Mazda 6e review

Some say that if you end up in prison, the first thing you should do is find the toughest inmate and give them a black eye. Well, here comes the Mazda 6e to try to do something similar – square up to the strongest model in the executive class.

In case you're not in tune with our Car of the Year Awards, the key rival the 6e will be throwing punches at is our reigning executive car champion, the Tesla Model 3. It’s tough to beat because it’s well priced, good to drive and will go long distances on a full charge of its battery. 

This is somewhat unfamiliar territory for Mazda because the 6e is only the second electric car it's produced, after the MX-30 EV, and quite a shift from the now-discontinued Mazda 6. Mind you, the Japanese brand has had some help: the 6e was co-developed in conjunction with a Chinese car company called Changan.

In China, the 6e is badged the EZ-6 and it’s been on sale there since late 2024. So is the Mazda 6e good enough to trouble the mighty Model 3, and other rivals including the BMW i4, Polestar 2 and Volkswagen ID 7? While we’re still waiting for the 6e’s UK launch in summer 2026, we've already driven a European-spec car on our roads to see how it fares.

What’s new?

- February 2026: UK version announced to have a new 78kWh battery. Pricing announced, with entry-level Takumi trim costing £38,995 

- October 2025: new Mazda EV is awarded five-star safety rating by crash test body Euro NCAP

- July 2025: Mazda 6e makes UK debut at CarFest event

- January 2025: Mazda takes covers off battery-powered electric saloon

We’ve so far only driven a left-hand-drive Mazda 6e Long Range, but, like the UK-bound 6e, it has a 254bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels. And surprise surprise, their 0-62mph times are very similar: 7.9sec (UK) and 7.6sec (Europe). 

Acceleration is respectable, even on the motorway. Just know that it never feels as sprightly as the Tesla Model 3, which does 0-62mph in 6.2sec – and that’s only the entry-level version. 

The 6e’s official range is 348 miles, which is a good amount and competitive with the 322 miles the entry-level Model 3 can manage. However, because the 6e is limited to just the one 78kWh battery, it unfortunately has nothing to rival the Model 3 Long Range RWD (466 miles). 

On a similar note, the 6e handles well enough, but it’s no class leader. To elaborate, it has reasonably precise steering, good grip levels and minimal body lean: it just never feels as sharp or as agile as a Model 3. 

The 6e’s ride is more of a concern. Despite quite a firm suspension setup, the body isn’t very well controlled, giving an almost pogo effect over undulated roads. Indeed, the Model 3, BMW i4 and VW ID 7 are all more comfortable.

On a more positive note, wind noise is well contained, even at speed, and there’s just a bit of tyre noise to contend with, so the 6e is a refined motorway cruiser. The brake pedal is nice and progressive too, making it easy to come to a smooth stop. 

“The 6e has four settings for the regenerative braking system, but I think it’s a shame there’s no one-pedal driving mode.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

The driving position in the Mazda 6e is fundamentally sound, with plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel. The seats are comfortable and provide decent side support, but you do perch up high for an executive car.

As a result, tall drivers might find they don’t have the best view forwards, because the windscreen is quite small and the roofline encroaches on your view. The thin windscreen pillars do help slightly, but some might feel a little bit cocooned inside. While rear visibility isn’t great, you do get lots of visibility aids as standard to help with this.

User-friendliness has been a strong suit of Mazda car models for many years because it’s one of the last car makers to remain very proactive with physical buttons and dials. As such, we were a bit saddened to sit in the 6e and be presented with an infotainment touchscreen that houses almost all the car’s functions. That includes the air-conditioning, heated seats, wing-mirror adjustment and much more. 

The screen is of a decent size (14.6in) and helpfully the air-con controls are permanently displayed. It also helps that you have a customisable home screen that allows you to configure shortcut buttons. However, the screen can be a bit slow to respond to inputs and there are still too many menus to sift through in order to carry out certain functions.

For example, to adjust the level of regenerative braking, you first have to ensure the car is in its Individual mode. This can be done via the steering wheel, handily, but then you have to press the car icon on the touchscreen, then the section for driving modes, followed by your preferred intensity setting. 

You could argue that the Tesla Model 3 is just as screen-centric, and you’d be right, but we found the 6e's system fiddlier to use. 

On the plus side, the 6e does have a 10.2in digital driver’s display, which you don’t get in the Model 3. While it’s sharp and crisp to look at, it’s not as configurable as the setup in the Polestar 2.

Another area Mazda has typically aced is interior quality, and fortunately we have good news here. The 6e looks and feels premium inside – more so than the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and, by smaller margins, the Model 3 and VW ID 7. It even gives the Polestar 2 a run for its money, thanks to plenty of suede material on the dashboard and doors, as well leather on the centre console and armrests.

“I can see long-time Mazda owners being particularly disappointed with how reliant the 6e is on its touchscreen.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Up front, taller passengers should have no complaints inside the Mazda 6e. And in the back, there’s plenty of head and leg room on offer, but there is an issue with the seating position. You see, because the battery is located under the floor, and the footwell is shallow, rear passengers will find themselves sitting with their knees raised and almost in a squatting position. The VW ID 7 is a more comfortable car in the back.

The cubby spaces are pretty accommodating, with the door bins and the space under the central armrest being of a good size. There’s also a large space below the centre console, as well as a small space below the rear-seat air vents that can take your phone, wallet or other small items.

Speaking of storage, the 6e's boot space measures 466 litres in volume, making it bigger than that of the Tesla Model 3 (425 litres) but not the ID 7 (536 litres). It’s a conveniently rectangular shape and the hatchback opening means loading large items should be an easy task.

Like the Model 3, the 6e has a front boot (frunk). At 72 litres, it’s smaller than the Model 3’s frunk (88 litres) but still a good size. It’s big enough to accommodate the charging cables or a rucksack or two. The ID doesn't have a front boot.

The 6e's back seats fold down in a 60/40 arrangement. Many electric cars – including the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Polestar 2 and Model 3 – have the same split, but the BMW i4 and the ID 7 offer a more flexible 40/20/40 split as standard.

“There’s effectively no underfloor storage in the 6e's boot, but I don’t mind too much because it has a decent-sized frunk.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

When the Mazda 6e goes on sale in summer 2026, pricing will start at around £39,000. That makes it more expensive than the Tesla Model 3 but cheaper than the BMW i4, Polestar 2 and VW ID 7. 

As for trims, there are two available: Takumi and Takumi Plus. Both are very well-equipped.

Takumi gets creature comforts including faux-leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree surround-view camera, a 14-speaker Sony sound system and a powered tailgate. Takumi Plus adds Nappa leather and a sunshade for the sunroof. 

The 6e has a maximum charging speed of 195kW, which is a good rate. By comparison, the entry-level Model 3 can charge at 170kW (or 250kW if you choose the Long Range), while the i4 is capped at 200kW, and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 at 220kW. A 10-80% charge is achievable in around 24 minutes with the 6e.

The 6e was awarded a full five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP, with particularly good scores in the adult and child occupant protection categories. All cars come with plenty of safety kit as standard, with features such as rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and rear collision warning. 

The 6e is a little while away from going on sale in the UK, let alone appearing in our What Car? Reliability Survey. To give you a steer on dependability, Mazda finished in 15th place out of 30 brands in the manufacturer section – below BMW (sixth) and Tesla (seventh) but above Audi (22nd) and Volkswagen (24th). We'll have to wait and see how the 6e does.

Mazda's warranty lasts for six years or 100,000 miles, which is better than the cover from Hyundai, Tesla and VW. It can't quite match Kia's seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, though. The battery has a separate warranty that lasts for up to eight years.

“The slower charging speed of the 6e Long Range would put me off. It can only travel 45 miles farther than the standard car officially and you’ll be waiting much longer at charge stops.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

Buy it if…

- You want a smart, high-quality interior

- You like a car with lots of standard equipment

- You want a hatchback boot opening

Don’t buy it if…

- You value ride comfort

- You want a car with lots of physical buttons

- You regularly carry passengers in the back

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here