This Japanese Sleeper Had Turbo AWD Before Audi Made It Cool
The turbocharged, all-wheel drive, manual transmission sedan is something you’d typically associate with European brands. They did do a lot to make that kind of car happen, after all. The offerings from Audi, BMW, Volvo and Opel (known as Vauxhall in the UK) have all been fantastic, and set a benchmark for others to follow. That’s something the Japanese manufacturers tried to do. One in particular not only nailed making its own take on the formula, but its offering was also genuinely competitive.
The Japanese Automakers Have Built Plenty Of Competitive High-Performance Cars
Plenty of Japanese Cars have ended up being more than good enough to take on their European rivals. That’s been seen especially well in the various high-performance cars the Japanese automakers have built over the decades. It turns out that Japan can produce fantastic Sports Cars, and the odd amazing supercar too. These cars have ended up passing into legend, with enthusiasts sometimes favoring them over European or American equivalents.
Out of those genuinely competitive Japanese performance cars, some of the best are Mazdas. Mazda has a real knack for building sporty and high-performance machines. The MX-5 Miata is the most successful sports car of all time, and the RX-7 is fondly remembered as a rotary-powered performance monster. There were also other less remembered but brilliant models, like the MX-3 and the MX-6.
The model we’re going to talk about here is one of those less-remembered ones. But it shouldn’t be pushed aside. Not only is it genuinely competitive with European sports sedans, but it’s also surprisingly advanced for its day.
The Mazdaspeed6 Is A Turbocharged All-Wheel Drive Sports Sedan That Could Genuinely Compete With The Germans
There’s a fair chance that you’ve never heard of the Mazdaspeed6. If you haven’t, you’ve definitely missed out. This car takes the basic platform of the Mazda 6 sedan and turns it into a proper, fire-breathing performance car. To give it the serious power it needed, Mazda went for a surprisingly high-tech solution for a 2000s sports sedan. It was given a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 with direct injection, producing 274 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. To handle all that extra power, it got a sophisticated all-wheel drive system. This system actively splits the torque between both axles, sending up to 50% of power to the rear wheels.
Thanks to the combination of that powerful, advanced turbocharged four-cylinder and that clever all-wheel drive system, the Mazdaspeed6 is as fast as any German competitor. 0-60 times in the mid-5-second range are typically recorded for the Mazdaspeed6. This makes it as fast as US-spec B5 Audi S4s (5.6 seconds). The Mazdaspeed6 is also noticeably more powerful than the American B5 S4 (which was rated at 250 hp).
Perhaps most important for pure driving enthusiasts, though, is the transmission. The Mazdaspeed6 was only ever available with a 6-speed manual. That was a real rarity in sports sedans even back then, and it definitely isn’t common now.
The Mazdaspeed6 was only produced for a couple of model years (2006–2007). On top of that, only around 5,000 units per year were earmarked for the US market. That means that only around 10,000 Mazdaspeed6s made it to America in total. This gives the Mazdaspeed6 a real rarity value that other turbocharged, all-wheel drive, manual transmission sedans from a similar era don’t have.
You Can Get Them For Amazingly Cheap Prices
The Mazdaspeed6 may be quite a rare sports sedan. But you wouldn’t know that from what examples sell for on the used market. A good example can be had for as little as $9,500. Even the most expensive examples often don’t break the $20,000 barrier. While there is definitely a premium for Grand Touring trim models in excellent condition, the Mazdaspeed6 is still on the cheaper end of high-performance sedans. It might be a good idea, then, to grab one while prices remain this favorable.
There Are A Couple Of Snags With Owning A Mazdaspeed6
Owning a Mazdaspeed6 might seem great, and for the most part it is. But there are a couple of serious snags you need to take into account before you buy one. Most of them involve mechanical issues that can be managed through good maintenance. One, though, is a lot more serious, and definitely needs to be checked before you part with your cash.
It’s Prone To Several Mechanical Problems
While the Mazdaspeed6’s mechanical systems are fantastic, their complexity does lead to some problems. The variable valve timing actuator is known to be prone to failure, the timing chain is known to suffer from stretch issues, and the factory differential mounts were weak from the factory. These problems are all manageable through correct maintenance or upgrading certain parts. But they do need to be given special attention.
It Was Part Of A “Do Not Drive” Warning
More serious than the mechanical issues, though, is that this car was a victim of one of the biggest American automotive scandals in recent years. The Mazdaspeed6 is one of the cars that was given a “do not drive” warning in 2024 as a result of the Takata airbag recall. If you want to buy a Mazdaspeed6, make sure that the recall work has been done. If it hasn’t, you’re best off just walking away from the deal.
Sources: Audi, Bring A Trailer, Mazda
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