Ford Focus VS Mazda 6
Ford Focus
Likes
- Great chassis
- Well-equipped
- Surprising engine
Dislikes
- Optional advanced safety
- Better tyres would be nice
- Too many optional colours
Mazda 6
Likes
- Interior trims feel plush
- Smooth and sporty handling
- Solid luxury features
Dislikes
- Leaning more towards old than retro inside
- A bit thirsty
- Terrible reversing camera
Summary
Ford Focus
Ford's small hatch, the Focus, is criminally under-bought in Australia. The latest model is  one of the best hatchbacks on the road and when you chuck in the decent price, impressive equipment and absurdly powerful engine for its size, it's a winner.
But you lot? You don't buy it in nearly the kinds of numbers it deserves. Partly because there isn't a bait-and-upsell boggo model to lure you in, partly because it's got a badge that is not exciting Australians any more and partly because it's not a compact SUV.
Or is(n't) it? Because alongside the ST-Line warm hatch is the identically priced and therefore technically a co-entry level model; the Focus Active. Slightly higher, with plastic cladding, drive modes and a conspicuous L on the transmission shifter, it's a little bit SUV, right?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.5L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.4L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Mazda 6
Has it really been 20 years since the humble Mazda6 station wagon hit our roads? You betcha, but I was more shocked that I remembered when it did!
I have a sudden flashback of questionable fashion choices, glittery butterfly hair clips and how Skipper was making a play at being the coolest 'Barbie' (she wasn't).
I've always had a soft spot for wagons, they are the forgotten heroes for family hauling. It's hard not to glide over them when the market is dominated by SUVs but if you happen to remember they still exist (albeit, barely) you might remember why they were popular back in the day.
Being a 20th Anniversary Edition means there are some nods to the past in this model but unlike the low-slung jeans of my youth, they're stylishly done. With some luxuriously-appointed rivals to contend with, like the Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Passat, does it offer enough to be considered by a modern family?
My little family of three has been in it all week to find out for you!
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.5L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Ford Focus7.4/10
Ten years ago, the idea that the higher-riding version of a hatchback would be a good city car would have been laughable. The Focus Active is pitched as a kind of SUV with its different low-grip driving modes, which you'll never touch if you stick to the city.
The Ford Focus is genuinely a brilliant car, no matter where you take it. The Active takes a terrific chassis, tweaks it for comfort but, ironically, doesn't lose much of the speed.
Mazda 67/10
So, what did my family think about the Mazda6 20th Anniversary wagon? Firstly, I like that it drives well and how many luxe features are up front. The trims and body paint look divine but there's a disconnect with family practicality in the back seat. Besides the multimedia system, which 100 per cent needs to be improved, I don't mind the retro-feeling elements in the cockpit but my husband's first comment was that it looked old.
It may be better suited to a smaller and older family that isn't carting around a stack of gear but you get a lot of features for your cash in this model. So, this gets a 7.0/10 from me.
My son didn't spend heaps of time in this one but he liked the colour of it and the seats. He gives it a 7.0/10.
Design
Ford Focus
For a fairly conservative hatchback, the Focus came under fire for what some termed its derivative styling. I quite like it, and not just because the styling work was led by an Australian. The front end is very much family Ford, as long as it's the European arm of the family, fitting in with its smaller sibling, the Fiesta. The Active scores the usual black cladding, higher ride height and smaller diameter wheels, in exchange for more compliant, higher-profile tyres. All of that takes nothing away from a design that I think looks pretty good.
The cabin is well put together, with just that oddly angled touchscreen causing me a bit of a twitch. The design is a fairly steady Ford interior with a lot of switchgear shared with the Fiesta, but it's all quite nice. The materials feel mostly pleasant  and the hardwearing fabric on the seats feels right for this kind of car.
Mazda 6
At first glance there's not a lot that separates this from its siblings, it's not until you get up close that you notice more shiny chrome accents on the grille, those special anniversary badges on the side and its limited colour options – I hope you like red or white, as those are your only choices!
The wagon manages to look sporty with its 19-inch alloy wheels, full LED exterior lights and the classic protruding nose that Mazda seems known for now.
It's far more obvious in the interior though with the beautiful tan Nappa leather seats, synthetic suede trims and special embossing on the front headrests.
Surprisingly, the dashboard is still headlined by the older 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system. There's also the traditional gear-shifter and buttons/dials to deal with. All of which manage to nod to its long history while starting to feel like relics for such a special edition.
Overall, its pleasant and handsome but don't expect to be wowed, Mazda hasn't broken new ground with this one.
Practicality
Ford Focus
The Focus is quite roomy compared to other cars in its class. The rear seat has good leg and headroom, with the feeling of space accentuated by large windows. Annoyingly, though, all that work put into making the rear a nice place to be is ruined by a lack of amenities like cupholders, USB ports or an armrest.Â
Front-seat passengers fare better with two cupholders, a roomy space at the base of the console for a phone and a wireless-charging pad. The front seats are very comfortable, too.
The boot starts at a fairly average 375 litres - clearly sacrificed for rear-seat space - and maxes out at 1320 litres with the seats down. While you have to lift things over the loading lip and down into the boot, it's one of the more sensibly shaped load areas, with straight up and down sides. Ironically, the smaller Puma has a noticeably larger boot.
Mazda 6
The interior is comfortable and well-proportioned but front passengers will enjoy the most room. You'll still feel like you'll be jostling for premium armrest position, though!
Up front, the individual storage is adequate and the open utility tray is large but my phone slid around in it, making it hard to use the wireless charging pad.
There are enough charging options throughout the car to satisfy four people, with two USB-A ports in each row. Curiously, you can only utilise the backseat USBs when the armrest is down, which makes this feel more suited to a smaller family.
The 8.0-inch touchscreen is small and the graphics aren't super clear. You can use it as a touchscreen or opt for the rotary dial but I found switching between the two awkward. Especially, since the touchscreen is disabled while using the (wireless) Apple CarPlay or (wired) Android Auto.
The back seat is quite lean when it comes to amenities and storage. Although, the heated outboard seats are a nice touch, but again, you can only access the controls when the armrest is down.
You can fit up to three (skinny) child seats but with the low roofline, you might not want to be bending over to buckle them in. Â The door apertures are not too wide either but my six-year-old had no trouble climbing in and out.
For this class, the boot is an okay size at 506L. There is a temporary spare wheel under the level loading space and it's great how the cargo-blind lifts up and away from the space because it's attached to the boot lid.
Unfortunately, this doesn't come with a powered tailgate and I did miss having that feature this week.
Price and features
Ford Focus
The Focus Active wears a $30,990 sticker but the several people I know who  bought one haven't paid that much, so Ford dealers are obviously keen to do deals. Even at that price, it's got a fair bit of stuff. The Active has 17-inch wheels, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, auto LED headlights, LED fog lights, sat nav, auto wipers, wireless hotspot, powered and heated folding door mirrors, wireless phone charging, a big safety package and a space-saver spare.
Ford's SYNC3 comes up on the 8.0-inch screen perched on the dashboard, which weirdly feels like it's facing away from you slightly. It has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav, DAB+ and also looks after various functions in the car.
The panoramic sunroof is a stiff $2000 and includes an annoying perforated cover rather than a solid one.
Mazda 6
As the name suggests, this is a special edition and it bumps the Atenza from its usual 'top spot' in the model line-up. Yet, for a top-model it is spectacularly well-priced at $54,935, before on-road costs.
That places it below the Volkswagen Passat 162TSI Elegance ($57,190) and above the Skoda Octavia RS 180TSI ($53,090) wagons.
You get all of the features of the Atenza, like the luxurious heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel and a sunroof.
Then, you'll also be enjoying the 20th Anniversary badging on the exterior, tan Nappa leather seats with that same badging embossed on the headrests and a delightful synthetic suede trim on the dashboard.
Other features include some nice tech, like wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, dual-zone climate control and a premium Bose sound system with 11 speakers, but more on tech below.
Under the bonnet
Ford Focus
Ford does an excellent range of small turbo engines. The "normal" Focus range (such as it is, now the wagon has disappeared from the market) comes with a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine. Bucking the SUV-this-size trend (yes, I know it's not really an SUV), this punchy little unit delivers an impressive 134kW and 240Nm. They're both very decent numbers for such a small engine.
The big numbers continue with the transmission boasting eight gears, a number you don't often find in a hatchback. It's a traditional torque-converter auto, too, so those of you who have bad memories of Ford's old PowerShift twin clutches should worry no more.
Power goes to the front wheels only and you'll get from 0 to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds.
Mazda 6
This shares the same engine with the Atenza and that's a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol one. It has a max power output of 173kW and 420Nm of torque. Plenty of oomph to get you (and your gear) to where you need to go.
The 20th Anniversary edition is a front-wheel-drive and has a six-speed auto transmission. It's not the smoothest combination at lower speeds but let it stretch its legs and you'll be happy with the results.
Efficiency
Ford Focus
Ford's official testing for the big window sticker delivered a 6.4L/100km result on the combined cycle. In my time with the Focus, I got 7.2L/100km indicated on the dashboard, which is a pretty solid result given the Focus spent a good deal of the time on suburban or urban roads.
With its 52-litre tank, you'll cover around 800km if you manage the official figure, or just over 700km on my figures.
Mazda 6
Let's talk about efficiency. It has a combined cycle fuel figure of 7.6L/100km but I only managed to achieve 10.9L. I reckon that's pretty thirsty considering how much open-road driving I did this week but it's not outrageous for a turbo. Expect a higher figure in an urban setting.
Based on the combined figure, you should be able to get a driving range of around 816km, which is perfectly respectable for those wanting to do a road trip.
Driving
Ford Focus
Despite the very mild off-road pretensions, if it's a comfortable city ride you're after, the Active is the Focus to have. While the ST-Line isn't uncomfortable - not by a long way - the Active's more compliant tyres and higher ride height (30mm at the front and 34mm at the rear) iron out the bigger bumps without sacrificing much of the sportier car's impressive dynamic prowess, even with the low-rolling-resistance tyres.
The cracking 1.5-litre turbo is responsive and well-matched to the eight-speed auto. The big torque number pushes you along the road and makes overtaking much less dramatic than a 1.5-litre three-cylinder has any right to.Â
Ford's trademark Euro-tuned quick steering is also along for the ride, making darting in and out of gaps a quick roll of the wrist, which has the added benefit of meaning you rarely have to take your hands off the wheel for twirling. That darting is aided and abetted by the engine and gearbox, with the turbo seemingly keeping the boost flowing with little lag. It's almost like they planned it that way.
You have good vision in all directions, which almost renders the fact that the blind-spot monitoring is optional acceptable. Almost. It's very easy to get around in, easy to park and, just as importantly, easy to get in and out of. Compared to, say, a Toyota Corolla, the rear doors are very accommodating.Â
Mazda 6
This is a car that knows what it is and stays in its lane. It's not trying to be the best but it certainly comes close with how it handles itself.
The lower centre of gravity and responsive steering make it hug corners and the car feels firmly situated on the road.
There's enough power that this is a comfy open-roader and you're confident overtaking or getting up to speed but you do feel like you're starting to dig when you hit steeper slopes.
The suspension is a little firm but your backseat passengers will feel that more than you will. Still, it absorbs enough of the bumps that you feel cushioned, even on rough country roads!
The cabin space is fairly quiet but you will get wind noise at higher speeds. Otherwise, all passengers should be able to chat without raising their voices.
I didn't find this to be a bother to park but the 360-degree view camera is terrible. It's very blurry and on the 8.0-inch screen, the image looks small, too.
That said, I love the 11m turning circle and the front and rear parking sensors. Overall, you won't have much trouble parking this one.
Safety
Ford Focus
The Active has six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward AEB (low speed with pedestrian avoidance and highway speeds), forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, speed-sign recognition and active lane-keep assist.
Annoyingly - and I can't for the life of me work out why this is a thing - despite some advanced safety features in the base package, you have to pay $1250 extra for blind-spot monitoring, reverse cross traffic alert and reverse AEB, which are part of the Driver Assistance Pack. No, Ford is not the only company to do this.
The back seat has two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors.
The Focus scored five ANCAP stars in August 2019.
Mazda 6
Safety is important on any car, but more so on a family one. I'm happy this has the usual specs, like daytime running lights, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree view camera, front and rear parking sensors and intelligent seatbelt reminders.
I like the fact the adaptive cruise control now has a stop and go function and that traffic sign recognition and a head-up display are included.
The autonomous emergency braking (and forward collision warning) with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, is operational from 10–80km/h (a little slower than the average 5.0km/h).
It has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it was done a while ago in 2018. It only has six airbags which is a bit low for a family vehicle now but that does include curtain airbags covering both rows.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard rear seats and three top-tether anchor points across the back. You may get lucky with three skinny child seats but two will fit best.
A 0-4 rearward facing child seat can be installed but will encroach on front passenger comfort, especially if they're tall.
Ownership
Ford Focus
Ford offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a roadside-assistance package that consists of a membership to your local motoring organisation.Â
The first five services cost $299 each and also include a free loan car and a 12-month extension to your roadside assist membership for up to seven years.
Mazda 6
The ongoing costs match the purchase price for their affordability. This has a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is pretty normal for this class.
However, on the five-year servicing plan, services average $501 per service - which is very competitive for this class! Servicing intervals are also reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.
You're not even getting hit with the fuel pricing you can see on other mid-range models because this accepts a minimum of 91 RON petrol and is even E10 suitable.