Mazda 6e Review

Do you want to hear how to win bets like Mazda? Well, it’s simple. Rather than risk everything on one horse, all you need to do is place a bet on all of the runners! That way you are guaranteed a win! Genius eh? 

For Mazda is means the company has every base covered rather than choose one technology. It makes petrols, diesels, hybrids, plug in hybrids and even range extenders. It is even ploughing ahead with two types of petrol engine – piston and rotary. 

That way it can’t really lose I suppose, although I wonder if there are fights in the R&D centre canteen every lunch time. 

This new 6 will be available with pure electric, PHEV and range extender powertrains, although only the EV is confirmed for the UK at the moment.To help spread the cost of its bets, the 6e is made in collaboration with a Chinese company called Changan, who calls its version the Deepal SL03. I guess 6e sounds a bit more, er, sexy?

Range, Battery and Charging

The basic standard range model has a 258PS motor powering the back wheels wired to a 68.9kWh LFP battery, which gives a range of 310 miles. That’s respectable, if not exceptional in terms of the total, although the efficiency of 4.499m/kwh is impressive. 

The 200kW charging peak is at the higher end for this type of car too, allowing recharges from 10% to 80% in approximately 22 minutes . It means 150 miles of range can be added in just over 15 minutes. But an 11kW AC figure is disappointing – we really like 22k. 

There is longer range model too, but the figures are a bit odd. It uses a lithium ion battery with a 80kWh capacity which gives a 345 mile range. But you have to sacrifice a few horsepower as it only has 244PS. 

That’s most unusual, as most electric cars have more power on the bigger battery models. Mazda told me it’s because the LFP battery can supply more power without risk of overheating. It also means the DC charging is MUCH slower - less than half the speed at just 95 kW, which means a 10% to 80% top up will take approximately 45 minutes.

With less power, performance and a slower charging speed you will have to really need the extra 35 miles of range to make it worthwhile choosing the long range car, especially as it is more expensive too.

Practicality & Boot Space

At 4921mm long and 1890 mm wide, the Mazda is a big car - that's 200mm longer than a Tesla Model 3 and just a fraction smaller than a Volkswagen ID.7. That means there is a decent amount of space for passengers inside. As usual in an EV, the rear seat comfort is a little compromised by the high floor, but it's never going to be a real issue unless you've got very long legs.

The boot space is a bit of a mystery. Mazda's preliminary figures suggest the space is 330 litres with the seats up - which is not much more than a Dacia Spring's and smaller that a Volkswagen ID.3's 385 litres. Having seen the boot in the metal though, we simply don't believe those measurements. Although the 6e's boot is relatively shallow, it is deep and looks far larger than those figure suggest. At a guess, we'd say it's nearer 450 litres. We'll bring a tape measure next time we see the car and work it out. 

Interior and Technology

The inside of the 6e is where the Mazda gets more interesting and lifted above the mainstream rivals. The show car I saw was nicer inside than a lot of the premium rivals, with some attractive and interesting materials such as suede-like trim on the doors which made it feel like your favourite slippers. 

A full length panoramic roof is also standard on all models, adding light and headroom. 

There's a 14.6” screen which might not have many buttons, but it does have gesture control, which seems like an excellent new way to humiliate yourself in front of your passengers. So, for example, if you giving a v sign it will answer an incoming phone call. Putting your fingers on your lips like a nursery school teacher will mute the music, or giving a thumbs up will like a song on your playlist. We’ve yet to try this, but suspect hilarity will ensure. 

There’s an augmented reality head up display too, with arrows for the sat nav overlaid over the road you can see out of the windscreen, and there’s ever a ‘snow mode’ which makes the graphics blue instead of white so you can see them in wintery weather.

Motors and performance

The standard range Mazda 6e is (unusually) the more powerful and faster, with 258PS of maximum power and 320 Nm of torque to the rear wheels. Acceleration from 0 to 62 mph takes 7.6 seconds. The Long Range has 245 PS of power and the same 320 Nm of torque, giving a 0 to 62 mph time of 7.8 seconds. 

We've yet to drive the 6e, but the engineers told us it has been built to 'feel like a Mazda', which means it is sportier than average, with "an intuitive driving experience and Mazda’s distinctive responsiveness". The ingrediants look good too - with a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, rear-wheel drive and multi-link rear suspension. The electric rear spoiler deploys automatically at 90 km/h (56mph) and can also be operated manually to increase downforce - although we are not sure how much difference it will make at normal driving speeds. 

Verdict

It might not look like the most exciting new electric car, but the Mazda is sleek, spacious and promises to be efficient too. Mazda’s engineers tell us it will feel fun to drive, with some of the spirit from cars like the MX-5 roadster.If the 6e was launched tomorrow it might well be seen as a winner, and would doubtless grab some company buyers who want a businesslike car which makes a decent alternative to a Tesla Model 3 or the ubiquitous SUVs. 

But in the UK we won’t get this car until 2026, and the market is moving fast. Will it still look competitive then? I’m not sure I’d bet on the 6e being a winner by then.