 I had been slowly looking for a new car when I happened to need a rental last year and was given a 2013 Mazda3.  Mazda wasn't even on my list but after a half mile driving that rental, I was definitely impressed!  I researched further, and test drove other cars (Toyota, Honda, Chevy) just to be sure.  Those other cars were boring to drive, and just irritating.  My main concern was access to the dealer which is a bit more of a drive but the service there has been excellent for routine maintenance so far.  I liked the Mazda3, too, but for a little more money I get almost the same great gas mileage and a lot of extra room, plus a CD player which I wanted.  Also, I like the seats better on the 6.  Bottom line is, I love my Mazda6.  It is a pleasure to drive with its sporty handling, responsive steering, smooth transmission, and excellent brakes.  I frequently go up to the mountains in SoCal where my Mazda6 eagerly takes on the twisty roads at 8,000 ft. plus elevation.  Hard to believe something so well put together and reliable can also be so beautiful to look at, but the Mazda6 really is all that!  So practical, yet so gorgeous!!I have heard this car can be noisy but in my experience that is only on certain kinds of pavement.  I think it's comparable to most of the cars in its class.  One caveat, I would be sure to get the backup camera and blind spot monitoring, as it can be a little hard to see out when changing lanes or parking, etc.  I would be in trouble without those features.  At 13,000 miles I've come to depend on them.  I do wish I could raise the seat another inch or so, and a deeper visor to better block the setting sun would be nice.  But that's about it!