Mazda 6 or Citroen C5?

54321

I know ye might be sick of these questions but here goes anyway.
My Golf will be 7 next year. I've narrowed down my car purchase choice for 09 to the Mazda 6 Sport 1.8Petrol or Citroen C5 1.6Diesel. Can't stretch any further! I know it is mad buying new cars but to minimise the damage I tend to keep a car a long time and mind it. I'll be keeping this car for about 7 years so which is best? I'm a bit of a car nut so it has to drive well and look good.
Thanks

colm_mcm

I'd be going Mazda, although the C5 is impressive.

Nonoperational

Both nice cars. Have a good drive off both. Would you not consider the 2.0L diesel in the mazda? Similar price to the 1.8 now i think?

54321

I'd love a Mazda 6 diesel 2.0l,(about 140bhp) but I think (and I could be wrong) that the 6 diesel doesn't come in sport mode i.e 18 inch wheels. The 16 inch wheels in my humble opinion doesn't do the car justice. If it came in the 18inch alloys, that the Sport 1.8 petrol comes in, I'd easily choose the 6 diesel. Probably seems like a trivial issue but at the price you may as well be as happy as possible with the purchase.

crosstownk

Personally, I prefer the C5 but I couldn't fault the Mazda. I assume you're considering the C5 1.6HDi Dynamique - the Ambiance is somewhat basic.

bazz26

Co2 levels on the C5 1.6 HDi are far from impressive from what I have read. Extra year's warranty on the Mazda too.

54321

Yep the C5 Dynamic is the better one by a long shot. Really great looking car, possibly the best looking in class. Very economical too, but it's going to have killer deprication (they always do) and the history of Citroen reliablity isn't great.

Sizzler

Mazda all the way for me. Jap cars would win hands down against French ensembles every time.

Rowley Birkin QC

Heart says Citroen, head says Mazda.

Audioslaven

Have the new C5 1.6 Diesel Dynamique, i am averaging about 52/53 mpg already and with just 4500 km on it, lovely car, everyone saws wow!!!. Find it a small bit underpowered.

I had a Mazda 323 for 8 years prior to this and it was an brilliant car. Its a tough call!!!

GERMAN ROCKS

id go with the citroen. looks much classier than the mazda. the citroen is a stunner. the hdi engines are bullet proof.

crosstownk

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

the hdi engines are bullet proof.

They sure are - as long as you use the recommended specification oil. If not then it will be bye bye to the turbo charger! The same is true of most modern turbo diesels, but the PSA engines are exceptionally sensitive.

pburns

I had an old 6. Great car, great to drive and I think the Sport model blows the C5 into the weeds looks-wise. Citroen has a pretty downmarket image IMO - all those low interest offers, savage depreciation and reliability worries don't help the image.

The Mazda petrol engine is a bit thrashy and noisy (or it was in the old model). Bullet-proof reliability-wise though.

Look at the CO2 figures also. The C5 is dire in this regard (the 1.6 diesel as same CO2 as Mazdas much more powerful 2.0D!) Boring perhaps, but relevant given our taxation/VRT system. I rejected another 6 in favour of a Subaru but it'd be waaaay ahead of a C5 for me.

Also, don't give up on Mazda importing the diesel in Sport spec. I think there's a 2.2 diesel in the wings, they might introduce it for this...

unkel

54321 wrote: »

it's going to have killer deprication (they always do)

If you're going to keep the car for 7 years, depreciation doesn't really matter much. After 7 years, either car would only be worth a fraction (15-20%) of the list price when new

If I'd buy a Citroen, it would have to have the hydropneumatic suspension system. And unfortunately, that's well outside your budget

The Mazda 6 is a sound car, but would you not consider any other car? It's very hard to beat the new Mondeo as an overal package (again especially if depreciation isn't going to be a major factor)

S.I.R

to put this debate simply:

mazda 6: Better built, Better reliability, more potent performance

citroen c5: Much more comfortable, Refined, suspension to play with !

CharlieCroker

MAZDA 6 ALL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Used to work for a Citroen/Mazda main dealer in sales.
New 6 is a cracker but you really need the SE spec.
Haven't driven new C5 as we gave up franchise before it came out, but with the old one, we'd start crying if we saw one coming back to be traded in. I'd be afraid that the new one will be the same. Also, dunno how it would stand up to 7 years abuse(even light) looking at some of the 01/02's that i've seen whereas i could have sold 02/03 Mazda6's ALL day long so while they both might lose money over the years, the 6 will be worth that little bit more AND be a lot easier to sell/trade in.

If you are going for the 6, make sure you get a spare wheel into the deal as they're not standard yet. (complaints from customer's is due to change that)

Hope that helps

S.I.R

CharlieCroker wrote: »

MAZDA 6 ALL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Used to work for a Citroen/Mazda main dealer in sales.
New 6 is a cracker but you really need the SE spec.
Haven't driven new C5 as we gave up franchise before it came out, but with the old one, we'd start crying if we saw one coming back to be traded in. I'd be afraid that the new one will be the same. Also, dunno how it would stand up to 7 years abuse(even light) looking at some of the 01/02's that i've seen whereas i could have sold 02/03 Mazda6's ALL day long so while they both might lose money over the years, the 6 will be worth that little bit more AND be a lot easier to sell/trade in.

If you are going for the 6, make sure you get a spare wheel into the deal as they're not standard yet. (complaints from customer's is due to change that)

Hope that helps

completely agree with you on this one.

Táck

by the time january comes around the new sport diesel may be available, a 2.2 engine, think its going to be 150-160 brake, with the bodykit and 18" alloys. the current exec se 4dr is 30,595 less metallic so i am guessing the new one will be 31,995 or even 32,495.

the diesels in the range are approx 1k more expensive then the petrol equivalent in every model. but as this will be a 2.2 it may be slight more...but again, im guessing.

i wouldnt even get into a debate on a citroen over a mazda.

Ferris

Have Mazda solved the problem of 6's blowing pistons on the 2.0L Diesel yet?

Stevie Dakota

I was looking at both of these recently and found them very different cars, the Citroen is all about comfort and style, the 6 is more sporting and not as refined. I like the former more so would go with the Citroen every time. Just depend on what your priorities are.

54321

Thanks for all the replies. Great to get some feedback from people who actually like cars, unlike people who I know, who think cars are just to get you from A to B... I've had those rows!
The Mondeo question was asked. The mondeo is I know the best drivers car in the class. It is just that you would have to spend an awful lot of money to get a Mondeo that looks great, the Ghia does look geat and would be my choice over the Mazda or Citroen, (I'd love a car that drives well) if funds allowed but the LX doesn't look great and the Zetec improves matters but isn't as nice as the Ghia

Nonoperational

Your correct on the sport spec. Diesel for some reason only comes in exec and exec SE spec.

E92

What about the Mondeo ECOnetic? Mondeo Zetec is very comprehensively equipped; OP you might be surprised but the 6 is a shade basic even in Exec SE trim. The Mondeo is a fantastic car, I know it's what I'd buy in a heatbeat having gone in one recently.

If it's the Mazda I'd be staying miles away from that diesel, I've even heard stories of dealers advising customers to buy the 1.8 instead of it. Anyway you said you like driving and petrol is better as a drivers car than diesel IMHO.

Though since the Mazda is good on CO2, why not go for a slightly used 2.0 petrol, after all it is in the same VRT and CO2 band as the 1.8? Since it's not going to cost any more to tax you might as well enjoy better performance while you're at it.

The Citroen has gotten praise for many things but I can safely say I have yet to see a review that says its driving dynamics are good.

Zonda999

I would imagine they are like a passat's or an A4's judging by its tv ads:D:rolleyes:

Jonny303

Theres no "problem" with the Mazda 6 diesel engine. A couple of the older ones, the rings went on the pistons but it was very very few, you'll get that no matter what car is out there.

New 6 is a really good drive, would take it any day over most things out there. The sport is pure class, we have one in white in stock at the moment and it just looks amazing.

CharlieCroker

Agree with jonny, white looks massive in them, especially in sport trim.
Has the supply improved with them? I've been out of the trade a couple of months now

crosstownk

Zonda999 wrote: »

I would imagine they are like a passat's or an A4's judging by its tv ads:D:rolleyes:

Take a test drive in one. You'll find your statement to be quite true!

Zonda999

Any bits fall off yet crosstown or are they building it the german way to match its german drive.

crosstownk

Zonda999 wrote: »

Any bits fall off yet crosstown or are they building it the german way to match its german drive.

Not yet..........solid so far.

regedit

any idea if Mazda Ireland are planning to import the 2.0 Diesel in the Sport Trim? At present Executive SE seems to be the highest trim available for the diesel.

54321, I'm also replacing my car next year. I would not go for a French car due to reliability issues. Japanese or German is the way for me. It will be either Mazda 6, Avensis 3 or the new Audi A4 (2.o L Diesel)

bazz26

If I was in the market for either of these cars I'd seriously consider the Subaru Legacy 2.0 Boxer Diesel. A hell of alot of car for €30/31k and still a pretty rare site on Irish roads.