Most-Watched Videos of the Week

In this week's most-watched video, PickupTrucks.com Editor Mark Williams offers the Cars.com sister site's first impressions of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado. Williams recently had an opportunity to tow, carry payload and even do some off-roading at Knibbe Ranch outside San Antonio, Texas, and our No. 2 video features more of the Silverado from that visit. In third place was the debut of our new 2014 Mazda6 video. Check out what else was popular:

1. 2014 Chevrolet Silverado: Impressions
2. 2014 Chevrolet Silverado
3. 2014 Mazda Mazda6
4. 2013 BMW 135is
5. 2014 Acura MDX

2014 Mazda6 Video

Americans sure love their Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys, and Mazda's competing midsize family sedan hasn't been successful in wooing shoppers away from those segment leaders. But Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says the 2014 Mazda6's fuel economy — now rated at 26/38 mpg city/highway — may be just the edge it needs to steal some hearts. Hanley says improved efficiency, however, doesn't mean mitigated acceleration or transmission responsiveness. Improved exterior styling, interior materials, cabin comfort and cargo space engender a luxurious feel, but a dinky navigation system undermines that somewhat. Watch the video above.

Related
2014 Mazda6: Second Take
2014 Mazda6: Photo Gallery
More Mazda6 News on Cars.com

2014 Mazda6: Second Take

Despite offering a sporty driving experience in a stylish package, the Mazda6 has struggled to win buyers in the family sedan segment. It's always been a bit player in the class, but Mazda is making a big push in the segment again with a redesigned 2014 Mazda6. The car appears to have what it takes to challenge the segment leaders, but a few common complaints also cropped up after testing by several Cars.com editors.

Read the full review of the 2014 Mazda6

The car's looks, for one, seem like they'll go a long way toward bringing shoppers into the showroom. "This is one of the best-looking cars I've driven in some time," said Managing Editor David Thomas. "I don't mean this is the best-looking sedan or midsize sedan I've driven; I'm talking looks across the segments including sports cars and luxury vehicles."

Cars.com editors weren't the only ones who noticed the Mazda6's styling. "During each of my drives, the car turned heads," said editor Jennifer Geiger. "I hadn't received that much attention from pedestrians and other drivers since I first tested the Scion FR-S."

2014 Mazda6: Car Seat Check

Mazda's midsize sedan was redesigned for 2014 with more dramatic exterior styling and two new four-cylinder engines, including the car's first turbo diesel. Installing child-safety seats in the Mazda6 was relatively drama-free, however.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

Recall Alert: Airbag Problem Affects Millions of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda Vehicles

Four Japanese automakers — Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda — have announced a voluntary recall of 3 million vehicles worldwide because of possibly faulty airbags; more than a million of those vehicles are in the U.S.

According to the automakers, the problem lies in the front-passenger airbag inflator, which in affected vehicles could deploy with too much pressure due to improperly manufactured propellant wafers, causing the inflator casing to rupture. This could result in injuries to passengers, though none have been reported. The airbags were manufactured by Japan's Takata Corp., a major world supplier of airbags.

According to Toyota, affected vehicles in the U.S. include 510,000 Toyota Corolla compact sedans, Matrix compact hatchbacks, Sequoia SUVs and Tundra pickup trucks, as well as Lexus SC 430 sport coupes, all manufactured between 2001 and 2003. According to news reports, Toyota is recalling 1.7 million vehicles worldwide.

Toyota said it will notify owners by mail. Dealers will inspect the front-passenger airbag; if it is equipped with an affected inflator, the inflator will be replaced with a new one for free. Toyota owners can go to www.toyota.com/recall or call Toyota customer service at 800-331-4331; Lexus owners can go to www.lexus.com/recall or call Lexus customer service at 800-255-3987.

Five New Cars Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Well, that was a quick turnaround. Just seven months after eight of 11 luxury cars blew the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's new small-overlap frontal test, all five cars in the latest IIHS small-overlap test scored Acceptable or Good — the top two of four possible scores.

The 2014 Mazda6 sedan, 2013 Honda Civic Coupe and Civic Sedan, 2013 Volvo XC60 SUV and 2013 Lincoln MKZ sedan passed IIHS' most challenging frontal test, which simulates a 40-mph impact with a rigid barrier that overlaps just 25% of the front of a car. All five cars earned IIHS' Top Safety Pick+ ("plus") honor, a rank above Top Safety Pick status.

IIHS said in 2012 that some 10,000 annual highway deaths in the U.S. occur from frontal collisions, and nearly a quarter of those occur because of so-called small overlap situations.

The 2013 MKZ is the first car that documents an automaker's improvement in the same test. In August 2012, its predecessor scored poorly, allowing a belted crash-test dummy to careen toward the A-pillar rather than the front airbag. The redesigned MKZ offered better front-airbag protection, earning the car an Acceptable score. The Mazda6 scored Acceptable, too.

2014 Mazda6: Photo Gallery

The redesigned-for-2014 Mazda6's rear styling looks so good that admirers will hate to see it go, but they'll love to watch it leave. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says one of the midsize sedan's best features is one to which automakers sometimes don't pay much design attention, but the luxury look of the new Mazda6's posterior won't go unnoticed; the front end, with its shield-like grille, is also attractive. Those looks, along with the brand's reliably sporty driving experience and remarkably improved fuel economy, could help close the gap between the Mazda6 and segment-dominating Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Check out more images Hanley photographed during his first drive of the car below and read his review here.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Yet again this week, no competitor coming up the hill was hungry enough to wrestle Toyota's ravenous RAV4 from its perch atop our most-read reviews list. But with four newcomers to this week's list — including a trio of 2014 entries — the 2013 version of the RAV4 may face some formidable competition in coming weeks. The 2014 Mazda6 and 2014 Subaru Forester burst onto the most-read-reviews scene in second and third place, respectively, while the 2014 Kia Forte waded in at No. 10. The remaining newcomer this week, the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid, landed in eighth place.

Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
2. 2014 Mazda6
3. 2014 Subaru Forester
4. 2013 Ford Fusion
5. 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
6. 2013 Ford Explorer
7. 2013 Ford Escape
8. 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
9. 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
10. 2014 Kia Forte

Cars.com Reviews the 2014 Mazda6

The Mazda6 has traditionally been good looking and fun to drive, but it's a slow seller compared to many midsize sedans. The redesigned-for-2014 version again offers sharp styling and a sporty driving experience. It's also more fuel efficient than the outgoing version, which Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says should bolster its appeal.

2014 Mazda6 Review

2014 Mazda6 Priced Below Ford Fusion, Honda Accord

Mazda's midsize sedan is fun to drive and good looking, but far from a sales success. The redesigned-for-2014 model's new powertrains and expressive styling should help draw more buyers to showrooms, as should its price.

The 2014 Mazda6 starts at $21,675, including a $795 destination fee, according to Mazda. It costs less than several class rivals, including the 2013 Honda Accord ($22,470) and 2013 Ford Fusion ($22,495), but slightly higher than the outgoing 2013 Mazda6 ($21,520). All prices include destination fees.