Mazda 6e first drive 2025 | The Car Expert

Make and model: Mazda 6e
Description: Large electric hatchback
Price range: To be announced

Mazda says: “An all-new mid-sized electric car, the Mazda 6e brings a fresh take to the well-regarded internal combustion engine powered Mazda 6.”
We say: Generally well-designed. If some irritations can be dialled out of UK-spec versions, the Mazda 6e will offer a refreshing alternative to yet another electric SUV.

Mazda 6e test drive review 2025 – The Car Expert

Introduction

Mazda has long promoted a message of “electric is not the only answer” and, as a result, has been slow to adopt the transition to electric vehicles.

Currently just one EV, the MX-30, is available in the Mazda UK model range, an SUV that has earned praise for its style and on-road performance but criticism for its mediocre range, to the point that it’s now also offered in range-extender form with a small petrol engine acting as a generator.

Now we have Mazda’s second EV and perhaps its most high-profile electric model, yet which still refuses to follow the market norm – in a market saturated with SUVs, the Japanese brand has chosen to go with a third-generation version of its Mazda 6 large saloon.

Mind you this is not quite a Mazda in the traditional sense – the car has been achieved in a large part by using the EV hardware from Chinese manufacturer Changan, partnering with Mazda and recently launching in the UK in its own right. While a Mazda on the exterior, the 6e’s componentry underneath is sourced from Changan’s Deepal models.

There’s a lot still to learn about the Mazda 6e. While already on sale in Europe, it’s not due to reach UK showrooms until mid-2026, and specifications and pricing will not be revealed until January. However, in order for The Car Expert to obtain an early impression of the car, Mazda UK made available a European-specification left-hand-drive example for a first drive.

What is the Mazda 6e?

The Mazda 6 is a long-established large car which in its previous petrol and diesel form, last sold in 2022, rivalled the likes of the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat, and attracted praise for its style and driving dynamics.

For its third generation, the car has been reinvented as an electric vehicle. Mazda believes that the 6e will offer a tempting alternative to the usual SUV norm, with its main rival being the world’s best-selling electric saloon, the Tesla Model 3.

In Europe, the Mazda 6e is available with two battery options offering slightly different power, range and charging speeds. Whether the UK will get both or one of the options is still to be decided.

First impressions

The Mazda 6e is a big car – comparable to the CX-60 SUV in footprint, it measures some 4.9 metres in length, 35mm longer than its predecessor. Again bucking current EV trends, it has a long bonnet and short tail – more like a petrol car than an electric one. While actually a hatchback, its profile is that of a saloon, giving it a sharp, stylish appearance.

Also contributing to the visual familiarity is Mazda’s decision to retain the impression of a front grille. EVs don’t need airflow into an engine and so there’s no need for a conventional grille, but the brand’s signature wing design to the grille and headlights remains. While achieved by a graphic rather than any mesh, it produces a pleasing three-dimensional impression and is certainly easier on the eye than the bluff front ends of many EVs.

The headlamps do more than simply illuminate the road ahead. They light up when the car is unlocked, along with the door handles and mirrors popping out, while the lights will ‘flutter’ when charging, producing an animated sequence when the car is at 50% and again when fully charged. Thankfully, this feature can be turned off as, according to Mazda personnel, “it’s quite bright” and probably wouldn’t be appreciated by your neighbours at 3am…

Other exterior features include an active spoiler at the top of the rear screen, which raises into the airflow at speeds above 56mph. This too can be customised, for example being activated by selecting Sport in the three drive modes or even not at all.

We like: Stylish looks with grille design better than many EVs
We don’t like: Headlight charging display rather gimmicky

What do you get for your money?

This section has to be heavily caveated, as UK prices and specifications are not due to be revealed until around six months before the Mazda 6e goes on sale in mid-2026.

In Europe the car sells at prices from €45,000 and is available in two grades, dubbed Takumi and Takumi Plus. Notables in the specification of our Takumi-level car included keyless entry, an electric tailgate, a black artificial leather interior, ambient lighting with 64 colour combinations, a 14-speaker Sony audio system and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Takumi Plus versions get a premium tan Nappa leather interior – other additions will only be known when the UK specifications are announced.

In terms of safety, the Mazda 6e comes well-equipped with a wide range of electronic driver aids – as it was undergoing our test, Euro NCAP awarded the car a five-star rating, with the car faring particularly well in its occupant protection ratings.

We like: Strong safety rating
We don’t like: UK specification yet to be revealed

What’s the Mazda 6e like inside?

Mazda has long been known for its quality fit and finish, and the 6e maintains the image. Large exterior proportions translate to plenty of interior space, though the rear seat headroom (a complaint levelled at the previous Mazda 6) does not appear greatly improved. The floor does have the battery pack under it, which also has an effect on the boot with 466 litres available, extending to 1,074 litres with the rear seats folded. On the plus side, it is a flat floor with the tailgate providing a wide loading aperture.

There is also a separate storage area under the bonnet, rated at 72 litres. A lift-out basket can be purchased as an accessory, allowing stowage of shopping or such like and leaving a second space underneath for housing such items as the car’s charging cables. A bung in the base of the ‘frunk’ allows rinsing out of dirty items.

The driver’s environment is very different from the usual Mazda norm – the brand has long waved a flag for conventional control buttons over touchscreens, so previous owners of Mazdas may be disappointed to find all those buttons, and notably the large rotary knob between the front seats, have gone, replaced by a large touchscreen. This is one of the most visible signs that the 6e is not a ‘real’ Mazda.

This screen, close to 15 inches in size, initially appears to have all the confusing complexities that have attracted recent criticism of such systems, but whoever designed it has clearly done their research – if one has to rely on a touchscreen, let it be as sensible as this one.

Mazda insists it has been designed to be as user-friendly as possible, the standout feature being a permanent button bar along the base of the screen – most of these buttons are editable, allowing an owner to place the controls they will use most often in the bar where they will always be available for one-touch operation. For example, one button can control the heated seats for half of the year and then be swapped for seat ventilation when summer arrives.

Other touchscreen controls are based on swipe moves, plus a clever graphic of the car which rotates to bring up such functions as tailgate opening, seat heating and such for again, one-touch operation. The system also boasts voice control for all major functions.

The driver gets their own ten-inch digital display, while the standard head-up display projected onto the windscreen provides essential information without requiring a glance away from the view ahead.

The steering wheel is also very different to previous Mazda fare – plenty of proper buttons remain here, sensibly grouped, while there are two that can be customised with the driver’s preferred controls.

We like: Touchscreen well thought out with editable permanent control bar.
We don’t like: No one-touch cancellation of alerts.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Changan-sourced electrical hardware of the Mazda 6e is somewhat odd. There are two battery sizes, 67kWh and 80kWh, and what makes them slightly strange is that they make use of different battery technologies. The 67kWh version uses a newer type of battery technology and is regarded by Mazda as the “performance” model, its equivalent 258hp sending the car through 62mph from rest in 7.6 seconds.

The 80kWh battery in the ‘long-range’ model which we drove offers 244hp, which produces a 0-62mph time a mere two tenths slower than the 67kWh unit. Longer range means an extra 50 miles or so, with an official maximum of around 345 miles instead of just under 300.

However, the newer battery technology of the 67kWh unit makes a big difference when it comes to charging. It can accept ultra-rapid public charging of up to 200kW, going from 10 to 80% in just 22 minutes. The bigger battery takes 45 minutes to reach the same level, which in today’s market seems a lifetime.

Mazda claims not to have decided whether both battery options will be available on British cars, and if not which of the two will be chosen. Knowing the concerns about charging time among UK customers, and the fact that an official range of close to 300 miles is reasonable in today’s market, we suspect the 67kWh unit will get the nod – all the range advantage of the larger battery will be lost while waiting for it to recharge.

One other aspect to note – the Mazda 6e has a towing capability of 1,500kg, which is 500kg more than several rivals. That should make it interesting to those who need their EV to haul caravans and trailers.

What’s the Mazda 6e like to drive?

In typical EV form, there is no start button in the Mazda 6e. One simply selects drive from the right-hand stalk and off it goes with no fuss.

It’s generally easy to drive, cruising in serene silence. At just under two tonnes, it’s lighter than many large EVs. The rear-wheel drive format makes for precise steering, though still with the innocuous handling that is rapidly becoming the norm in the EV era.

The ride of our test car did feel a little fidgety, the suspension a little soft and only slightly improved, but not removed, by selecting Sport in the driving modes – the alternatives are Normal and an individually customisable mode. But again, this comes with a caveat, as Mazda tells us that the suspension is still being “tweaked” for UK-spec models.

There are adjustable levels of regenerative braking and you can certainly feel the effect when dialling this aspect up – however the car does not offer one-pedal driving and will not come close to a stop without use of the brakes.

Safety features include a camera view on the driver’s display of the inside wheel when turning, activated by the indicator and, we are told, helping to avoid clipping wheels on kerbs. We are not sure this is really an issue, and the more recent development among some rivals of showing the blind spot in such situations would be preferable.

Mazda personnel were keen to deactivate the lane-departure warning alert on the test models, explaining that it was over-aggressive and intrusive and would be modified for cars coming to the UK. They might want to do similar for the driver distraction alert, which tended to complain even when the driver’s eyes never left the road ahead.

We like: Easy cruiser with enough potency when needed.
We don’t like: Could do with feeling more planted on road.

Verdict

The Mazda 6e is, on first experience, a reasonable effort. Depending on price and specification, and Mazda’s ability to dial out certain irritations before putting it on UK sale, it could well appeal to those EV buyers who don’t want an SUV.

The car does lack some of the distinction that has been a Mazda feature in the past, but it looks stylish, is generally comfortable to travel in and maintains the brand’s general build quality.

Key specifications

Model tested: Mazda 6e 80kWh Takumi
Price as tested: TBA
Powertrain: Electric motor, rear-wheel drive
Gearbox: Single-speed automatic

Power: 245 hp
Torque: 320 Nm
Top speed: 108 mph
0-62mph: 7.8 seconds

Battery range: 343 miles (to be confirmed)
CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: 5 stars (October 2025)
TCE Expert rating: TBA (November 2025)