2019 Mazda 6 vs Toyota Camry

Looking for a new sedan is indeed a challenge with so many new choices in the market today. The newly released Mazda 6 and the Toyota Camry are great sedans that have enjoyed good ratings and good reputation through the years because they offer the perfect size, a great comfy ride, and best value for money. Here is a comparative review of the sporty 2019 Mazda 6 and the trusty workhorse 2019 Toyota Camry. These 5-seater, two door sedan brands provide great engine performance and fuel economy that make them perfectly fine choices. Read on below to see a detailed comparison of each model’s specifications.

The Powertrain

Under the hood of the base model of the Mazda 6 is a standard 2.5 liter inline four engine that makes 187 horsepower at 6000 rpm and produces a 186 lb-ft of torque at 4000rpm. Comparatively, the base Toyota Camry also features the same 2.5 liter inline four engine but their version is more powerful, producing 203 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 5000rpm. The engine of the Camry is certainly much more powerful, but the higher torque of the Mazda does a pretty efficient job at transmitting power to the wheels than the Camry.This better torque feature is attributed to the Mazda’s Skyactiv Technology which has the capacity to boost driving dynamics and fuel economy.

Other Performance Features

Overall, the Mazda 6 and the Toyota Camry both accelerate well, they can maintain a decent top speed, and perform decent turns. There is only very minimal variation between their numbers. The Camry is a little bit faster than the Mazda 6 going from zero to 30 mph or miles per hour in a matter of 3.2 seconds. The Mazda 6 is able to get the same job done in 3.6 seconds. Similarly, from zero to 60mph, the Camry wins again by being 1.2 seconds faster with a rating of 8 seconds, while the Mazda 6 can get to in in 9.2 seconds.

In addition to this, the Mazda 6 and the Toyota Camry may share the same width and overall length, but the Mazda 6 is easier to maneuver out of tight spots than the Camry. This is due to the Mazda’s smaller turning radius than the Camry. However, the Camry was rate better by Car and Driver and Motor trend to have better and quicker maneuverability with .88 G's as opposed to Mazda's .81 G's of cornering force.

Performance Variations Based on Upgrades

Things become a little more complicated under the hood of these featured sedans based on their trim upgrades. For the Mazda 6, it comes with 5 trim levels. The base models get the aforementioned engine specs. While the souped up models get a 4 cylinder engine with VVT that can achieve 250 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

Similarly, the Toyota Camry offers 7 trim levels with varying product configurations. The first four lower trims offer the basic engine specifications mentioned above. The XSE comes with a slightly better 2.5 inline four engine that is able to produce 206 horsepower. The XSE V6 and XLE V6 offers a supremely powerful V6 engine that can product 301 horsepower with 267 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission

The Mazda 6 is available with a six speed automatic transmission. In contrast, the Toyota Camry comes with a better eight speed standard automatic transmission for all trims, which paves the way for driver comfort especially in the city. It can accommodate low speeds with ease and accelerate without any hitches.

Fuel Economy Ratings

The Toyota Camry gets a higher fuel efficiency score for the highway with 41 mpg or miles per gallon, while the Mazda receives a significantly lower highway fuel rating score of 35 mpg. In terms of city driving rating, the Toyota Camry still gets the higher rating with 29 mpg, while the Mazda gets a lower score with only 26 mpg.

It is vital to note that the higher trim Camry with a V6 engine receives a fuel economy score of 26 mpg for the city and 33 mpg for the highway. The higher trim Mazda models, namely the Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature, receive the score of 23 mpg for the city and 31 mpg for the highway. The Toyota Camry may be more economical in terms of fuel consumption, but it has a smaller gas tank which can only accommodate 14.5 gallons, as opposed to the Mazda 6 that can store 16.4 gallons of fuel.

Brake System

In terms of the braking power, the Camry possesses much larger brake rotors than the Mazda 6. The Camry’s front rotors are 12 inches and the rear rotors are 11.06 inches. In contrast, the Camry’s front rotors measures less with 11.7 inches and the back rotors measure 10.9 inches. The Camry has a better stopping prowess with 70mph to 0 mph measuring 175 feet, while the Camry needs 184 feet to full stop.

Warranty Considerations

In terms of warranty the limited bumper-to-bumper warranty of both the Camry and Mazda 6 registers at 3 years/ 36,000 miles. Both have a 60months/ 60,000 miles limited warranty for the power train. Mazda offers a road assistance warranty for 3 years/ 36,000 miles. The Toyota Camry provides a 60,000 miles rust corrosion warranty. It is vital to note that there are twice as many Toyota dealers when compared with Mazda dealers so servicing a Toyota is much easier.

Reliability

Toyota vehicles rate better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles, ranking 17 and 22, respectively in the Initial Quality Study by J.D. Power. In the same token, long term dependability statistics favor Toyota, ranking 8th, and Mazda only comes at 14th. Consumer Reports index rank Toyota as first in reliability, while Mazda is ranked as 12th. In addition to all that, Toyota repair parts are less expensive than Mazda’s.

Drivability

Driving ease and riding comfort are aspects that buyers consider when they purchase their sedans. A nice and elegant looking car is great, but it has to come with comfortable interior features. Many people spend a lot of their time on the highways, so having a great entertainment system also come into play. Below are some features of the 2019 Toyota Camry and Mazda 6 when it comes to drivability.

Ride Comfort

Mazda offers comfortable riding with an Airlift Performance Suspension that adjusts to the driver’s needs. That being said, the lifespan of this suspension is a lot shorter than the standard coil springs. Toyota Camry also offers easy riding with coil suspensions. Both brands respond easily with power steering. The Mazda gets a leather/ metal looking steering wheel combo, whereas, the Camry has the standard urethane covered steering wheel.

Wheels

The Camry offers different sets of wheels. The base model receives a 205/65 with 16 inches rims. The XSE model is wider with 235/65 with 19 inches rims. The V6 XSE and XLE models clocks in at 235/45 with 18 inches rims. On the other hand, the Mazda gets 17 inches rims with a Gun Metal finish and 225/55 tires in all its models, except for the Signature trim which gets 19 inches rims with a Brilliant Silver finish.

Interior Front Space Specifications

The Camry and Mazda 6 offer a variation in their interior cabin, but the size differences are not significant with some being less than an inch. The Camry offers a front headroom of 38.3 inches, front leg room of 42.1 inches, front hip room of 55.4 inches, inches, and front shoulder room at 57.7 inches. On the other hand, the Mazda 6’s provides a front headroom of 38.4 inches, front leg room of 42.2 inches, front hip room at at 53.5 inches, and front shoulder room at 55.9 inches.

Rear Space Specifications

The Mazda offers a better rear legroom clocking in at 38.7 inches, while the Camry’s in only 38 inches. As for the other specs, the Camry has it better. The Camry offers a rear headroom of 38 inches, rear hip room at 54.7 inches, and rear shoulder room at 53.7 inches. On the the flip side, the Mazda 6 has a rear headroom of 37.1 inches, rear hip room at 53.5 inches, and rear shoulder room at 55.1 inches.

Noise Levels

The Camry is quieter compared to the Mazda 6 with an idle decibel rating of 41 dB. The Mazda 6 gets it higher with 42 dB. On top of that, the full-throttle rating and 70 mph cruising rating of the Camry is lower with 72 dB and 68 dB, respectively. These figures are significantly less noisy than the Mazada’s 80 dB full-throttle rating and 69 dB 70 mph cruising rating.

Overall, both mid-size sedan are able to produce a generally quiet experience as both car manufacturers provided effective seals to filter out exterior noise such as the wind and road traffic. In addition, sounds and vibrations coming from the engine of both cars are muted well enough.

Cargo Space

Both the 2019 Toyota Camry and Mazda six offer adequate trunk cargo space. The Toyota Camry wins 15.1 inches cubic feet (for all trims except the base model, which has 14.1 inches cubic feet) trunk capacity. In contrast, the Mazda 6 measures slightly smaller with 14.7 inches cubic feet. Those figures are still within the industry standard range, which makes the space sufficient enough carry daily essentials, while being functional enough to handle large pieces like luggage, golf bags, and more.

Moreover, loading and unloading stuff in the trunk is much easier with the Camry because of the low lift-over design. The trunk lift-over height of the Camry is 26.8 inches, while the Mazda’s is 28.5 inches. The Camry also provides glovebox that can be locked for valuable small essential. The Mazda 6 does not offer this locking storage feature.

Infotainment System

With a modern, digital world, car technology is not just a luxury but a need so that people can easily hook up their smart phones to their vehicles. The based model Camry has a 7 inches touchscreen LCD infotainment system with Apple Car Play compatibility. Take note that there no Android Auto for this trim. It Bluetooth connectivity, a CD player, AM/FM radio, voice activated radio, steering wheel mounted audio controls, wireless phone connectivity, 9 JBL speaker, amplifier, and the like. However, one of its major downfalls is that it doesn’t have an USB ports.

The Mazda 6 base Sport model already comes with an impressive 8 inch LCD touchscreen infotainment system. It also comes with a Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio system. Aside from that, it comes with USB port, AM/FM radio with 6 speakers, and steering wheel mounted phone and audio controls.

Safety

Both the 2019 Camry and the Mazda 6 possess standard driver and passenger airbags in the front and side. Both front-wheel drive vehicles come with shoulder belts that can be adjusted to the height of the occupant, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, crash stopping brakes, traction control, electronic stability system to diminish skidding, daytime running lights, rear-view cameras, blind spot warning devices, and rear cross-path warning systems.

The Camry has added safety features like pretensioners to tighten front and rear shoulder belts. This boosts up safety by eliminating seat belt slack should there be a collision. It also has a secondary collision brake that automatically applies the brakes in a collision to prevent secondary collisions and other injuries. The Camry XLE/XSE models also mitigates back up collisions with its rear cross traffic breaking system. In contrast, the Mazda does not have these added features.

Another noteworthy feature is that the Camry comes with plastic fuel tank, unlike the Mazda with its metal gas tank. The plastic can absorb more intrusive impacts without leaking and decreases the possibilities of fire. The Camry can also lower the power window from outside of the vehicle, while the Mazda can only operate the windows from the inside.

In addition, the Camry comes with sensitive wipers, so the driver doesn’t have to always adjust its speed. The Mazda only comes with manual wipers that need constant adjustment. All those bonus features from the Camry is the primary reason why the IIHS or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has dubbed it as the “Top Pick Plus” car.

Which Has the Best Value

The 2019 Toyota Camry comes in the L, LE, SE, XSE, XLE V6, XSE V6 trims, each with more features as the price climbs up. The Base L mode has an $23,845 MSRP with a rear-view camera, multi-info display, safety sense, along with the other trimmings mentioned in the aforementioned sections of this article. The LE has a $24,350 MSRP with bigger 17 inch rims, 60/40 split folding back seat, back seat, cup holders, and more.

In addition, the SE model has a $25,550 MSRP with automated headlights, sport mesh inserts that have black grilles, exhaust that has been souped up with dual chrome tips, SofTex upholstery, and more. The XLE trim starts with a $28,925 MSRP featuring heated side mirrors, wireless charging pad, heated front seats, dual zone climate, smart key, and more. The XSE model comes at a higher $29,475 MSRP with two tone paint, 19 inch rims, leather steering wheel, better interior accents, and more. It is important to note, that regardless of the trim level, the Toyota Camry comes with an edgier look this 2019.

The Mazda 6 2019 Model comes in 5 trim levels known as the Sport with a $23,800 MSRP, the Touring with a $26,400 MSRP, the Grand Touring with a $29,500 MSRP, the Grand Touring Reserve with a $32,000 MSRP, and the Signature with a $35,100. Each trim has different engine specifications, interior trims, seat coverings, and more. Those in the higher trim level have bigger tire rims, better car apps, and more safety features.

Which is Better?

The base model of the Camry and the Mazda 6 are actually very near in price. The decision will all boil down to the buyer’s preference based on specific needs. Those who prefer a sportier look may opt for the Mazda 6, while those looking for a more serious sedan with more safety features for their families will consider the Camry. In order to get a good feel of both cars, buyers have to go to authorized dealers to test drive the vehicles. That is the only true way to determine which feels and looks better.