New Mazda CX-6e 2026 preview: prices, specs and release date

Behold the all-new, rather striking Mazda CX-6e: the latest challenger to the smash-hit Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq and Smart #5, and in effect the zero-emissions alternative to Mazda’s biggest seller, the CX-5. It’s due to arrive here towards the end of the year.

This sleek mid-size electric SUV may look familiar to some readers because it was unveiled in China last spring, where it’s badged as the EZ-60. It’s also available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain offering a combined range of more than 600 miles over there, but only the EV version is coming to the UK and Europe.

Like the Mazda 6e saloon – the brand’s answer to the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal, which is also coming soon – the CX-6e is the product of a partnership between Mazda and Chinese car maker Changan. Hence why the pair are built in China and use Changan’s EPA1 electric-car platform – the same one that underpins the Deepal S07 that came to the UK last year. 

What powertrain options and performance can we expect?

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Every CX-6e will feature a 78kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that Mazda says will offer up to 300 miles of range, which is a long way off some key rivals. For instance, the entry-level Model Y has a 314-mile range, and if you pick the right version, it’ll be good for close to 390 miles on a single charge. 

The more value-focused MGS6 EV and Kia EV5 both offer a 329-mile range, while mid-range versions of the Skoda Enyaq and Smart #5 deliver up to 360 miles and 387 miles, respectively. If that’s not enough for you, the new Citroen e-C5 Aircross boasts a massive 421-mile range, and you currently can save more than £6,000 on a brand-new model with our Buy A Car service. 

At least with a maximum charging speed of 165kW, a 10 to 80 per cent top-up from most DC rapid chargers should take just 24 minutes. Plus, the CX-6e is rear-wheel drive with 255bhp on tap allowing it to hit 62mph from rest in 7.9 seconds. 

While the CX-6e might not have the edge over its competition on paper, Mazda says the car will deliver the type of dynamic driving experience customers expect from the company’s products. The brand calls this 'Jinba Ittai' – the philosophy about the sense of horse and rider as one. 

Three drive modes will be available: Normal, Sport and Individual. Up front is MacPherson strut suspension while the rear uses a multi-link set-up, and the chassis was tuned by Mazda’s R&D team in Germany, to ensure the CX-6e will perform well on any European road. 

We’re told particular attention was paid to the feel of the brake pedal and the transition between regenerative and mechanical braking, plus the levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), which are key in a family SUV. 

What is the exterior and interior design like?

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To our eyes, the CX-6e is possibly the best-looking family SUV around. To some, that’s not saying much, but this car is low, wide and imposing, with big wheels, a long bonnet and a shallow glasshouse that make it look more like a shooting brake than a traditional upright SUV.

There’s no grille, because this is an EV, but there is a slim duct that channels air over the bonnet – similar to the set-up on the Polestar 3. Below that is a new interpretation of Mazda’s ‘Signature Wing’ design, which is simpler than the one on the 6e saloon, and illuminated. 

Aerodynamics have informed lots of design elements, including the drag-reducing side-view cameras you see on this model. However, only the top-spec version of the CX-6e will feature these, along with a digital rear-view mirror. A less obvious feature is another air duct behind the rear pillar. 

At the back, a dramatically raked screen meets ultra-thin LED lighting and there’s Mazda lettering instead of the brand’s traditional winged badge. 

Inside, the CX-6e features a very different layout to any other Mazda and the centrepiece is an enormous 26-inch 5K display. However, it’s not directly in front of the driver, as you might expect; instead, it goes from the middle of the dashboard to in front of the passenger seat. There’s no traditional instrument cluster, but every model has a large head-up display for all the vital driving information. 

What do we know about the infotainment system? 

As in the latest CX-5, there are no physical buttons inside the CX-6e, but Mazda assures us the ‘smart cockpit’ can be operated by voice, touch or gesture. BMW had a go at gesture controls a couple of years ago, but has since scrapped them, so it will be interesting to see if Mazda has improved on the technology. 

We couldn’t try it ourselves when we saw the CX-6e in a studio, but we’re told there will be several gestures for drivers to use, such as a thumbs-up that will either turn the EV soundtrack on or off, or waving to skip or repeat a song. 

Other technology onboard will include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 23-speaker 1,280W sound system, including speakers in the front headrests that apparently allow passengers to listen to different music if they really can’t stand each other's taste.

How practical is the new Mazda CX-6e?

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It might have some dramatic proportions, but the CX-6e is also 4,850mm long and 1,935mm wide, with a wheelbase of 2,902mm. So not only is it larger in every dimension than the latest CX-5, it’s also bigger than the Tesla Model Y and Skoda Enyaq. So unsurprisingly there’s a lot of space inside, especially rear legroom, and the panoramic glass roof helps make the cabin feel as airy as possible. 

That said, the CX-6e’s 468-litre boot is about 100 litres less than you get in a similarly rakish Skoda Enyaq Coupe. However the Skoda doesn’t have any additional storage under its nose, whereas the Mazda has an 80-litre frunk, which is perfect for charging cables or a carry-on suitcase. The car’s towing capacity is rated at 1,500kg. 

If you want space, though, the Smart #5 has a 630-litre boot and a 72-litre frunk, or the Model Y has a famously gigantic 854-litre boot plus a 117-litre frunk. 

What safety tech does the new Mazda CX-6e have? 

Among the CX-6e’s long list of safety features is a Child Presence Detection (CPD), which uses the car’s interior camera to detect if children are in the rear seats and can project an image of them onto the centre display. Also on offer are lane-keep and lane-departure assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and intelligent speed assist.

How much will the new Mazda CX-6e cost?

Given the Mazda 6e’s mooted price of £40,000, we would expect the CX-6e to have a starting price of less than £45,000 when it comes to the UK, which is about the same as a mid-range Model Y, Enyaq or #5. 

There will be two trim levels: Takumi and Takumi Plus, with every model set to feature heated and ventilated seats, the panoramic sunroof, a powered tailgate, 256-colour ambient lighting, keyless entry and that massive 26-inch touchscreen. 

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