The Brussels Motor Show has quietly grown into one of Europe’s most relevant automotive stages, and for Mazda, it has taken on a particular symbolic value. With Belgium lacking a domestic car brand, Brussels functions, as Mazda Europe CEO Martijn ten Brink put it in an interview with newmobility. news, like the “Switzerland of the automotive industry”.

Ten Brink admitted he was “positively surprised by the number of people” attending the show, a signal that Brussels has become a rare neutral platform where brands can speak to Europe as a whole. For Mazda, that made it the ideal setting for a moment of strategic truth, presenting its ‘world premieres’ in the EV world.

World premieres with real weight

Mazda presented the next to the Mazda 6e that was launched last year in Brussels, the ‘world premiere’ of the SUV-version, the Mazda CX-6e, both models that represent far more than a routine product refresh. These are Mazda’s first truly volume-relevant EVs for Europe, and ten Brink was unusually candid about what was at stake: “We were a little nervous. For Mazda, these are big investments.”

Unlike the earlier MX-30, deliberately conceived as a niche EV, the 6e and CX-6e are designed to compete in the heart of the European market. Strategically, they serve as a bridge: keeping Mazda visible and credible in an EV-driven market. At the same time, the company prepares its own fully in-house electric platform for later in the decade.

Why Mazda moved cautiously on EVs

Ten Brink’s explanation for Mazda’s measured pace cuts to the core of the brand’s philosophy. The delay was not rooted in skepticism toward electrification, but in responsibility. “We first need to be sure that we are doing the right thing and that the business case is right,” he said.

He was equally clear that EVs are not the only regulatory solution. “There are other ways to meet the CO₂ norms, for example through pooling,” he noted, reflecting Mazda’s multi-solution approach that still includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and range-extender concepts.

Yet the tone shifts when the market reality is addressed: “A part of the market is clearly moving toward EVs. It has become a real business case.” Mazda knows it has to follow. “Otherwise, we could not survive.”

Partnerships without surrendering control

The 6e and CX-6e rely on technology developed within Mazda’s long-standing joint venture with Changan Automobile in China. This partnership has existed for more than two decades – a vital nuance ten Brink was keen to underline.

That final layer of European tuning is what ultimately separates adaptation from mere import. A vehicle developed for China is shaped by dense megacities, speed limits, and a relatively uniform charging ecosystem.

Europe, by contrast, demands cars that can cruise for hours at Autobahn speeds, cross several national borders in a single journey, and interact seamlessly with dozens of charging providers while coping with sharply changing weather and very diverse road conditions.

Mazda’s German-Japanese engineering teams serve as the bridge between these worlds, refining hardware and software alike to ensure that what reaches European customers feels purpose-built rather than adapted—an approach Mazda sees as essential to preserving trust in an era of rapid electrification.

Software, trust, and the enduring role of dealers

One of the most revealing moments in the interview concerned software. In the era of the software-defined vehicle, Mazda rejects a “ship fast, fix later” mentality. “It is extremely important that software updates allow us to guarantee 100% dealer and customer satisfaction,” ten Brink explained.

He cited lane-keeping assistance as a concrete example: “We were not completely satisfied, so we changed it.” The implication is clear – software may be updated digitally, but responsibility remains human.

Dealers, in Mazda’s view, are not a legacy inconvenience but a safeguard for trust, reputation, and long-term customer relationships.

Europe versus Japan: two electrification realities

Ten Brink also addressed why Japanese manufacturers, Mazda included, have often appeared more cautious about EVs than their European counterparts.

In Japan, EV adoption remains limited for structural reasons: a heavy dependence on imported energy, the post-Fukushima shutdown of nuclear power, a 50/60-Hz electricity grid, and large rural areas with sparse charging infrastructure.

By contrast, “Europe is at least five years ahead of Japan when it comes to EV infrastructure,” ten Brink observed. Mazda, therefore, thinks regionally, not dogmatically. Europe requires EVs sooner, at a greater scale, and with higher urgency than Mazda’s home market.

Regulation, profitability, and realism

Even potential flexibility around Europe’s 2035 combustion-engine ban does little to alter Mazda’s investment logic. Allowing a small share of PHEVs or range-extenders does not change the scale or direction of decisions already made by the automotive industry.

What matters more is supply-chain security – especially batteries – and sustainable margins. As ten Brink put it bluntly: “For Mazda it is important to make a profit, not a dream.”

Belgium, loyalty, and resilience

Asked about Mazda’s sharp sales decline in Belgium in 2025, -40% while the market itself was shrinking only with 7.5%, ten Brink pointed to product-cycle effects rather than brand weakness. The outgoing CX-5 alone accounted for around 40% of Mazda’s Belgian sales, amplifying the downturn.

He also rejected the idea that Mazda’s first EV – now discontinued – failed: “The MX-30 was not a flop. We sold more than 30,000 units.” Its strong, above-average residual values even today, he noted, underscore Mazda customers’ loyalty.

That loyalty feeds into his core message: “Reputation is extremely important, and dealers play a crucial role for Mazda.”

The role behind the voice

As CEO of Mazda Motor Europe, ten Brink leads one of Mazda’s most strategically important regions, spanning dozens of fragmented markets with strict regulations and diverse customer needs.

Since 2024, he has also served as an executive officer of Mazda Motor Corporation, giving him direct influence over global decision-making, which explains why his words in Brussels resonate well beyond a single motor show.

Mazda’s appearance at the Brussels Motor Show was not about bold promises or EV evangelism. It was about controlled commitment, regional realism, and protecting trust during a volatile transition.

The Mazda 6e and CX-6e are not endpoints, but carefully chosen stepping stones, designed to keep Mazda relevant today while buying the time needed to get tomorrow’s in-house EV platform right.