Mazda CX-6e 2026 News

After the embarrassment of the failed Mazda MX-30 electric vehicle (EV) of 2021, the Mazda CX-6e will undercut the Tesla Model Y by some margin when it lands in Australia late this year.While exact numbers have yet to be divulged, ‘mid-$50,000’ pricing was mooted by senior company executives at the first local outing for the all-electric mid-sized SUV in Melbourne.This of course suggests anything from about $54,000 for the Chinese-built newcomer, against $58,900 (before on-road costs) that the base Model Y currently commands in Australia, reflecting a similar price gap that exists between the closely-related Mazda 6e from $49,990 and Tesla Model 3 sedan from $54,900.Not much else was revealed other than a left-hand-drive prototype of the CX-6e itself, except that it will share the 78kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery for over 450km WLTP range, rear-axle-mounted 190kW electric motor and rear-wheel drive powertrain as the 6e.In Europe, the same vehicle delivers 290Nm of torque to help it manage the 0-100km/h sprint-time in 7.9 seconds on the way to a 185km/h top speed, as well as 195kW DC charging capacity for a 10-80 per cent top-up in under 25 minutes and 11kW AC charging capability.The newcomer features nine airbags and a long list of standard advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) technologies. Luggage capacity varies from 468 litres to 1434L with the back seat folded down.Closer to home, Mazda also went to some lengths to point out the CX-6e’s extensive level of Australian road tuning over the Changan Deepal S07 on which it is based upon, as part of a “near future driving experience” matched to European and Australian road environments.To that end, there have been modifications to the electric power steering, dampers, tyres (supplied by Michelin), software tuning and sound-deadening structures to quell noise/vibration/harshness, among other changes.Mazda also claims advances in the CX-6e’s ergonomics, calling it a “human-centric’ cockpit using Mazda’s Human Machine Interface philosophy. How the 26.45-inch centre display’s lack of physical buttons for fundamentals like the climate control system affects future Euro NCAP scores for its lack of hard buttons is not yet known.For now, Australia will only have the EV model, even though a range-extender version of the Mazda exists elsewhere.That employs a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (in place of the frunk under the bonnet) powering a 31.73kWh LFP battery, providing up to 160km of (non-WLTP) range.A twin-motor all-wheel drive version may also be in the pipeline, but the company wants to gauge buyer response before committing to more-expensive models.Still, with soaring oil prices combined with the accessibility of around 150 dealers nationwide, the keenly-priced CX-6e could become one of Mazda’s most popular models in Australia.More information will be revealed closer to the near end-of-year release date.

Mazda has pushed back its in-house EV plans to 2029 as it focuses development of its incoming in-house hybrid drivetrain, according to a new report.Mazda had planned to launch its next-generation Japanese-developed electric car in 2027, but had pushed back to 2028 and now 2029. According to industry source Automotive News this is because hybrid demand is booming in the US, while electric vehicle incentives are being removed.The outlet quoted Mazda’s CEO Masahiro Moro as saying the brand expects EV sales now to only account for 25 per cent or less of its global sales due to changing market forces, particularly in the US.This revises Mazda’s original expectations of 25 - 40 per cent of global volume to be fully electric by 2030.However, while a significant portion of the brand's sales remain in North America and Japan, a significant portion remains in markets like Europe and Australia. Australia is the third largest market by volume for Mazda globally, after the US and Japan, forcing the brand to adapt to our conditions.This means sourcing more low emissions vehicles in the interim to comply with our Euro-inspired New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). This recently-introduced regulation tightens the vice on carbon emissions based on manufacturer’s vehicle sales, under threat of fines for every unit sold which pushes them over a pre-defined CO2 limit.Mazda is one of the most exposed brands in Australia currently. It offers only a limited array of hybrid models, with the majority of its sales still being pure combustion vehicles, like the ever-popular CX-5.A next-generation CX-5 is due, although it will continue on with a petrol engine until the hybrid variant launches in 2027. Unlike the hybrid Mazda CX-50 available in America, which borrows its hybrid tech from Toyota, the new CX-5 will use an in-house Mazda-developed hybrid system the brand calls SkyActiv-Z.In the interim, Mazda has confirmed it will sell the China-built fully electric 6e sedan and CX-6e, both are platform-shares with Changan’s Deepal brand. The brand has earmarked even more models to potentially spawn from this tie-up.Potentially this could include a Mazda take on Deepal’s S09 over-five-meter-long large SUV, or a small SUV based on the more compact S05, which would sit beneath the CX-6e to compete with the likes of MG’s S5.In another potential blow to Mazda in Australia, there are also fresh reports out of Japan that its two entry-level models, the Mazda 2 and CX-3, will cease production over the course of 2026.While these two cars are the oldest models in Mazda’s line-up, they continue to sell well in Australia thanks to regular updates. The removal of these accessible models plus the delay on a hybrid CX-5 could see Mazda tumble down the sales charts in 2026, making the roll-out of its Chinese-built models ever more important. However, Japanese media are also reporting a small car successor is due based on the Vision-X compact car shown at Tokyo Motor Show in 2025. The model will reportedly be built in Thailand as part of a push by Mazda to make the country a new export hub. Again, if this model does come to Australia, it could be as far out as 2028, making Mazda’s short term outlook for 2026 and 2027 more challenging.Mazda has told CarsGuide in 2024 its order of priorities are the new CX-5, its hybrid version, and then “small architecture cars.”Stay tuned for more on Mazda’s plans for 2026 as it faces a rapidly changing new car market. In particular it will need to fend off an aggressive new model strategy from an ambitious BYD, which is plotting a top-three market position by the end of the year.