Now we are 6

Navigating the highway in my Mazda6 Sport Wagon recently, I was overtaken by an equally sporty Dodge Magnum wagon. The two are peas in a pod, both extremely low-slung and aggressive-looking. The overall impression is mobile pillbox, with the driver peering out through gun-slit-like windows.

Not that it’s a bad thing. Both cars are, well, cool.

It’s amazing how successful car designs give birth to copycats. After the Mazda Miata was a smash hit, we were suddenly inundated with snazzy, retro-inspired roadsters. The Dodge Ram truck was a style leader, too, casting its spell on the Chrysler 300 and the Magnum wagon. The lowered look in station wagons may have legs as well, judging from the vast numbers of Mazda6 sports I see on the road.

I once owned a Volvo 1800S that was really low to the ground. It was like driving a bathtub. The Mazda6 just looks like it’s dragging in the dirt. It feels pretty normal from the driver’s seat. And while the windows resemble slits from the outside, the visibility is actually decent all around. Wagons of this type are increasingly popular in Europe, where they compete with sporty little wagon/SUV hybrids of the Scion xB type. (Did I mention that despite hating SUVs, I find the xB strangely compelling?)

I recently watched an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which the great Larry David decides to become a Toyota salesman for a day. A Prius driver himself, he tries to sell a couple on a gigantic Sequoia using the "commanding" driving position as an inducement. Actually, all that means is that the car is really high off the ground, making it difficult to climb into and so top-heavy that rollover is a worry. Better to be close to the road like the Mazda6, which, in actual fact, offers as much cargo room as many of those off-road warriors, with much greater versatility.

The Sport Wagon is a pretty good deal, which is one reason I’m seeing so many of them. The base price is $24,025, and that’s not a stripped vehicle: It comes with air, a six-speaker CD, automatic climate control, power seats, traction control, 17-inch alloy wheels, ABS brakes and more. The only options taking our test car to $27,145 were a leather package, a Bose stereo (squeaky on full bass) and a power moon roof.

A descendant of the 626 that first appeared in the U.S. in 1979, the Mazda6 is a darned good $25,000 car, considering its very responsive 3-liter engine twin-cam V-6, which produces 220 horsepower. (Hatchback versions can be had with a four-cylinder engine.) The Ford-derived powerplant is mated to a standard five-speed manual, though a six-speed Sport AT transmission is available. And it sports a very warm and inviting cabin, with typical wagon conveniences.

Canadian Driver commented, "The Mazda6 Sport Wagon permits you to have SUV-like cargo room in a car that enjoys being driven." I know what they mean. I watched a woman in a Ford Excursion trying to negotiate a supermarket parking lot recently and it didn’t look like that behemoth enjoyed being driven.

The Sport Wagon likes being a car, and since it weighs only 3,400 pounds, it’s fairly nimble. It corners relatively flat, making it one of those vehicles you throw into a bend, reveling in your ability to place it accurately. And to think the back can be full of kids and groceries!

Speaking of kids, mine preferred last week’s Honda Odyssey, which offered child-friendly options like a DVD player and XM satellite radio. But what do they know? They’re 8 and 10.