Improved for 2006, the Mazda 6 is the sports sedan of front-drive midsize cars. While the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are designed for mass appeal or, stated more cynically, for people who don't like cars, the Mazda 6 is designed for the driving enthusiast. Mazda6, as the company calls it, is not for everyone, and that's just fine with Mazda.

The Mazda 6 looks leaner than its competitors and the driving experience backs that up with agile handling and responsive engines. The Mazda 6 feels tighter in corners and holds the road better than Camry, Accord or Nissan Altima. It's lighter on its feet and stops quicker. In short, it's a better driver's car. Four-cylinder and V6 engines are available, each available with five-speed manual gearboxes or five- or six-speed automatics.

The Mazda 6 comes in sporty 5-Door hatchback and Sport Wagon styles in addition to the four-door Sports Sedan. The 5-Door excels at carrying cargo, yet it doesn't look like a hatchback; in fact, it takes a sharp eye to distinguish it from the sedan. The wagon is truly a sport wagon, better than the hatchback in terms of driving enjoyment, and it offers excellent cargo-hauling versatility with a flat cargo area when the seats are folded and practical features such as a dog fence and a cargo net integrated into the cargo cover.

The 2006 model year brings revisions to the entire Mazda 6 line. Mild styling revisions give it a cleaner look. New front seats are designed for greater comfort and support, new cloth fabrics, a new center console, new door panels, and other features make the cabin more comfortable and more convenient. The 3.0-liter V6 offers slightly more torque for 2006, improving performance off the line and improving drivability by making the engine more tractable. Fuel economy has been improved for both engines, and the four-cylinder engine used on 2006 Mazda 6i models is available with a new five-speed automatic, replacing the old four-speed. The brakes have been upgraded for 2006 with bigger ventilated front disc brakes designed to reduce stopping distances, resist brake fade and improve pedal feel. Also, 18-inch wheels and tires are available.

The new 2006 Mazdaspeed6 is a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive sedan carefully tuned by Mazda's performance division. The Mazdaspeed6 offers impressive levels of performance and handling yet we found it sufficiently comfortable for the daily commute. All-wheel drive helps tame its 274-horsepower turbocharged engine, its close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox is remarkable for its easy, smooth-shifting action, and its suspension is firm but not unbearably so. It comes with sporty fabric or leather upholstery and other luxury features. Think of it as an alternative to the Audi A4 quattro or BMW 330xi.

The Mazda 6 earned product awards and accolades from the motoring press for its handling, performance and sports appeal, yet its relative obscurity means you won't likely see it in your neighbor's driveway. Driving one of these means you're something of a non-conformist, and the variety of body styles adds to this distinction. For those of us who like cars, that's a good thing.