When we first met the Mazda CX-6e at its static Belgian presentation in June, the central question was obvious: can an electric SUV developed together with Changan and built in China really feel like a Mazda?
After roughly three hours behind the wheel around Düsseldorf, the answer is clearer. On the road, surprisingly often yes. Inside, considerably less so.
Mazda has gone to unusual lengths to stress that the CX-6e is not simply a Chinese EV wearing a Japanese badge. It is built by Changan Mazda in Nanjing, but Mazda’s European R&D center in Oberursel, near Frankfurt, was deeply involved in adapting it for Europe.
Suspension, steering, brakes, accelerator response, tires, regenerative braking, driver-assistance systems and parts of the HMI were reviewed or recalibrated for European roads and driving habits.
Designed in Germany, built in China
The design story is equally nuanced. The exterior was largely conceived in Oberursel under Belgian Mazda Motor Europe Design Director Jo Stenuit, with Bahram Partaw as lead exterior designer.
Mazda says its European designers had more influence on this project than on previous models, while the interior was developed jointly by European and Japanese teams.
Yet step inside and another influence becomes obvious. There is no conventional instrument binnacle. Essential driving information is projected onto the head-up display, while a huge 26-inch screen stretches across the dashboard towards the passenger.
Physical controls have almost disappeared. It is an approach closer to the newest generation of Chinese EVs than to traditional Mazdas: Tesla pioneered the radically screen-centered, button-light cockpit, and Chinese manufacturers embraced it enthusiastically.
Yet the pendulum is already swinging back, as manufacturers rediscover buttons for frequently used functions and Euro NCAP starts rewarding more intuitive physical controls.
Some ergonomics suffer
Sometimes ergonomics suffer. The hazard-warning switch sits overhead beside the interior lights and mandatory SOS button, while conventional interior door handles have been replaced by electronic release buttons. Several everyday functions also proved surprisingly difficult to locate.
A telling example was the panoramic roof. You would expect a button on the roof itself. Didn’t find it. After searching unsuccessfully through the menus for the sunshade control, saying “open the sunshade” ultimately did the trick. Voice control can therefore become the quickest route through the digital maze.
Fortunately, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, so drivers preferring Google Maps, Apple Maps, TomTom or Waze do not have to rely exclusively on Mazda’s own navigation environment.
The passenger half of the impressive 26-inch display felt less convincing during our test. It can show separate infotainment content, but its functionality appeared rather limited and we found no proper video-streaming entertainment. At least for now, Mazda gives the passenger almost half a cinema-sized screen without much of a cinema to watch on it.
None of this should be confused with poor quality. Materials and finish are convincing and the cabin feels properly upmarket. The Chinese influence is much more apparent in how you operate the car than in how it is put together.
More convincing from behind the wheel
The European work becomes more persuasive once moving. For a 4.85-meter SUV weighing more than 2.1 tonnes, the CX-6e feels surprisingly alert and easy to place. Steering is light but fluent, body movements are well controlled and the rear-wheel-drive chassis reacts predictably.
Its single motor delivers 190 kW (258 hp) and 290 Nm, enough for 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. Acceleration is smooth rather than explosive, which suits Mazda’s preference for progressive responses better than the neck-snapping performance of some EVs.
The downside is a fairly firm ride. Our Takumi Plus on 21-inch wheels clearly transmitted concrete joints and sharper imperfections. It never becomes harsh, but comfort-oriented buyers might prefer the regular Takumi on 19-inch wheels.
Realistic consumption figures
Efficiency looked reassuringly realistic. Mazda quotes 18.9 kWh/100 km on 19-inch wheels and 19.4 kWh/100 km for the 21-inch Takumi Plus, corresponding to WLTP ranges of 484 and 468 km respectively.
During our mixed three-hour drive, the trip computer mostly hovered around 19 kWh/100 km, remarkably close to the official figure, although our route was of course no laboratory test.
In this segment that is respectable rather than class-leading. More efficient rivals such as the Model Y, Enyaq or XPeng G6 can do better on paper, while similarly large EV SUVs such as the BYD Sealion 7 consume more. Given the Mazda’s dimensions, weight and our test car’s 21-inch wheels, the result is credible.
Regeneration is less convincing. Maximum recuperation requires Individual mode and some menu digging, and even then there is no true one-pedal driving. The car slows almost to a halt but then starts creeping again, which can catch you out initially.
The optional digital mirrors also take getting used to. Their screens sit relatively low in the doors, away from where experienced drivers instinctively look.
The digital interior mirror requires the eyes to refocus and makes judging distances less natural. Fortunately, it can be switched back to a conventional reflective mirror.
Plenty of car for the money
Space is a major strength. The 2.90-meter wheelbase provides generous legroom front and rear, while the boot offers up to 468 liters, complemented by an unusually useful 80-liter frunk.
The technical package is competitive rather than revolutionary: a 78 kWh LFP battery, 200 kW peak DC charging, 10-80% in 24 minutes, 11 kW three-phase AC charging and a maximum braked towing capacity of 1,500 kg.
Belgian prices start at €46,290 for Takumi and €49,290 for Takumi Plus. Those prices matter because Mazda needs the CX-6e to become much more than another niche EV. Especially in Belgium, where company cars play an extensive role in EV uptake.
An important car for Mazda Belux
At the Düsseldorf presentation, Mazda Motor Belux PR manager Peter Gemoets showed Belgian registrations of 2,641 cars through July, up 28.7% year-on-year, although market share remains a modest 0.77%. Luxembourg recorded 287 cars, down 20%.
More revealing are the model targets. Mazda Belux expects 952 CX-6e registrations, close to 1,087 Mazda6e, 1,168 new CX-5s and 1,107 CX-30s. Together, the two Chinese-built electric Mazdas therefore carry a target exceeding 2,000 cars.
Early orders suggest interest is there. Mazda had already recorded 233 CX-6e orders, putting Belux third among Mazda’s national sales companies, according to Gemoets. The Mazda6e stood at 459.
The CX-6e is therefore an important test of a broader formula: combining Chinese EV technology and manufacturing scale with Japanese branding, European design and locally tuned driving characteristics.
Our first drive suggests it works best where Mazda traditionally excels. The exterior looks convincingly Mazda and the chassis feels as though the European engineers really did have the final say.
The cockpit is a different story. Material quality and finish are beyond reproach, but the enormous screen, lack of conventional instruments and near-disappearance of physical buttons reveal the Chinese side of the collaboration much more clearly.
The CX-6e feels like a Mazda from the driver’s seat – until you start looking for a button.
