► Facelifted Mazda 6 revealed
► Gets ‘G-Vectoring control’ system
► Prices unchanged; starts at £20k
Mazda’s lexicon may already be filled with baffling terms like Skyactiv, i-Eloop and Jinba Ittai, but the company has now one-upped itself with G-Vectoring Control.
The system, which arrives in the updated Mazda 6 range later this year, subtly regulates torque delivery while cornering to provide more accurate, predictable and quicker steering.
Mazda also claims that GVC delivers smoother performance and provides a better feeling of connection for the driver, as well as greater passenger comfort.
How does it work?
When the car enters a corner, and once the system has assessed a host of inputs including steering angle, GVC will momentarily reduce the engine’s torque output. This subtle reduction shifts weight onto the front axle, boosting grip and improving the effectiveness of the steering.
Mazda claims that GVC minimises fatigue, too, as it cuts the number of steering adjustments needed around corners and on straight roads – reducing body and head sway.
Reputedly, the system’s torque reductions are ‘largely imperceptible’, so performance and response shouldn’t be affected. Our initial experience with the system, having briefly tried it on a launch event, appears to confirm that this is the case.
So when can I get my hands on it?
This tech will feature as standard in the updated 6, due to arrive this autumn, and it should also be rolled out across the 2017 model year Mazda 3.
Pricing for the new Mazda 6 remains unchanged, starting at £19,795 for the entry-level version and rising to £28,895 for the flagship.
What else is new for the revamped Mazda 6?
Additional updates for Mazda’s executive saloon include a new ‘Transient Control’ system for the Skyactiv-D engine. It’s claimed to cut lag and and provide swifter throttle response. Mazda says it’s made its diesel engine quieter, too, with the addition of new ‘Natural Sound Smoother’ tech that consists of a damper inside the pistons’ gudgeon pins, reducing vibration and that characteristic diesel knocking noise.
Other updates include a new metallic grey paint option, a redesigned leather steering wheel and new equipment – ranging from a higher-quality colour heads-up display system to automatic power-folding mirrors, on SE–L Nav models and up.
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