You've heard the saying; "they just don't make them like they used to." Well, I love the classics, the old, the proven and tested. There's something about history, tradition and heritage that shouldn't be forgotten. I like admiring old cars and I like playing old traditional golf courses. Established trees, spectacular views and the rich history surrounding old courses have a special place in my heart. But the old is not always the best.

Take automobiles for instance. Cars are better today than ever before. They are safer, more efficient and have better quality. New models offer more content for less money and cars have to be more than just "good" to stir the soul and pry open the pocketbook of today's buyer.

The midsize segment is crowded with excellent vehicles like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Taurus, Chevy Impala and Nissan Altima. To stand out and excel, Mazda had to do something more than just build a "good" car to replace their aging 626 and Milennia models.

The long anticipated Mazda 6 is a great value and actually stirs the soul. So what better destination than to take this new model to one of Kansas City's newest Golf Courses? My friends at Blue Ridge Mazda picked out a loaded 2003 Mazda 6 for my outing to Sycamore Ridge Golf Course, just South of Olathe in Spring Hill. Sycamore Ridge is fast earning a reputation as one of the toughest public courses in the area, just as the Mazda 6 has become one of the toughest competitors in the mid-size sport sedan market.

Sycamore is an example of a new breed of golf course excelling in an ever-crowded field. There is no real golf tradition in Spring Hill, so everything Colbert, Burns & McDonnell designed in this 7,000 yard par 72 course had to be exceptional. They made it beautiful, exciting and challenging, just so you would get a little pain with your pleasure.

There is no pain with the Mazda 6 but there is plenty of pleasure and excitement. The challenge was to produce a vehicle to compete with other mid size cars but tease the driver with something beyond. That something beyond is the soul of a sports car.

With an MSRP under $25,000, this car had every option imaginable except for GPS navigation.

I mention this because even though the Mazda 6 did not have a GPS navigation system available, the golf carts at Sycamore Ridge did. In all honesty, the GPS on golf carts make more sense than navigation systems I have used in other cars. Automotive GPS systems have yet to impress me so it was not missed on this car. However, I did find the GPS system handy on the golf carts. If they would only develop a homing device for me to find lost balls, I could be truly happy.

The one feature that I really liked was a simple mute button on the steering wheel radio controls. I could be blasting the Bose audio system one minute and with the push of the button, mute everything to talk or hear. After the grueling round of golf I couldn't wait to relax in the 8-way adjustable heated leather seats. The telescopic steering wheel complemented the tilt feature to achieve the perfect driving position.

The 2003 Mazda 6s is a sport sedan with emphasizes on sport. Cranking 220 horsepower and plenty of torque through the 5-speed automatic found on the Mazda 6s made this a fun car to drive. Handling was superb with an innovative low profile multi link rear suspension that opened up plenty of room in the trunk for golf clubs but also provided excellent handling and control. Four wheel disc brakes with ABS tops off the outstanding content of this package.

I just couldn't find this level of sporty comfort, handling, power and safety on the classics. I can still remember when cars had a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty rather than the standard four-year or 50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty for the Mazda 6. I still love the old cars, but the 2003 Mazda 6 is the choice for a new generation because it stirs the soul while it meets your needs.

Sycamore Ridge? Well, let's just say, I'm glad I bought a dozen balls before playing.

Vehicle Tested:
2003 Mazda 6s
21,100.00 Base MSRP
24,965.00 Price as tested

Providing Dealership:
Blue Ridge Mazda
6824 Blue Ridge Blvd
Raytown, MO 64133
816-358-6500

Destination
Sycamore Ridge Golf Course
21731 Clubhouse Drive
Spring Hill, KS 66083
913-592-5292

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