Mazda buyers expect more from their cars than the average family sedan shopper, or at least the statistics say so since the last 6 didn't score as well on room or power as some of its sister cars that are no bigger and less powerful.

So for the 2009 model the North American Mazda6 is larger than the 6 in other markets and it has more power; we never had any issues with quality on the old one and it's too soon to tell about durability on the new one.

How big is it? Bigger than it appears at first, the long, sleek body looking more like a big coupe than a box-on-box sedan and many are surprised to find it just a fraction of an inch shorter than Honda's new-last-year Accord. A 6 is plenty big enough to go one on one with the Accord for room inside front or back and its trunk is bigger than anything in the class.

More car without sufficient power would be a mistake even in today's fuel-conscious market, so the standard four-cylinder is up to 2.5 liters, 170 hp, and compares well with most mid-size four-cylinders and runs with the Accord's high-strung LX and EX 2.4-liter.

Those bent on speed will have no complaints with the new 3.7-liter V-6's 272 ponies on tap, accessed through a six-speed automatic. This combo significantly improves the power-to-weight ratio over the old car, and with the bigger car, is down 2 on EPA numbers.

A few things have been dropped from the line including the niche market hatchback, Speed6 and wagon models, and a manual gearbox behind the V-6. Clutch enthusiasts will have to make do with the four-cylinder, six-speed manual pairing (black interiors only) but should find it an entertaining drive because it's hundreds of pounds lighter than the V-6. Besides, any non-enthusiast wouldn't be ready for the quick upshifts required of the 3.7's grunt.

Enough space to put four six-plus footers in simultaneously is standard, as are power windows/locks/mirrors, AC, tilt and telescope steering wheel, lit visor mirrors and a 60/40 folding rear seat even on the entry-level sub-$20,000 SV version. Features are added to Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models as prices escalate, and each can be had with four or six-cylinder power.

Styling themes follow Mazda's "semi-floating" front fenders found on the RX-8, MX-5 and CX-7, a modern interpretation on sports cars of half a century ago. The wraparound tail is no less sleek and the short deck hides a deceptively large trunk; high-line models get LED tail-lamps and V-6s get big, distinctive exhaust outlets.

Upholstery includes cloth, leather, and at least one choice that mixes the two with animal-striped cloth inserts framed by leather. No wood trim is used, rather metallic surfaces or synthetic materials that resemble rock strata in a chunk of granite. Everything is sensibly laid out and available amenities include voice-activated navigation, Bluetooth, blind spot monitor systems, audio inputs, driver memory and Bose Centerpoint noise-compensation sound systems.

All 6s provide the same data on the dash: revs, speed, fuel, coolant and outside temperature, and on automatics the gear selected and a big-typeface number in manual mode. Upper trims use electroluminescent gauges with blue coronas, and all cars use deep amber for illumination. At top center of the dash under its own shade lip is climate and radio information, and below, an intuitive nav screen or radio panel and three-dial venting. The voice-activated navigation recognized the very first command we gave it.

Features and gadgets may be handy, but the driving characteristics developed on the old car have been fine tuned for this one and are at least as important. A stout structure makes the basis for such a blend of ride comfort, handling, and fun that we can't use the word "compromise."

The entry-model SV shows that the basics are well sorted, and things only improve with the larger tires and lighter aluminum wheels added with upper trim levels. And each model uses the same suspension layout but is tuned for those tires and anticipated driving style.

Ride is on the firm side meaning it won't be as soft as a Camry or Sonata but it wasn't as bouncy or busy as an Accord. Even with fat, low-profile tires on the V6, minor road imperfections like pavement ripples and lane-divider dots were much better quelled than in the competitors, yet it went round the bends better as well. All 6s have stability control but stability seems inherent in the design as even dumbbell moves didn't invoke the buzzing and hand-slapping. And despite the near full-size dimensions and wide tires, the 6 needs just 35-and-a-half feet of space for a U-turn, better than many small cars.

The 6i (four-cylinder) runs in the $20,000-27,000 range depending on equipment, the V6 a few thousand more. Standards on the Grand Touring V-6 ($29,000) include leather upholstery, power heated front seats, driver memory, auto-dimming heated mirrors, advanced key, fog lamps, rain-sensing wipers, Bluetooth, blind spot monitor system, dual-zone climate control and 235/45WR18 Michelins on alloy wheels. Bose surround sound and a moonroof add $1760, and if you have those, you can add navigation for another $2000.

That puts a top-line 6 near the bottom of "entry-premium" cars like the Lexus ES350 and Acura TL, where the 6 remains one of the best-driving big front-drive sedans. Mazda likes to say the 6 has some "class above" features, but we wouldn't limit the "class above" to only features.

(Whale, a longtime Ventura County resident, has been breaking parts for 30 years and writing about it for 22.)

2009 Mazda6 Grand Touring

Engine: 3.7-liter DOHC V-6, 272 hp

Length/width/height (in.): 193.7/72.4/57.9

Weight: 3,547 lbs.

MPG city/hwy/observed: 17/25/21.4

Base warranty: 3 yrs/36,000 miles

Price as tested: $33,050

Alternatives: Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry