2014 Mazda6: In Pursuit of Perfection

I've spent the past month or so driving SUVs, so I was excited to get back behind the wheel of our long-term 2014 Mazda6 sedan. I'm happy to report that I still love this car as much as I did the first time I drove it! The styling, the handling and the pricing all work together to make this one very impressive vehicle. But of course, no car is perfect, and I've discovered two things about the Mazda that leave some room for improvement.

Dye Job

The two-toned, perforated leather seats in our Mazda instantly give off a luxury vibe when you sit down. Aesthetically, they're gorgeous, though I have to admit that I was a little nervous about the lightness of the primary leather color. It's a creamy whitish-tan, and with a 2-and-a-half-year-old in the back seat, I figured we were in trouble. I couldn't have imagined it would actually be the adult drivers who would cause the issue.

Dark jeans are pretty standard attire these days for both men and women, and it's common for brand-new denim to come with a disclaimer that the dye used to create the garment could potentially rub off on lighter fabrics. The editors here at AutoTrader often wear jeans to work, and it seems like we've collectively managed to tint the gorgeous light-colored driver's seat a slightly bluish hue. Note to drivers: Wash new jeans a few times before wearing, or choose a darker interior leather. It just won't be as pretty!

Camera Conundrum

In my opinion, a rearview camera is an absolute must-have in cars these days (and apparently the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees with me). When I'm backing out of the tiny parking lot at my daughter's preschool, I'm especially grateful to be able to see the random child running behind my car or the parent who doesn't understand the basic concept of "wait your turn" trying to get around me.

I often get in the car, turn it on, put my car in reverse and then place a call to my husband via Bluetooth before actually backing up. In most cars, there's nothing that can override the rearview camera. In the Mazda6, however, that's not the case. If you use some kind of technology in the car -- Bluetooth, navigation, audio -- in between shifting into reverse and actually reversing, whatever you're doing will override the camera. This is a little frustrating because I always forget and then have to put the car in park before backing up again. This isn't a huge deal but definitely something to watch out for!

We're learning more about our long-term 2014 Mazda6 each day we spend with it. And though I still think it's probably the best midsize sedan out there right now, it just goes to show that perfection is impossible to achieve.