It is no longer a surprise - though it would once have been considered outlandish - when a manufacturer makes an estate car that looks as good as or, in some cases, better than its saloon or hatchback equivalent.Mazda made this a difficult target with the 6, which in saloon form is surely one of the most handsome family cars on the market. But that didn't seem to discourage the designers, who have made the 6 Tourer a particularly elegant load-carrier.On the subject of load-carrying, the 6 is competitive in its class, with luggage volume of 506 litres when the rear seats are in place and 1648 when they're folded down. That's better than the (longer) Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer but not as good as the (shorter) Ford Mondeo Estate, though none of them can match the (much shorter) Skoda Octavia Estate. But it's been the case for years that, if practicality is your priority, give your cheque to the Czechs.I like the 6's low load sill and wide tailgate, and I particularly like the way the parcel shelf moves out of the way as the tailgate opens, taking on its secondary duty as a windbreak for rear passengers. Why aren't all estates like this?The test car used the 148bhp version of Mazda's 2.2-litre diesel engine (possibly the most sensible choice in the range, though I can see why you might prefer the greater thrills of the alternative 173bhp unit) and a rather lovely six-speed automatic transmission. The gearchanges aren't quite imperceptible, but they come very close to it, and the box is very good at already having selected a lower gear for a particular situation just as you were beginning to think that this might be a sensible idea.That gearbox, and the estate body style, do no favours to the official fuel economy and CO2 emissions, which are extraordinarily good in the manual saloon. Still, 57.6mpg and 129g/km are splendid for a car of this type, and suggesting that they might be possible would have had your burned at the stake as recently as the closing days of the last Labour administration.How accurate are they, though? Well, this test suggested that 45mpg is easy to achieve, 50mpg not too difficult with a bit of concentration. 57.6 would be hard work, but I don't think it's the unattainable goal that it is in some other cars.I've said before that the 6 falls apart when it's fitted with 19" wheels and low-profile tyres. The SE-L has much more sensible 17" rims and taller rubber, but the set-up compromises involving the weight of the diesel engine and the possibility of carrying heavy loads mean that the ride isn't absolutely ideal, and is noticeably inferior to that of a petrol saloon. Still pretty good, though.Like other 6s, this one has cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring and Hill Hold Assist. The SE-L specification, in addition to what you get with the cheaper SE, includes dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, privacy glass, powered folding door mirrors, an auto-dimming interior mirror, automatic headlights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors, two extra audio speakers (making four in all), Smart City Brake Support, roof rails and a cargo net.Strictly speaking, this equipment costs £800, but the situation is complicated by the fact that you can't have an SE with automatic transmission. The Sport has more equipment as standard, and gives you the option of the 173bhp diesel engine, but it commits you to those blasted 19" wheels and ought to be avoided for that reason alone. Engine 2191cc, 4 cylinders Power 148bhp Transmission 6-speed automatic Fuel/CO2 57.6mpg / 129g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 10.0 seconds Top speed 126mph Price £24,795 Details correct at publication date
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