Mazda is finally getting serious about EVs, and here’s the proof. The CX-6e.
The CX-6e is Mazda’s first mainstream electric SUV, following the 6e sedan with which it shares much of its underpinnings.
It’s also a car that owes more to China than Hiroshima, something that’s obvious the moment you step inside, even if its stylish exterior is very much in keeping with the broader Mazda showroom.
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It lands in the heart of the EV market, going up against everything from the hot-selling Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7 to the MG S6 and, at a stretch price-wise, the Zeekr 7X.
But the more natural rivals may be EVs from established brands, such as the Nissan Ariya, Toyota bZ4X, Subaru Solterra and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Some buyers are still more comfortable living with a badge they know, and Mazda is leaning into that, pointing to its network of 150 dealerships and after-sales peace of mind with the CX-6e sales pitch.
2026 Mazda CX-6e price and equipment
The Mazda CX-6e is available in two model grades, each powered by the same single-motor setup.
The CX-6e E35 GT costs $53,990 plus on-road costs, while the E35 Azami is $56,990.
Both use a single rear-mounted motor making 190kW and 290Nm, fed by a 78kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.
Standard GT gear includes 19-inch alloys, a 26.45-inch 5K touchscreen, head-up display, 360-degree camera with a see-through view, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone ventilation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 23-speaker sound system (including speakers in the roof), heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, powered tailgate and a panoramic sunroof with retractable blind.
There are also basic rear controls for back-seat climate control and adjusting the position of the front passenger seat.
The Azami adds 21-inch wheels, digital exterior mirrors and a digital rear-view mirror.
Nine airbags are standard, as is a comprehensive suite of active safety features.
There’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability of up to 3.5kW via an adapter and a braked towing capacity of 1500kg.
A black interior trim is standard, or beige can lighten things up for another $1000.
As with rivals, there’s no spare tyre, only a repair kit.
2026 Mazda CX-6e: What we think
While there’s plenty shared between the Mazda CX-6e SUV and the 6e sedan, they get quite different interior treatments.
Instead of a separate instrument cluster, there’s one wide display that stretches from the centre of the dash across to the passenger side, with the head-up display looking after speed and other key driving info.
However, the left-hand half of the main screen is largely wasted.
Apple CarPlay can only be opened on the centre section, so the passenger side is limited to things such as radio, Bluetooth and USB media (largely redundant if you’re running CarPlay or Android Auto), and vehicle modes: Relax (with themes such as Dream Valley, Warm Refuge and Forest Oasis), Car Wash, Rest and Pet Comfort.
You can’t use it to adjust the ventilation or control music from your phone. For that you have to stop what you’re doing on the main screen, make the change, then return to whatever you were looking at.
The ability to duplicate CarPlay, or run games or your own media on the passenger side, would make it far more useful.
It’s part of a broader reliance on the screen.
There are almost no physical controls – which until recently was very un-Mazda – with infotainment, driver settings, mirror adjustment and ventilation all done via the touchscreen, sometimes requiring several virtual button presses to get to the right menu.
We also found the screen occasionally slow to respond when switching back to CarPlay.
The car also talks at you a lot, telling you you’re tired or not concentrating (I was concentrating).
You can turn off the voice prompts and sound tips, but you still get a polite sound bite to remind you the car has noticed something.
The finishes are modern and decent, and the textured material across the dash and tops of the doors is a nice touch.
There’s space for two phones, although only one gets wireless charging.
As for practicality, the boot measures 363 litres, expanding to 1434 litres with the rear seats folded, and there’s an 83-litre frunk under the bonnet.
On the road, it’s not the fastest EV going, but it’s no slouch compared with Mazda’s petrol CX-5.
The throttle is sensitive, so you need to be gentle with your right foot when cruising.
There are Normal and Sport modes, as well as Individual, which allows you to adjust throttle response (Sport is even more eager), steering (Sport adds weight, though neither setting is especially engaging) and regenerative braking across four levels: Low, Normal, Mid and High.
The suspension is tuned on the firm side, which to some extent is a Mazda hallmark.
But it’s edged a tad too far, without the dynamic payoff we’ve come to expect from the brand.
It’s not jarring, but on a second-hand country road it can get jiggly.
The Azami’s 21-inch wheels and lower-profile tyres make that a tad worse, transmitting more of those bumps into the cabin along with a fraction more tyre noise.
The trade-off is more grip from the Michelin Pilot Sport tyres (the rubber on the base car is also Michelin but more eco-focussed).
Those 21s mean you give up some comfort for the bigger wheels and digital mirrors (like all digital mirrors, they sound impressive but are not as practical as regular mirrors in everyday use).
In some ways that makes the GT the pick of the models – while also saving you a few grand.
2026 Mazda CX-6e: Verdict
The Mazda CX-6e is sensibly priced, well equipped and looks the part, and the reassurance of a big dealer network will count for plenty with some buyers.
But there are other EVs with more space, better performance and longer driving ranges for similar money (the Tesla Model Y being one of them).
There are also some oddities, such as the vast screen that doesn’t properly leverage all those pixels.
In short, the CX-6e is a decent electric mid-sized SUV, but the Mazda badge is arguably its strongest asset, with the way it drives and its other credentials merely good rather than standout.
Not that we’re arguing with yet another choice in the most hotly contested EV segment of the market.
Score: 3.5/5
2026 Mazda CX-6e specifications
Price: $53,990 (GT), $56,990 (Azami), plus on-road costs
Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, RWD
Range: 484km (GT), 468km (Azami)
Battery capacity: 78kWh
Battery warranty: 8 years/160,000km
Energy consumption: 18.9kWh/100km (GT), 19.4kWh/100km (Azami)
Motors: 1 rear 190kW/290Nm
AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: 194kW, CCS2 combo plug (claimed 30-80% in 15 minutes)
0-100km/h: NA
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