The 6/Atenza was introduced for the first time in 2002 and, by 2005, it was already an established car on the market. But Mazda decided to give it a facelift to keep it up to date.
The Mazda 6 bears the name Atenza on some markets, but it was the same vehicle. It was offered in three body versions: sedan, hatchback, and station wagon. The facelift occurred in 2005 affected all three of them and brought new engines to comply with the latest emission standards in Europe and new features onboard.
From the outside, the look resembled the tuning community with its clear headlights and four round lamps inside. Its sleek, curved look with sharp angles between the lines made it a distinct car for the new-edge design trend. It was normal since Ford launched the trend, and Mazda was a Ford Motor Company member. The three-box version featured a raked C-pillar look and a short and tall trunk lid. The taillights followed the same design idea as the headlights.
Inside, the sporty feeling was amplified by slim metallic trims around the black interior panels. The round air-vents and the four-round analog dials in the instrument cluster confirmed the car's sporty character. There was plenty of room in the back for up to three passengers, and the trunk was good for its class. But it wasn't designed as a utility vehicle.
Under the hood, the 6/Atenza featured a choice of diesel and gasoline engine, either developed by the Japanese company or by Ford. Some of them were available with automatic transmission.