2012 Grand Touring Skyactive Hatchback Great Condition Blue, Fully Loaded on 2040-cars

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2019 Mazda 6 gets more expensive, adds equipment and drops the manual

Update: We got wind of what Mazda had in store for the 2019 Mazda 6 in this report from last week, and now we have all the official information from Mazda. The news on the manual transmission's disappearance is still true — 2018 model year cars will be the last ones that make that an option. There are a few changes Mazda has implemented for this model year, and a slight price adjustment that goes with. The addition of Mazda's i-Activsense safety tech as standard is confirmed. As is G-Vectoring Control Plus, the next generation of Mazda's G-Vectoring we saw hit the CX-5 for the 2019 model year. Pricing has been adjusted to reflect the extra standard equipment and elimination of the manual transmission. A base (manual) 2018 Mazda 6 Sport costs $22,845 with its $895 destination fee, but the new 2019 model begins at $24,720 with the $920 destination fee included. That's a considerable increase, but the charge for an automatic transmission was $1,050 of that previously. Higher trim levels don't experience as much of a hike. For example, the maxed-out Signature is only $375 more expensive in 2019, coming in at $36,020 total. Mazda says the 2019 Mazda 6 goes on sale this month. It's a little surprising that 2019 model year Mazda 6s weren't already on sale, but mid-year updates or late introductions aren't exactly out of the norm for Mazda. Since its introduction, the current generation Mazda6 has always remained a top choice among driving enthusiasts. That's because it's one of the few cars left in its class to still offer a manual transmission, next to the Honda Accord. But sadly, it seems even that's going to disappear for the 2019 model year update. CarsDirect originally heard through the grapevine that the Mazda6 sedan will be losing its standard six-speed manual while gaining some new safety tech. At first, we here at Autoblog were in denial. We had to reach out to Mazda to verify this unfortunate news. And sadly, it seems CarsDirect's findings are accurate, with Mazda USA's marketing and brand communications manager, Drew Cary, replying to our inquiry with the following statement: At Mazda we are always listening to our fans, especially when it comes to what they are looking for from our vehicles. As we have moved the Mazda6 upscale with the launch of the Grand Touring Reserve and Signature models, we have seen less demand for a manual transmission option.

Mazda announces live-streaming vehicle intro on Xbox

In April, Mazda introduced a marketing campaign titled "Game Changers" to showcase how certain people have made significant impacts in their respective sports, and now it's the Japanese automaker that is changing the game by creating an innovative way to launch a new product. Mazda is teaming up with Xbox to offer a first-of-its-kind live-streaming global debut of a new product. Mazda didn't say which model will be debuted, but our guess is that it will be the next-generation Mazda3.
The actual reveal will take place at 9 pm on June 26 during a live concert from the band Metric in New York City, but there will be other live events preceding the concert in Melbourne, St. Petersburg, Istanbul and London. Mazda will be promoting the event on social media using the hashtag #GameChanger, and there is also a contest on Xbox where one winner will receive $2,500 to attend a music event of their choice. Scroll down for the full details of the contest and vehicle debut event.

2019 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D diesel caught in spy photos

We get it – we're a little sick of getting a few years of assurances that Mazda's much-anticipated diesel engine is just around the corner. First, it was going to go in the 2014 Mazda6, then it was delayed. More recently, Mazda told us it'd first land in the CX-5 – and in fact, there's a part of the Mazda USA website devoted to the diesel crossover, which makes it seem more legitimate than previous pronouncements. But the fact of the matter is, there's some unforeseen hiccup in the government approval process for this engine, likely centered around emissions standards, and it seems to be dragging on. But this Mazda6 was spotted at an EPA facility in Michigan, which gives us some hope that perhaps the company is rounding the final base on the approval process. It looks very much like an American-spec Mazda6 to our eyes ... except for the strange, possibly temporary exhaust outlets, which might be required for EPA testing. The rear looks like a current-look car, rather than the revised 2018 styling that will get the 2.5-liter turbocharged gas engine. Since the Mazda6 was originally supposed to get the Skyactiv-D engine, we can only assume that if it's at an EPA facility, Mazda is hoping to bring it to market here – likely sometime after the CX-5 goes on sale. If Mazda can get approval, it'll be another point of differentiation between the Mazda6 and its competitors – there's no currently-approved diesel sedan that's a direct match. The smaller Cruze and larger, more expensive offerings from BMW and Jaguar are about it. The fuel economy guide (PDF) produced by the EPA back in late 2017 lists both the CX-5 and the Mazda6 as having diesel engines, but neither are rated, and as we know at this point, neither are on sale or have an official timeline for doing so. We can assume anything with an application in progress made it on the list, whether approval would be granted or not. It seems unlikely at this point that Mazda would abandon the Skyactiv-D in America. It's a solid part of their strategy, although a product roadmap released a few months ago shows that Mazda expects diesel sales globally to taper off after 2020, to be supplanted by plug-in gas hybrid, EV, and fuel cell vehicles. But between now and about 2030, pure diesel cars are expected to be a small but significant portion of Mazda's product mix. We hope this means we'll see the CX-5 emerge from the approval process and hit dealer lots soon, to be followed by the 6.