Driving Report Mazda 6e: Desire for a Sedan

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Until now, Mazda's electric range has been limited to the MX-30, followed in September by the Mazda 6e, a mid-size sedan with arguably the best price-performance ratio in the segment.

Mazda finally has a genuine electric car in its range. Of course, the manufacturer already had a battery-electric model in its range with the MX 30, but with a meagre WLTP range of just 200 kilometers (approx. 125 miles), it was hardly competitive. This is now changing fundamentally with the new Mazda 6e. Because this car has what it takes to be at the forefront of the electrically powered mid-size class. There are several reasons for this:

1. The price: Even in the basic “Takumi” trim level, the Mazda 6e is almost fully equipped. And with a base price of 44,900 Euros (approx. 52, 700 USD), the car is cheaper than its competitors, the Hyundai Ionic 6 and VW ID 7, when adjusted for equipment. Even fully equipped with the most expensive paint job and trailer hitch, the price only rises to 51,050 Euros (approx. 60,000 USD). This is rather rare in this vehicle class.
2. The look: Of course, design is a matter of taste. But with the 6e, Mazda's designers have undoubtedly scored a hit that will appeal to many drivers. Visually, the 6e is in the upper mid-range class.
3. Appearance and quality: After initial test drives around Mazda's European headquarters in Leverkusen (Germany), it is still too early to comment on the long-term quality of the 6e, but both the exterior and interior of the car appear to be of extremely high quality and designed with great attention to detail.
4. Suitability for everyday use: Both battery variants offer decent ranges, and consumption also appears to be reasonable. In addition to the trunk, the car offers a 72-liter frunk under the front hood.

Good Standard Equipment

But now in detail. As soon as you get into the car, you notice the high-quality workmanship. There is only hard plastic in the interior in places that you don't have to touch very often. And its appearance looks anything but cheap. Everything is designed with great attention to detail. You feel comfortable here, even on long journeys.

Mazda offers the 6e in two trim levels—Takumi and Takumi Plus—and with two battery sizes: The Mazda 6e EV with 68.8 kWh and the Mazda 6e Long Range with 80 kWh. For the first test drives, the Mazda 6e EV was available with the higher of the two trims, i.e. Takumi Plus. This differs from the Takumi equipment mainly by a few elements in the interior, for example a two-tone instead of a monochrome design and an electrically adjustable sunblind instead of an (optional) manually operated one. The price difference is 2,000 euros (approx. 2,300 USD).

Practical Test

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Important equipment details such as the heat pump, the head-up display, the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and the 14.6-inch touchscreen in the center console, the large glass roof, the heated and ventilated front seats and the inductive charging cradle with cooling function for the smartphone are included as standard in both variants. Just like the 360° display, which not only shows the car from above when maneuvering and parking, but also provides a precise view of the wheels on both sides of the vehicle.

The Sony sound system with fourteen loudspeakers, two of which are in the headrest of the driver's seat, is also always on board as standard. This not only has an excellent sound, but also a so-called private call mode. This hides call information and, for reasons of discretion, only transmits the sound via the two loudspeakers in the driver's seat headrest.

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Operation via Touchscreen

However, the operating concept takes some getting used to, as you have to operate many functions via the touchscreen in the center console. For example, the windshield wiper. The operating system allows frequently used functions to be assigned to freely assignable buttons on the steering wheel so that this function does not always have to be carried out in the rain with a long distraction. The menu with speed-dial buttons at the bottom of the screen can also be easily configured to suit individual preferences. Mazda emphasizes that the 6e is the model with the most extensive operating and configuration options that the Japanese company has ever launched on the market.

For example, the model offers six preconfigured vehicle modes designed to make life easier for drivers:

"Leaving Mode": If the vehicle is left temporarily, Leaving Mode ensures a constant interior temperature for passengers, pets or food left in the vehicle. It then shows information on the central display that the driver will be returning soon.

"Rest Mode": Rest Mode prepares the vehicle for a rest period of several hours by adjusting the seat position and switching off the exterior and interior lighting.

"Relax Mode": Relax Mode prepares the interior for a short rest by adjusting the seat position, air conditioning, windows, interior lighting and the volume of the audio system according to the driver's and passengers' preferences. It is also possible to trigger a wake-up call after a preset time.

"Car Wash Mode": Car Wash Mode helps to prevent damage to the outer skin and the ingress of water when washing the vehicle: The automatic windshield wipers are switched off, the side mirrors are folded in, the rear spoiler is retracted and the windows are closed.

"Private Call Mode": Private Call Mode hides call information and, for reasons of discretion, only transmits the sound via the two loudspeakers in the driver's seat headrest.

"Fresh Air Mode": Fresh Air Mode opens the driver's side window and activates the air purification mode.

This is probably where the collaboration with the Chinese manufacturer Changan, in which the model was created, is most noticeable. As a result, the sales staff will also have a lot of new things to learn so that they can explain the operating concept and functions to their customers.

Very Different Loading Times

There are major differences between the two battery variants. The 68.8 kWh LFP battery should enable a WLTP range of 479 kilometers (approx. 300 miles), the 80 kWh NMC battery with 552 kilometers (approx 345 miles), 73 kilometers (approx. 45 miles) more. So far so good. As the fuel consumption on the first test laps was always below the WLTP consumption of 16.6 or 16.5 kWh per 100 kilometers (approx. 62 miles), it can be expected that these ranges are quite realistic in practice. However, the weather at the presentation was ideal for an electric car at over 20°C (68°F) and the proportion of highways on the test route was not particularly high.

However, when it comes to recharging the battery, drivers need to allow significantly more time for the large battery than for the small one. While the 68.8 kWh battery can be charged from 10 percent SoC to 80 percent in 24 minutes with up to 165 kW according to the factory specifications, the same charging stroke for the 80 kWh battery takes 47 minutes due to the maximum possible charging power of just 90 kW.

According to Mazda, these seemingly absurd characteristics came about because the car was originally planned with the large battery in order to achieve a range of more than 500 kilometers (approx. 310 miles). In the course of vehicle development, however, the developers then brought the LFP battery to series production maturity so that the Japanese could also include it in the range. According to the Mazda press documents, the Mazda 6e EV is the best choice for drivers who value minimal charging times, while the long-range variant is predestined for long-distance drivers. However, Mazda itself probably doesn't really believe this linguistic crutch and assumes that 90 percent of customers will opt for the 68.8 kWh battery and only 10 percent will invest the extra 2,000 euros (approx. 2,300 USD) for the supposedly older battery chemistry.

Superior Drive

This will not make a big difference to the driving performance. The drive in the Mazda 6e EV has a maximum output of 190 kW and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. The Mazda 6e LongRange has a similar drive power of 180 kW and the same maximum torque. Overall, the car has a decent engine, especially as the well-balanced chassis is more conducive to relaxed cruising than wild cornering.

The new electric Mazda will be available at German dealerships from September. The importer has set itself the target of putting 2,500 vehicles on the road this year. The plan for 2026 is 5,000 units. If Mazda manages to make customers aware of the great progress the manufacturer has made in terms of electromobility, this plan should be easy to implement. This will be even easier for Mazda dealers in the coming year. At the end of 2025, Mazda plans to present a crossover model based on the 6e. This should attract even more attention.

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