2003 Mazda 6

midsize car / 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteria	Rating
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Head restraints & seats

Key

G
Good
A
Acceptable
M
Marginal
P
Poor

Superior
Advanced
Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2003-08 models

Tested vehicle: 2003 Mazda 6i 4-door

The Mazda 6 was introduced in the 2003 model year as a replacement for the Mazda 626.

Evaluation criteria	Rating
Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

Smeared greasepaint indicates where the dummy's head hit the B-pillar, roof rail, and head restraint during rebound. Head acceleration from the B-pillar hit was high.

There was little change in the position of the dummy's feet following the crash test. Injury risk was low.

Technical measurements for this test

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEF0311
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm)	4
Left (cm)	6
Center (cm)	8
Right (cm)	7
Brake pedal (cm)	2
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm)	0
Right (cm)	0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm)	0
Rearward (cm)	-5
A-pillar rearward movement (cm)	1

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEF0311
Head
HIC-15	240
Peak gs at hard contact	79
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.0
Extension bending moment (Nm)	21
Maximum Nij	0.34
Chest maximum compression (mm)	26
Legs
Femur force - left (kN)	0.5
Femur force - right (kN)	2.8
Knee displacement - left (mm)	1
Knee displacement - right (mm)	0
Maximum tibia index - left	0.33
Maximum tibia index - right	0.42
Tibia axial force - left (kN)	2.4
Tibia axial force - right (kN)	4.0
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	39
Right	50

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2003-06 models

Tested vehicle: 2004 Mazda 6i 4-door without optional side airbags

The Mazda 6 was introduced in the 2003 model year as a replacement for the Mazda 626.

When side airbags are optional, as in this vehicle when it was tested, the Institute conducts the test without this option. If a manufacturer offering optional side airbags requests the Institute to conduct an additional test of a vehicle with this option and agrees to reimburse the cost of the vehicle, a second test is conducted. Mazda did not request such a test.

Beginning with 2007 models, side airbags were made standard, so these ratings do not apply to 2007 and later models.

Evaluation criteria	Rating
Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection The dummy's head was hit by the intruding barrier, producing high head injury measures.
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection The dummy's head was hit by the pillar behind the rear passenger door. This pillar is required by federal standard to provide some protection for occupants' heads.

View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing damage to the occupant compartment.

Action shot taken during the side impact crash test showing the driver dummy's head being hit by the intruding barrier.

A prominent dent indicates where the driver dummy's head hit the barrier.

Technical measurements for this test

Test ID	CES0401
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm)	1.0
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CES0401
Head HIC-15	2,165
Neck
Tension (kN)	2.1
Compression (kN)	0.0
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	47
Lateral force (kN)	3.3
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	50
Average deflection (mm)	37
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	5.14
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	0.99
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	5.4
Acetabulum force (kN)	2.5
Combined force (kN)	7.9
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	1.2
L-M moment (Nm)	160
A-P moment (Nm)	80

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CES0401
Head HIC-15	384
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.3
Compression (kN)	1.0
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	40
Lateral force (kN)	1.8
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	57
Average deflection (mm)	42
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	4.94
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	1.11
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	0.8
Acetabulum force (kN)	1.9
Combined force (kN)	2.6
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.4
L-M moment (Nm)	198
A-P moment (Nm)	37

About the original side crash test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Seats without adjustable lumbar

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry

Technical measurements for this test

Seat type	Seats without adjustable lumbar
Geometry
Backset (mm)	50
Distance below top of head (mm)	58
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail	Fail
Max T1 acceleration (g)	10.7
Head contact time (ms)	98
Force rating	2
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N)	151
Max neck tension (N)	966

Seat type: Seats with adjustable lumbar

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry

Technical measurements for this test

Seat type	Seats with adjustable lumbar
Geometry
Backset (mm)	35
Distance below top of head (mm)	68
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail	Fail
Max T1 acceleration (g)	11.1
Head contact time (ms)	104
Force rating	3
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N)	192
Max neck tension (N)	1,178

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.