Mazda 6e in Europe: first look from Germany

It has been a long wait. The new Mazda 6e was meant to be on European roads already, but for reasons that remain unclear this model-built from Mazda’s joint venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile-took longer than expected to reach Europe. In fact, at the very beginning, it was not even part of the plan.

Was it worth the wait? That is what we set out to find out at a launch event in Germany, where we were able to get our first hands-on look at the new Mazda 6e.

In the video we break down everything. It delivers almost everything we were hoping for:

A real Mazda, or not quite?

As I explain in the video, the design team led by Jo Stenuit pulled off the hardest part: starting from a platform that is not Mazda’s, they have created a car that unmistakably follows the brand’s styling DNA.

Inside, the verdict is very similar. You come across well-judged materials and an assembly quality that looks reassuringly tight (we were looking at a pre-production unit).

We will leave a proper assessment of the infotainment system for another time. On this particular car it was not possible to test those functions-so important on today’s models.

Beyond the touch controls, Mazda also promises gesture control systems, a solution that is not always practical, as we have seen for instance on several BMW models. We will have to wait to see whether the Japanese execution works better.

On the driving experience, the Japanese representatives made us a clear promise: all the dynamic hardware (suspension/chassis/steering) has been tuned by the brand’s own engineers. So expectations are naturally high in this area-Mazda has a strong reputation here. We will be driving it soon to settle any doubts.

It has almost everything we were expecting

In the video I explain the range and power you can expect from this 100% electric model, which will be offered in two versions-everything is on our YouTube channel.

Where we expected more was in charging performance. The Mazda 6e can reach 200 kW on a rapid charger (DC) and 11 kW on an AC connection. Interestingly, it is the version with the smaller battery (68.8 kWh) that delivers the better figures on this point.

As for the electric motor output, it is not overwhelming, sitting at around 250 hp in both versions. Even so, it should be far from inadequate: 0–100 km/h is completed in just 7.6 seconds in the smaller-battery version and 7.8 seconds in the larger-battery version. That is a more than respectable figure for an estate.

Is a petrol engine missing from the Mazda 6e?

In China, this Mazda has a “twin”: it is called the Deepal SL03. That model offers a version that uses an internal combustion engine as a range extender, much like the Mazda MX-30 R-EV, but with a conventional four-cylinder thermal unit.

For now, Mazda outright dismisses the possibility of selling a Mazda 6e equipped with an internal combustion engine. Even so, the option exists-and, as we know, Mazda has several technology programmes under way in the internal combustion engine field.

Either way, with this 100% electric car, Mazda may have a strong sales argument-2024 was the best year ever for the Japanese brand in one of its key markets, the USA.

What remains to be seen is whether, here in Europe, the price will indeed prove competitive enough to take on alternatives such as the BYD Seal, Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen ID.7 and Hyundai IONIQ 6.

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