Following up on our report last month about the new 2009 Mazda6, Car & Driver has now put the car through its paces and provided some interior photos. The new model is 6.9 inches longer and 2.3 inches wider than before, putting it in new Accord territory. The car achieves a 0.27 drag coefficient and also includes Lexus-like tailpipe tips. Judging from the interior shots, we can expect more tech this time around as well.

The model shown in the photos doesn't have a navigation system, but it does show steering wheel controls for both cruise control and the audio system—the top left button in particular seems to be a Bluetooth/cell phone toggle. The navigation-equipped model will be different, however. According to J.D. Power, Mazda's new Cross Functional Network (CF-Net) will provide integrated controls for navigation, air conditioning, audio, and driving information on the steering wheel.

Either way, the dashboard design apes what Mazda already introduced with their CX-9 crossover, but fashions it in a sportier vein for the sedan. The C/D report said that the new model generally impressed them, and called it "a no-excuses Camry and Accord contender this time."