2015 Mazda6 facelift on sale early next year

The upgraded Mazda6 saloon and estate model range will appear in showrooms at the start of 2015 with a lightly revised exterior, more standard equipment and improved refinement.

The 2015 Mazda6 is priced from £19,795 – a £200 increase over the current car.

From the outside, the changes to the Mazda6 (Carbuyer’s ‘Best Large Family Car’ and ‘Best Estate Car’ in 2013) are minor. There's a new chrome-slatted front grille with sharper ‘fins’ in the bumper, new LED tail-lights and 19-inch alloy wheels. Two new body colours are also available.

Interior materials have been upgraded, including new instruments and a seven-inch central display for navigation and media controls. SE and SE-L models, starting from £19,795 and £20,795 respectively, are fitted with equipment such as an electronic parking brake and new Multimedia Commander control system, with a DAB digital radio and smartphone connectivity.

Top-spec Sport Nav models, starting from £24,595 with a 161bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine, feature new LED headlamps, foglamps and daytime running lights. The passenger seat is now electrically adjustable six ways and there’s a fighter-jet-style head-up display and a revised navigation system.

Optional equipment includes stone-leather upholstery instead of the standard black option. New safety equipment includes adaptive LED headlamps, lane-keeping assistance with steering assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and rear city braking, which automatically applies the brakes before an imminent impact.

The range of petrol and diesel engines remains unchanged, although Mazda has improved sound insulation and new suspension is claimed to make the ride more refined and comfortable.