Mazda 6 News

A new player has joined the all-electric passenger car game, with the Mazda 6e officially priced in Australia ahead of its impending launch. Now is a good time to look at how this new competitor shapes up to its primary rivals in the BYD Seal, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3. All four of these cars take on a sedan-style body shape (although some have a hatch tailgate), all are built in China, and all created some fanfare when they arrived in Australia. The established three players have had a few years to settle in, while Mazda’s EV will need to hit the ground running as the first of the brand’s renewed electric push, and a major part of its strategy to reduce its emissions as one of the manufacturers most exposed to Australia's new emissions laws.Here is how the 6e compares to those it will need to take down if it is to be a success. The 6e, which is a platform-share with the China-market Deepal L07, has been priced competitively.It is virtually the same price as the BYD seal, while coming in at roughly $5000 cheaper than the Model 3 and more than $10000 cheaper than the Polestar 2. As you walk up the line-up for these cars the 6e’s up-spec model costs an additional $3000, which gets you leather and synthetic suede seats, a leather steering wheel, and a synthetic suede interior. The other trio’s pricing for higher trim models extends into the $60,000s, $70,000s and even $80,000 range for the Model 3, but with that comes much more gear, larger batteries and the addition of all-wheel drive. The Mazda is the longest out of all its competitors, being closer in size to a large sedan rather than a mid-sizer.When it comes to power, the 6e lines up pretty closely to the rest of the pack of entry-level rivals, but it has the least grunt out of all of them.The Mazda wins out on driving range, with its bigger battery offering 560km, which is more than the Tesla and significantly more than the Seal and Polestar 2, which have ranges in the 400km bracket.There is not much in it on the charging front, but the 6e’s 10-80 per cent changing time takes the title on official numbers. All four cars have single rear-mounted motors. Unlike the 6e, the Seal, Polestar 2 and Model 3 all have options further up the scale for all-wheel drive. The 6e boasts an impressive list of standard features, which includes a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and 10.2-inch digital driver display, as well as synthetic leather seats, which are heated and ventilated in the front. The Seal’s touchscreen is bigger than the Mazda’s, and shares many of the same features, which in part explains the similar pricing of the pair. It does only have 18-inch wheels as standard like the Model 3 compared to the BYD Seal and Polestar 19-inches. If you’re keen to pump your tunes, the Mazda 6e’s has the biggest audio system out of its rivals, with its 14 speaker Sony system. Wireless phone charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard on the 6e and the Seal, but the Polestar 2 only has a wired connection as standard, while the Model 3 does not have any such connectivity. Standard safety features for each car listed below:The Mazda 6e has not been crash tested yet, but its rivals have all achieved five-star ANCAP ratings.All models have the standard safety gear you would expect from modern cars, with a high number of airbags and advanced driving assistance systems.The Mazda 6e seems priced just about right to ensure buyers give it some serious consideration in the segment. In an age where driving range remains the key question of any EV, sitting at the top of the pile means it is a compelling proposition. It will have a fight on its hands to eat into the sales of competitors which have been around for much longer than it and boast similar specifications and trim. Time will tell whether the 6e will have the desired impact Mazda needs it to have as it paves the way for future EVs from the brand. 

Mazda's next electric car firms for an Australian launch.

Mazda Australia has set up trademark requests for a series of badge names that point to a potential influx of electric cars.Five filings with IP Australia consist of anticipated or possible electric cars names from the brand, including the Mazda CX-6e and Mazda 6e, which already exist in some markets.The Mazda 2e and 3e filings suggest light and small electric cars could be on the way, while the CX-5e name points to another mid-size SUV model.While brands sometimes register trademarks to protect model names that fit in their style but don’t apply to an existing car, the choices by Mazda to register these limited but specific names seems more deliberate.The Mazda 6e and CX-6e have already been around for a short while, starting life as the EZ-6 and EZ-60 respectively in China, built by joint venture Changan-Mazda.The 6e and CX-6e model names are applied to the cars for international markets and brand recognition, with the 2026 Mazda 6e already locked in Europe and available with details for each market.The CX-6e is not yet confirmed under that name, but it’s possible that it will be the EZ-60’s international name if not deemed too similar phonetically to ‘CX-60’.As for the 2e, 3e and CX-5e, all have been trademarked in the EU by Mazda so it’s possible there are more announcements to come from Mazda regarding future EVs, even if not entirely relevant to Australia.It would make sense that if 2e and 3e come to fruition, they’d be Mazda2 and Mazda3-sized. There’s also a chance the CX-5e name has been registered in anticipation of the next-gen CX-5, if electrification ends up being on the cards.CarsGuide has contacted Mazda Australia for comment on the trademark filings.

Mazda is teasing us again with a sportier version of its 6e electric sedan.The Mazda 6e is on sale in China and is due to launch in Europe soon, including fellow right-and drive market the UK, but the brand’s local arm has remained eerily quiet.An Australian launch for the 6e is proving more likely after the brand’s local CEO Vinesh Bhindi indicated an electric successor to the Mazda 6, which was discontinued in January, is on the way."As we bid a fond farewell to the Mazda 6, its legacy will continue to live on as we move into the next phase of our future strategy,” said Bhindi at the time.But before it's even been officially confirmed for Australia, the company has debuted a flashier version in China.Dubbed the EZ-6 (as it’s known in China) Sports Edition, the special version brings tweaked styling that adds more road presence in a similar vein to BMW’s M Sport styling.This includes gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers and plenty of black exterior highlights on the outside.Inside there is Alcantara upholstery with contrast red stitching, red backlighting for interior surfaces and in the centre console.Generally the Mazda 6e has the Japanese brand’s easy-on-the-eye styling with an illuminated bottom grille outline and a premium-looking cabin with some tech highlights such as a big 14-inch multimedia screen and digital driver display.It is bigger than other mid-size electric sedans such as the BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3, measuring 4921mm long, 1890mm wide and 1491mm tall.Mazda Europe said it comes with two battery options, an 80kWh unit and a 68.8kWh pack that deliver driving ranges of 552km and 479km, respectively.The Mazda6e is built by Mazda’s joint venture with Chinese brand Changan and shares its underpinnings with the Deepal SL03.Changan also owns the electric car brand Deepal, which has just launched in Australia with its S07 mid-size SUV.In China it is also available as a range-extender hybrid with its 1.5-litre petrol engine used purely as a power source to charge a battery, which in turn powers electric motors that drive the wheels.An SUV version is a chance for Australia, too. Dubbed the EZ-60 in China, but likely to be called the CX-6e in other markets, it shares the same underpinnings as the 6e.

After a slow start on the electric car front, Mazda is ramping up its EV rollout by teasing the next model due for launch.

Mazda has confirmed its next electric vehicle (and first since the MX-30) will launch in 2027 on a newly-developed in-house platform.

Another blow dished out for the family sedan and wagon, Mazda has officially retired the iconic 6 after 22 years in market. 

Unveiled at this year’s Auto China motor show in Beijing, the Mazda EZ-6 is produced by Changan Mazda, as the name implies a joint-venture between Mazda and the Chinese state-owned automotive giant Changan.

A new Mazda sedan has been spied testing in Europe. 

Mazda’s electric car offensive seems to be gathering steam.  The brand applied to trademark the name ‘CX-6e’ with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) earlier this month, as discovered by Autoguide.