I drove the new electric Mazda 6e: is this a Tesla Model 3 killer?

Pros		Cons
Looks wicked, inside and out		Fiddly interior controls
Nice to drive		Tight rear headroom
Spacious, well-propotioned boot		Poor visibility out the back

I’m a big fan of Mazdas. I owned an MX-5 for a number of years, and I recently wrote an article explaining why I’d choose the Mazda 3 over the BMW 1 Series. They’re good fun to drive, have lovely interiors and they look cool as well, but something which has always been missing from the range is a compelling electric car.

There was the funky-looking MX-30, but that car’s 124-mile range always limited its mass appeal. Now Mazda has come out with the new 6e, an alternative to EVs like the BMW i4 and Mercedes CLA EV, and I’ve driven it.

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New Mazda 6e quick facts – batteries, motors and charging

	Mazda 6e	Mazda 6e Long Range
Price	TBC (£45,000 est)	TBC (£50,000 est)
Battery size	69kWh	80kWh
Range	298 miles	343 miles
Charging speed	24 min 10-80%	47 min 10-80%
Power	258hp	245hp
0-62mph	7.6 sec	7.8 sec

While UK specs for the new Mazda 6e are yet to be announced, the car is currently available in Europe with either a 245hp or a 258hp electric motor powering the rear wheels, and there are two battery options on offer.

The 69kWh pack delivers 298 miles of range, or there’s an 80kWh battery which will do 343 miles on a charge. That’s still 123 miles down on the Tesla Model 3, and it’s a whopping 139 miles fewer than a Mercedes CLA EV.

What’s strange is the charging times, because the long-range model takes much longer to top up. It can charge at 90kW on a DC charger, meaning it’ll take a disappointing 47 minutes to charge from 10-80%. The smaller battery can charge at a much more competitive 165kW, meaning 10-80% will take 24 minutes.

The reason for the big gap in charging speeds is a different chemical makeup between the two batteries. Either way, it makes the long-range version a bit less appealing.

Mazda hasn’t confirmed which motor and battery options will be available in the UK, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we just got the smaller battery. That extra 45 miles of range isn’t worth the snail-pace charging times in my opinion.

UK Prices also haven’t been confirmed just yet, but in Europe the 6e costs around 45,000 euros. That’s roughly £39,000. This being the case, you can expect it to start from around £45,000 when it hits UK showrooms next year, which is around the same as a Mercedes CLA and £5,000 more than the Tesla Model 3.

New Mazda 6e: design and interior

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but having beheld the new Mazda 6e I reckon it’s better-looking than the Tesla Model 3 and Mercedes CLA EV.

The low nose and wide rear hips make the 6e look sporty and muscular, and I like the swept-back headlights as well. It looks really modern, but it’s still unmistakably a Mazda – especially in this deep red paint.

I like the interior as well. It looks fabulous and is really well-made, with lashings of leather and metal trim to make it feel more upmarket.

You have to dig down to the lower door cards to find any hard plastic. It’s very nearly on-par with more expensive cars like the BMW i5 and it’s a lot posher than a Tesla Model 3. The colour options are cool as well – I especially liked the Alcantara tan upholstery in my test car.

I did have a couple of gripes, the first being the 14.6-inch central touchscreen. It’s pretty responsive, but the menu layout is a touch confusing. I was also a little disappointed to see a lack of physical buttons for the climate control – something I’ve praised the Mazda 3 for continuing to feature.

New Mazda 6e: space and practicality

There are plenty of storage cubbies in the Mazda 6e, including a massive compartment under the central armrest and a couple of good-sized cupholders. You also get a handy wireless charging pad under the screen.

Getting comfortable behind the wheel is easy as well, although I’d like the driver’s seat to go a touch lower. Mazdas are well-known for their low-slung and sporty driving positions, but this isn’t something I felt in the 6e. Still, at least your view out of the front is good as a result.

The same can’t be said for the view out of the back though, because that sloping roofline means you get a really narrow rear window and thick C-Pillars. I was relying quite heavily on the 360-degree camera system, which is thankfully really high-definition.

Moving into the back seats, it’s a tale of two halves. Legroom is decent – I had enough space behind my driving position, which is a rarity. However, headroom isn’t the best. People under six feet will be okay, but at 6”3’ I found that my head was just brushing the side of the roof. It’s still comfy, but a Tesla Model 3 is better for carrying rear passengers.

I was impressed by the boot though. At 466 litres it may be 124 litres down on a Tesla Model 3, but it’s 60 litres bigger than a Mercedes CLA EV and the hatchback boot opening and low load lip make it really easy to load. It’s plenty big enough for the daily needs of a family, and you get a 72-litre front boot for your charging cables.

Driving the new Mazda 6e

I was pretty impressed by the Mazda 6e’s driving experience on a twisty road, but this came as no surprise because Mazda knows how to make a car fun to drive. It’s not quite as engaging as a BMW i4, but it’s not far off.

You get very little bodyroll through the corners, and the steering is sharp and nicely weighted. It’s an easy car to hustle down a country lane, although the ride can get a bit jittery over broken surfaces.

Things settle down nicely on the motorway though. The suspension is smooth, and you get very little wind or road noise in the cabin. It’s a pretty good cruiser.

One thing I did notice was the slightly dampened throttle response. I usually expect an electric car to shove you back in your seat when you plant your right foot, but the 6e builds speed more like a petrol-powered car. It’s quite linear.

Around town you get a good view forwards, but the narrow rear window is a pain when parking or pulling out at oblique junctions. The Mazda also doesn’t handle sharp bumps as well as a Mercedes CLA does; they send a bit of a thud through the cabin.

New Mazda 6e final verdict: is it a good car?

The new Mazda 6e is the brand’s first electric car which will have mass market appeal. Unlike the MX-30, it has a usable driving range and decent charging speeds, making it much more practical for daily use. That said, it can’t match the Tesla Model 3 on the range front.

But it looks awesome, it’s nice to drive and practicality is decent as well – tight rear headroom aside. Provided it’s priced right in the UK, it’ll make a very compelling alternative to the Tesla Model 3 if you’re after something stylish and nice to drive.

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