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The 2018 Mazda6 also snags top IIHS safety rating

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is one of two organizations that issues important safety ratings. To get to IIHS's Top Safety Pick rating level, the 2018 Mazda6 not only had to ace a bunch of difficult crash tests, it also must have headlights that meet a strict test as well. Its stablemate, the CX-5 crossover just received the even higher Top Safety Pick+ rating. Both must be equipped with optional adaptive headlights to achieve these ratings. The rationale is, many crashes happen at dusk or in the dark, and an outsized number on unlit roads. While almost all modern headlights outperform the dim, unfocused sealed beams of the past, IIHS says that government regulations aren't doing a good enough job of ensuring real-world performance. Adaptive headlights turn with the front wheels, helping out a lot in IIHS's tests on illumination in sharp and gradual curves. Related: How the 2018 Mazda6 stacks up to its competitors in the midsize sedan segment The Adaptive Front-Lighting System is only available in the Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trim levels, meaning that you'll have to upgrade to those fancy versions to get it. It'd be nice if Mazda allowed even lower-trim buyers to add this as a stand-alone option, but for now that's not how it works. Fancy, safer headlights or no, we love the new Mazda6, especially the turbocharged version. It's one of the most fun sedans around. And, according to IIHS, now one of the safest. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Volkswagen's latest ad is not subtle | Autoblog Podcast #509

On this week's podcast, Mike Austin and David Gluckman are joined by special guest James Riswick, who has been driving a lot of new cars lately. All of them are discussed, plus a few more from Mike and David, and Mike rants a bit about a new VW Atlas commercial. The episode wraps up with the traditional doling out of Spend My Money buying advice, during which David briefly goes out into left field. (He's back now, don't worry.) The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And if you have other questions or comments, please send those too. Autoblog Podcast #509 Topics and stories we mention GMC Sierra HD Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Mazda CX-5 Honda CR-V vs. Mazda CX-5 Mini Countryman Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Ford F-150 Raptor Lexus RC 200t VW Atlas "Luv Bug" commercial Used cars! Rundown Intro - 00:00 What we're driving - 02:43 Ad of the week - 41:40 Spend My Money - 49:14 Total Duration: 56:27 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes Marketing/Advertising Podcasts Ford GMC Honda Lexus Mazda MINI Volkswagen mazda cx-5 ford f-150 raptor gmc sierra hd volkswagen atlas mazda mx-5 rf lexus rc 200t

2014 Mazda6: Introduction

An Extended Stay With The Sexy Six
The new-for-2014 Mazda6 sedan is more than just a pretty face. For Mazda, it marks the company's best effort yet at competing in the highly competitive midsize sedan segment, all the while staying true to the brand's core value of offering high levels of driver involvement above all. We certainly came away impressed after our first drive of the sleek Six in France last fall, and we knew right from the start that this would be a car we'd want to spend a lot of time with back here at home.
So with that in mind, the folks at Mazda graciously agreed to loan us the fully loaded Soul Red tester you see here for a one-year stay in the Autoblog long-term garage. Because of how important this car is to the segment, and to Mazda as a brand, we know there's going to be a lot to talk about it over the next 12 months. Right now, though, allow us to introduce you to the newest member of our long-term family.