Better Late Than Never: 2018 Mazda 6 Gets Free Tech Upgrade
Mazda is upgrading the infotainment system of the 2018 Mazda 6 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Starting in September, the company will even allow owners who purchased one earlier in the year bring their vehicle into the dealership and have it upgraded, free of charge.
While that’s incredibly kind of them, there’s a catch. You have to own the Touring trim or above. If you bought a lesser Mazda 6, you’ll be out left out in the cold. But the automaker previously said it wouldn’t include the popular phone integration setup until 2019, making this a nice gesture. The 2019 CX-9 is supposed to be the first vehicle to see Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard equipment, though we’ve also heard Mazda talking about future dealer upgrades for all models equipped with Mazda Connect for a small fee in other parts of the world.
For the Mazda 6, taking it in for the new equipment also nets you a faster-charging 2.1-amp USB port, in addition to the latest software version of Mazda Connect. This kind of tech isn’t make-or-break for us — it’s just a nice addition, considering Mazda lacks a bit in the tech department. This helps level the playing field and should pair nicely with the sedan’s upgraded looks and features for the current model year.
The Mazda6 can now be had with most of the digital bits you’d want to see in your sedan, an optional 2.5-liter turbo engine making 227 horsepower (more with higher-octane gas) and 310 foot-pounds of torque, and no obnoxious stop-start technology.
In November, Mazda will bake in the infotainment upgrade as original equipment on the Mazda 6 before it’s adapted into other models. But you’ll still have to buy the Touring trim level or higher. That sets you back around $26,600 in its most vanilla format with the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter. A base sedan outfitted with a manual can be had for $22,845 — or a grand more with the automatic transmission.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Signature trim starts at $35,645. However, if you want the infotainment tech and turbocharged power but don’t care about fancy seats, we’d recommend splitting the difference and going with the $30,000 Grand Touring model.
[Images: Mazda]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Hoping to get this on my 2016.5 CX-5. Eventually.
Apple Car Play navigation: Verdict after a couple of weeks using it for the first time in Europe is double, triple, quadruple check your route before setting off, and be prepared to disconnect your phone and reboot the car on occasion. Naturally it depends on Apple Maps which, while massively improved in recent years, are still nowhere near as good as the other popular smartphone map suppliers.