► Mazda’s next EV has arrived in Europe
► New CX-6e is sharp and (over?) loaded with tech
► Launches in summer 2026
Mazda’s next electric car has arrived. This is the CX-6e, an electric SUV that’s just made its public debut at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show.
The new Mazda CX-6e is an SUV counterpart to the 6e saloon and the second electric car that’s had plenty of its tech and engineering developed in partnership with Chinese car brand Changan.
Ahead of its public unveil, we’ve been for a poke around the new SUV. How much Mazda is in this Mazda?
Sort of, yes. The CX-6e is the production result of the Mazda Arata concept and the CX-6e has already been out in the public in China for a few months prior to its European debut.
Even so, the new SUV still has some presence. It’s got a stance to it and looks low to the ground for an SUV. ‘Most of the time, we design global cars,’ says Jo Stenuit, Mazda Europe’s design director, ‘but this time it was slightly different. There was input from China and Europe – that didn’t stop us making a beautiful car, but I think even in China this one will stand out.’
There’s clean surfacing all around, plenty of sharp edges and a stronger use of light than in previous Mazda designs. Like the 6e saloon, for example, the CX-6e’s nose is backlit and animates on start-up.
There are some neat, subtle details. As well as the embossed ‘MAZDA’ lettering on the door sills, there are hidden aerodynamic elements like a shallow S-duct-like spoiler on the nose and integrated air vents in the C-pillars.
Oh, and the colour? A proper purple, and one that’s not usually seen on a car… at all, really. It’s called Nightfall Violet and will be part of the car’s colour range when it goes on sale in the summer of 2026 in Europe.
Inside, it’s another new model that (sadly) departs from Mazda’s convention of continuing to offer lots of physical controls. There are many on the steering wheel, but most functions will be accessed via the enormous, super-wide infotainment display. We couldn’t really play around with it too much as it was in a demonstrator mode, but we’d predict it’ll likely run a similar software setup to the 6e saloon.
As for materials, there’s something called ‘MazTex’ that’s used to upholster the seats and some of the dashboard panels. It’s completely synthetic – Mazda hasn’t used any real leather in here at all – and you can have it in a similarly purple hue. There are optional headrest speakers in the seats, which can be paired by Bluetooth to music sources where they’ll provide individual sound for each front occupant without disturbing the other.
In the rear, space is good but there’s no masking the high floor – something this lanky 6’2” guy thought was a little weird. Every CX-6e gets a panoramic glass roof but headroom is still pretty good; those in the back also get their own controls to operate the roof sunblind.
Mazda is keen to point out that it’s been part of an joint venture with Changan for decades, with quite a few Mazda models being sold in Europe (like the current 3, CX-30 and CX-5) having had some development time in China.
The 6e and this, the CX-6e are no different – and they aren’t direct rebodies of Changan Deepal models, for example, even if much of the technology is shared. Something we were keen to probe, given our lacklustre experiences with the Changan Deepal S07 that shares so much with Mazda’s recent EVs.
‘This is not a China vehicle but a CMA (Changan Mazda Automobile) vehicle, whereby management there is populated by both Mazda people and Changan people,’ says Christian Schultze, head of Mazda Europe’s R&D centre. ‘We already have a very deep and detailed understanding of what CMA’s plans are, and we had our plans in Europe. What we definitely need in Europe is something electric that fits in our product portfolio.’
Schultze adds: ‘There are cars on the market that are very clearly badge engineering. But for this vehicle, we were really involved early on and, of course, we have been working with CMA for more than 20 years. For us, it was very important that this doesn’t feel like a Chinese car on a European road, it should feel like a Mazda car on a European road.’
The CX-6e, then, is meant to be a ‘more progressive’ model compared to the likes of the CX-5 and CX-60 – two similarly-sized SUVs Mazda already make that are designed to suit more conservative tastes. ‘Not only because the powertrain is progressive, but the overall concept is much more progressive,’ says Moritz Oswald, Mazda Europe project manager.
Moritz also quotes jinba ittai – Mazda’s mantra regarding driver and vehicle synchronicity – by saying the CX-6e still has that, just in a different way to other models. ‘The space, the lightness, and how everything is focused to you now with only having the head-up display up front for very low levels of distraction is still very clearly Mazda DNA at work. Even though you might think at first glance this is a huge step, yes, but in the right direction.’
We do and, frankly, they’re not much to shout about. Just one variant is available at launch, which uses a 78kWh battery pack and a single 255bhp electric motor on the rear axle. That’s good for a 0-62mph sprint in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 115mph.
WLTP range is 300 miles for the Takumi version running on 19-inch wheels, dropping slightly to 291 on the larger 21-inch wheel option on the Takumi Plus trim (or as an upgrade on Takumi). AC charging is at 11kW only, while DC charging is at up to 165kW – again, nothing all that noteworthy versus the CX-6e’s major competition.
Mazda says orders will open in the summer of 2026. Price information will follow soon.
Jake has been an automotive journalist since 2015, joining CAR as Staff Writer in 2017. With a decade of car news and reviews writing under his belt, he became CAR's Deputy News Editor in 2020 and then News Editor in 2025. Jake's day-to-day role includes co-ordinating CAR's news content across its print, digital and social media channels. When he's not out interviewing an executive, driving a new car for review or on a photoshoot for a CAR feature, he's usually found geeking out on the latest video game, buying yet another pair of wildly-coloured trainers or figuring out where he can put another car-shaped Lego set in his already-full house.
By Jake Groves
CAR's news editor; gamer, trainer freak and serial Lego-ist