You might not have noticed the Mazda 6’s discontinuation in 2022, but the sleek saloon is coming back in 2026 as a full electric car.
And the first impressions are that the Mazda 6e looks exactly how you’d expect an electric Mazda 6 to look. It continues Mazda’s trend of very slim LED headlights and a wide, tall shield-shaped grille – although the grille will be blanked off as the car doesn’t need so much cooling as a fuel-powered car.
For the first time since 2012, it’ll be a hatchback rather than a saloon, with a bootlid that includes the rear window. It’s certainly saloon shaped, though, with a swooping roofline leading down to a similarly eye-catching rear end with quite a technical LED light signature.
Inside, there’s a proper touchscreen – another thing not seen in a Mazda for over a decade. In fact, it’s a large 14.6-inch infotainment screen, which is joined by a 10.2-inch instrument cluster and an augmented reality head-up display. It looks like everything will be controlled through the touchscreen, as there’s no longer a bar of climate controls buttons.
Only high-spec Takumi and Takumi Plus trims will be available, with the former getting beige or black leather-effect upholstery and the latter getting the tan-coloured Nappa leather that you see in our pictures.
Two batteries are available, with a quoted range of 300 miles for the 68.8kWh battery and 345 miles for the 80kWh one. However, the two batteries really differ in their fast-charging ability – while the small battery has 200kW charging for a 10-80% top-up in 22 minutes, the 80kWh battery only offers 95kW charging, doubling the time it takes for a top up.
Both versions serve up around 250hp, but the sub-eight-second 0-62mph times aren’t hugely impressive. A basic Tesla Model 3 is two seconds quicker. But Mazda says the 6e’s suspension, brakes and steering will be calibrated for Europe, suggesting that the company is aiming to make the 6e more fun to drive through corners than its nearest rivals.
With saloons typically being more efficient than SUVs, the Mazda 6e will have a few rivals when it goes on sale. Alongside the Tesla it’ll also compete with the likes of the BMW i4, Polestar 2, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and BYD Seal.
Most of those cars will have more luggage space than the Mazda, though. Beneath the shapely tail, there’s only a 330-litre space – that’s less than the Mazda 3 hatchback. One saving grace is that there’s an additional 70 litres of storage space under the bonnet.
The Mazda 6e is coming to the UK in the first half of 2026. It’s far too early to have prices, but we reckon the 6e will cost around £50,000.
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