Overall: Whoa! No more Mazdaspeed6 sedan and no more wagon (a redesign of the Mazda6 is coming for 2009).
  Drivetrain: Back to two engines for 2008 — base four-cylinder and optional V6 — as the 274-horsepower turbo-four/all-wheel-drive/six-speed manual is kicked to the curb.
  Available in sedan trim as well as a five-door hatchback (which looks just like the sedan, actually), the smart-looking Mazda6 offers a solid mix of style, performance and equipment, even if the wagon model has been erased from the sales chart this year. Base models are equipped with a 156-horsepower 2.3-liter four-cylinder, while a 212-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 is optional. Both motors can be connected to five-speed manual transmissions while four-cylinder models can be hooked up to a five-speed automatic. A six-speed automatic is optional on V6 models. If you had your heart set on the all-wheel-drive 274-horsepower Mazdaspeed6 and its six-speed manual transmission, you had better get on the horn with your local dealer right now as your only hope will be a 2007 leftover. There of course is no Mazdaspeed6 for 2008, but one might eventually return after the Mazda6’s redesign for 2009. Even with the wagon out of the picture, there are still plenty sedan/hatchback models; four trim levels of four-cylinder; and three of V6. As before, all models come with standard side-impact/side-curtain airbags and anti-lock brakes. Other standard features include air conditioning and most power features (locks, windows and mirrors). All but the base model comes with an eight-way power driver’s seat.

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