Mazda 6e Review & Prices

Mazda’s first electric car, the MX-30, was a fun but very flawed offering with a truly terrible range. The new 6e aims to dash the MX-30’s memory and is a more conventional saloon-shaped alternative to the Tesla Model 3 and Mercedes CLA Electric.

It’s very typical Mazda, so it’s like the person who arrives a bit late to the costume party but has given what they’re wearing a great deal of thought.

It certainly shows in the 6e’s styling - it’s a real supermodel of an electric car. It’s low-slung with a sloping roofline and pronounced ‘hips’ at the back, while at the front there are swept-back headlights and the same-shaped grille you’ll find on the rest of Mazda’s cars - just filled in. It’s really handsome and looks great in Mazda’s trademark ‘Soul Red’ paintwork.

The interior is a bit more divisive. Like the new CX-5, there are precious few physical buttons - nearly everything is controlled through the 14.6-inch touchscreen in the centre. And that’s not just sat-nav, media and the climate controls, but even the headlights and wipers. At least unlike the Tesla Model 3, Mazda fits a separate display for driver information.

It does look and feel rather fabulous inside, though. We got a chance to drive a pre-production model and found that there were lashings of really high-quality trim pieces - leather, metal and Alcantara - all in a fetching tan colour available on top-spec models.

Mazda 6e: Electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 348 miles
Efficiency: 4.3 miles per kWh
Battery size: 78kWh
Max charge speed: 195kW
Charge time AC: 10hrs 50mins 0-100% at 7.4kW
Charge time DC: 24 mins, 10-80% at 195kW
Charge port location: Right rear
Power outputs: 248hp

Where parts of a Mercedes CLA or Tesla Model 3 still feel distinctly cheap and creaky, the Mazda 6e’s build quality was on par with much more expensive cars such as the BMW i5.

The Mazda’s also surprisingly spacious considering its rakish looks. Front passengers get lots of adjustment and storage in the centre console for all the odds and ends you might need, though the placement of the battery pack under the floor means the driver sits quite high.

Rear passengers have plenty of legroom, though anyone over six feet tall might have to slouch because the roof line is quite low. It’s certainly roomier than a CLA, but a Tesla Model 3 is more spacious in the back.

There’s a big boot, too - at 466 litres and with a useful hatchback opening it should easily accommodate the needs of a family, and there’s even a large front boot to keep your charging cables out of the way.

There’s only one powertrain available. It pairs a 78kWh battery pack to a 258hp electric motor, driving the rear wheels. Altogether that means a range of up to 348 miles on a charge, and 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds. That’s actually more range than you get from an entry-level CLA or Tesla Model 3, though both of those cars do have long-range offerings available which can do well over 400 miles on a charge. They’re also quicker than the Mazda, particularly the Tesla.

Charging time is another area where the 6e is pretty good - at a maximum speed of 195kW, you can top up from 10-80% in around 24 minutes.

We’ve only driven a pre-production version of the Mazda 6e, and were quite impressed. While it’s not as much fun to drive as the old petrol-powered Mazda 6 was, the 6e doesn’t roll about too much in the bends and the steering is sharp and nicely weighted.

It’s also really comfortable on the motorway, though driving it in town isn’t always the easiest as visibility isn’t very good out of the rear and the suspension is quite firm over broken surfaces.

Verdict

The Mazda 6e doesn’t do anything particularly groundbreaking, but it’s a really good-looking electric car that doesn’t demand too much compromise for the way it looks. A Tesla Model 3 is still a better all-rounder, though, and if you want a car with a really long range you’d better look at either the Tesla or the Mercedes CLA Electric, both of which can do more than 400 miles on a charge for not much more than the Mazda 6e.

Check out our best Mazda 6e deals here, or get a great Mazda 6e leasing deal. You can check out used Mazdas for sale and remember that Carwow can even help you to sell your old car when the time comes.

There are two models in the Mazda 6e range, and there’s only £1,000 between them. Takumi models have 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats, a 14-speaker Sony audio system, panoramic roof, powered bootlid, 360-degree cameras, a head-up display and a suite of assisted driving tech.

Takumi Plus has exactly the same equipment but switches out the interior trim for an attractive Tan, with Nappa leather seats and Alcantara trim on the seats and dashboard.

With prices starting just under £39,000, the Mazda 6e looks like very good value compared to the Tesla Model 3 (at just under £38,000) or Mercedes CLA Sport (just over £39,000) - both of which have less range and far less standard kit.