Those of you lamenting the passing of the lovely old Mazda6, rejoice - it’s back! Well, kind of. This is the Mazda6e, an all-new, all-electric hatchback with a ‘fastback saloon style’, and it has been revealed to the world at the Brussels Motor Show.
I like the look of this. What are the specs, then?
Due to arrive in left-hand-drive European markets later this year, the Mazda6e is clearly production-ready. To that end, Mazda is happy to say the new car will be offered with a choice of two battery packs, rated at 68.8- or 80kWh. Even the former is capable of more than 480km to a charge, while it also has powerful 200kW DC charging, which means a 10-80 per cent top-up will require just 22 minutes - and you’ll get 235km of driving capability in just 15 minutes at such a speed.
That 6e has a 258hp motor, allowing for a 0-100km/h time in 7.6 seconds, but for those looking for longer legs, the 80kWh battery will take you around 555km to a charge. It will require slightly longer for a 10-80 per cent replenishment (45 minutes), and weirdly it has slightly less power than the 68.8kWh car at 244hp. That, and the increased weight of its bigger battery pack, means the 80kWh Mazda6e will require 7.8 seconds to hit 100km/h from a standstill, as both models of the 6e have the same 320Nm of peak torque.
OK, can we talk about the looks and interior?
The bodywork is the latest take on the ‘Kodo Soul of Motion’ ethos that has been Mazda’s aesthetic hallmark for quite some time now. The 6e has a low roofline and short-deck coupe silhouette to make it appear rakish, but it’s a proper five-door with a fully opening tailgate. Other features of the exterior include frameless doors, integrated door handles and a new design of headlights described as ‘signature wing’ in shape. These have a dynamic illumination when the car is charging that makes the wings appear to flutter, while it can also display the current level of battery charge.
Around the sides are 19-inch alloy wheels with a five-spoke design in a bicolour finish, while at the back the Mazda6e has a full-width taillight bar and ‘Mazda’ lettering, instead of the company’s familiar circular logo with the stylised wings within it - the Japanese firm is only following current automotive trends here, as every carmaker seems to think spaced-out company names in letters are better, or somehow ‘more premium’, than good old traditional emblems. Hey ho. Perhaps of more interest is the extendable rear spoiler on the Mazda6e, which gives the car neater looks at a standstill but also enhances its stability when it’s travelling at speed.
Moving inside, a full panoramic roof floods the cabin with natural light, while a heavily digitised human-machine interface is centred on a huge 14.6-inch touchscreen and a 10.2-inch instrument cluster; the driver also benefits from an augmented-reality head-up display. There’s also a ‘floating’ centre console and Mazda says it has used premium materials in both the launch trim lines, which are Takumi and Takumi Plus. The former will be the vegans’ choice, as the beige or black ‘leather’ upholstery within is artificial, but the Plus has premium tan Nappa hide. Boot space is said to be 330 litres, which isn’t massive, although there is at least a further 70 litres’ worth of storage under the bonnet.
This all sounds very nice. Will these Mazda6e cars land in Ireland this year too?
Probably not, but it should be early 2026, as that’s when right-hand-drive European markets are targeted to receive their cars. We look forward to trying the revived Mazda6(e) out as soon as we can.