewhat up to date maps (way worse than Google maps in term of being up to date). Dealer and Hyundai response was: "yeah, deal with it".
  • Satellite radio receiver failed, needed head unit replacement. Took weeks to get a radio and then time to get it replaced, all the while I am paying a monthly subscription for a service (SiriusXM) I have no access to.
  • The car was in the shop for more then 11 weeks in the 3 years I leased it (that's almost a month a year). Loaners provided: Chevy Cruze base model, Nissan Versa (that's the worst car I have ever driven, and the only one worse than the Genesis), Hyundai Elantra, other low end rental cars. So I pay for a top of the line "luxury" car and get to drive an entry level compact for my lease payment. Hyundai - after much fighting from me - reimbursed me for a one month lease payment.
  • No remote start on they key fob - app only. OK, but the app costs $300/year to have access to ($900 for the three year lease), because the remote start is part of the highest level package. Since my car is garaged (home and work), the remote start would only be useful a few times (parked outside in the very hot or cold). My estimation is that with 2 remote starts per week I would be paying about $2-3 per remote start in app fees. Best thing, during the trial period when I did use the remote start in the majority of attempts it didn't work - in places like Austin Bergstrom International airport (surface parking), downtown Austin (street parking) and Houston and Dallas. Some "couldn't connect" message - Hyundai's response was "Whatever" - so I never subscribed to the service after the initial trial period was over.

The list goes on - for a very long time. My car was at three different service centers, I had Hyundai dealer representatives and techs out from Hyundai corporate twice. In the end, no-one wanted to make sure that I was satisfied with their vehicle. Here's a statement from the Genesis website:

THE GENESIS EXPERIENCE. AT YOUR SERVICE.

True luxury is about the complete experience. Designed around real needs and wants, respecting how you actually live. This is the Genesis Experience, our thoughtfully crafted suite of owner benefits.

My experience was the complete opposite. Cheap fixes that would unravel after 50 - 100 miles (on the vibration issues), representatives that would do anything to dismiss my concerns as long as it didn't cost Hyundai any money. Everyone finally just told me "that's normal" when I pointed out issues during test drives with service managers, Hyundai mechanics, etc. I'm a Mechanical Engineer (30+ years of experience) with a specialization in Automotive Engineering - I know what's normal and what's an issue. My car has issues that passengers notice who have zero automotive background.

It looks to me that Hyundai designed that car to a spec sheet (this is what Audi, BMW, Lexus, MB have on their cars -> match the specs) and executed on many things to the minimum level to get the specs covered. Looks great on paper, but 18 mpg average, ongoing vibration issues, and "old" tech doesn't cut it when your competition is executing everything better. My 2005 Audi A6 had most of the features the G80 has in 2015 (10(!) years later), had quattro AWD and got better gas mileage and had zero problems in 3 years. It didn't have a HUD or the driver assist features (these were simply not available anywhere at the time), but otherwise it was simply a better car. Better performance from a 3.2L engine as well. My Chrysler 300C was a better car with better UI and better mpg at similar performance and levels of luxury.

The dealership experience is abysmal, you get the same dealership experience as the people who want $99 on a base model Accent - no offense to owners of this car, but they are at the dealership because they want small payments, not a luxury experience.

I cannot wait for the day I take possession of my new lease and the Hyundai is gone ... All the research I did was on reviews, and they were mostly glowing in magazines and with people who do Youtube reviews. They don't live with the cars though, so I am looking for feedback of actual Mazda6 Signature owners to find out the real story ...

Some of those things could happen to any car make but some of those things, such as the MPG, and cost for maps and remote start are crazy. People forgot that lot of "luxury" cars have luxury prices.
 
I came from a CX-5 to a 6. I still feel like its hard to get in and out of. Im 511 and feel like I need to contort horizontally.
 
I bought a 2017 GT with tech and premium last year, so unfortunately it doesn't have the turbo option (just missed it by 6 months. Oh well).
This is/was the top spec model available in Canada, so it has all the options.
Like you, I did a ton of research, and shopped for almost a year before buying.
My wife actually drives it more on a daily basis than I do, but I did drive it to Florida and back last winter.

So, some random rambling thoughts and opinions as they come to mind:

It is a great interstate cruiser, and I was very happy and comfortable with it. Drove flawlessly the whole way down and back.
The driver assist technology works as advertised, and the adaptive cruise control is something I learned to really appreciate.
I don't use the lane assist in city driving, but I turn it on when on the highway.
It also has the pop up HUD, which I wouldn't do without now. The adaptive headlights are cool too.
Never having had a car with any type of infotainment system, and I have nothing to compare it to, but I think it's great. The commander knob is a brilliant idea.
I have had no issues with any of the electronics, and the Nav system works well for me. No complaints.
The car seems to be well put together, with zero rattles or squeaks. Panel gaps are even and lined up properly.
Interior design and quality of materials is also a cut above the competition, in my opinion. I looked at the Camry, Accord, etc., and they were too cheap and plastic.
Driving dynamics are excellent. It handles well, and it feels like a drivers car more than the competition. I would not put it in the "appliance" category.
Seats are comfortable, and heated (both front and back seats), as well as a heated steering wheel (wife loves that).
Power is more than adequate 99% of the time, but once in a while (usually when I'm alone), I'd love to be able to put my foot down and really get pushed back in the seat.
Around town I get about 8-9 litres per 100Kms, which is pretty good, especially in winter driving. Highway use was down in the 7 range.

I really can't come up with any deal breakers on this car, but a few little nit picks:
Paint is fragile, and I have more than a few small chips on the hood that I'm not happy about.
Not being able to lower the windows with the fob, when my other older cars had this feature, bugs me, a lot.
Power folding outside mirrors would be nice, and remote start is something I'll need to get (had it on my previous cars).
Cooled front seats would be nice too.

OK, I'll add more later if I think of stuff.
My wife just kicked me off the computer. lol
 
Hi,

I'm an owner of a 2018 Signature and can offer some insight into the vehicle.

I bought the car in July and have put some miles on it so far.

The car handles well, is reasonably quiet on the road and definitely rides better than previous years without sacrificing handling. It has electric assist steering, but it feels more like a well sorted hydraulic system. Something I haven't seen in electric assist steering on other cars I've driven. The seats are comfortable and finding a comfortable position isn't hard. I find the build quality to be solid and so far, the only defect was with a retainer grommet on the drivers floor mat. Otherwise I've not had any other issues with the car. The quality of interior materials is definitely a cut above other cars in the segment.

Things I'm not real high on are the "floor covering". You really can't call it carpet. It's more of a fuzzy floor mat than anything. It's out of character to the rest of the interior materials. The infotainment system is okay. The interface is in need of an update, but it is quick enough in performance and is pretty straight forward to use. The electronic instruments work reliably, but aren't as feature rich as other manufacturers. The surround view system works, but the rear camera isn't very sharp and is not really usable at night. I don't think the camera has an infrared mode like some others for night operations. The last thing of note is I'd suggest avoiding the Soul Red Crystal color. It looks beautiful, but isn't very durable when it comes to chipping. I already have a couple of tiny dings in the paint. 1 on the hood, 1 on the drivers door.

The turbo 4 has plenty of get when you need it, enough to chirp the front tires in the first couple of gears yet the engine will easily get 40 mpg when cruising. The safety features like radar cruise control and such work well.
I installed an after market remote starter on the car and there is a downside to that. The one I got, Fortin Evo one, will cause a system fault in the radar cruise when the remote start is used. It can be cleared by stopping and restarting the engine with the start button. Fortin is aware of this and is working on a resolution. I preferred the Fortin because you can use the key fob to start the vehicle whereas the Mazda system has a separate fob. The benefit of the Mazda remote start is you can control the heater/AC with it remotely. But it is more expensive.

I shopped around for a car for some time and came to the conclusion that the 6 was the best bang for the buck in the segment.

If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.

I also have a 2018 Signature and agree with most of your comments. I considered the Soul Red Crystal - it looks great, but was worried that I would tire of the red. I chose the Snowflake White Pearl Mica (also called "white") and am very pleased with it, especially with the Deep Chestnut ("dark brown") Nappa leather seats. Those are some of the nicest leather seats I've ever had.

A small point, but I was surprised by your comment on the carpet mats. I was prepared to buy some high-end Lloyd mats, but once I felt the depth of the pile on the OEM mats I decided to stick with them. I wonder if the ones in my car are different from the ones you have?

Overall this car is a great value. It has virtually every option I wanted and several I hadn't even thought of like walk-away, auto-locking doors and the "overhead" view of the car it shows when parked. The one exception for me was the lack of auto-folding side mirrors. For a turbo 4, the performance of this heavy car is amazing. Very smooth ride and excellent handling. All surprisingly better than expected.

Coming from 20 years of German cars, I'm really impressed with Mazda build quality.
 
I'm not referring to the removable floor mats, I'm talking about the floor covering under the mats. Like I said, calling it "carpet" is being generous.
 
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