The Mazda CX-6e Is A Bold Electric SUV Aimed At The Tesla Model Y

• Mazda will begin selling a new electric mid-size SUV in Europe this year. It’s not coming to the U.S.
• The CX-6e will compete with models such as the Tesla Model Y, BMW iX3 and Audi Q4 e-tron.
• It looks sharp and gets a high-tech interior.

Mazda has been late to the electric vehicle party, but it’s finally picking up the pace in a market that doesn’t reward laggards. After rolling out the sleek 6e sedan in Europe and China last year, the automaker is back with another sharp-looking EV, the CX-6e crossover.

First unveiled in China last year, where it goes by the name EZ-60, the European-spec CX-6e debuted on Friday at the Brussels Motor Show. The CX-6e will be built in China by Mazda’s joint-venture partner, Changan Automobile, and it rides on the same basic architecture as the Changan Deepal S07.

But Mazda has clearly worked hard to give it its own identity. On the design front, the CX-6e looks far more Mazda than its Chinese sibling.

The exterior is clean and futuristic, with smooth, rounded body panels and little visual clutter. Up front, slim daytime running lights are connected by a full-width LED light bar that wraps around the closed-off grille, giving the crossover a distinctive face. The sharply raked rear windshield and sculpted rear end look familiar to anyone who’s spent time with Mazda’s larger SUVs like the CX-60 and CX-90.

The CX-6e gets a 78-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, good for a WLTP range of 484 kilometers, or about 300 miles. That figure trails the Tesla Model Y Premium in Europe, which can stretch to around 387 miles, but is on par with competitors like the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Charging performance, however, appears to be a stronger point. Mazda says the CX-6e supports DC fast-charging speeds of up to 195 kilowatts, enabling a 10-80% charge in roughly 24 minutes under ideal conditions. For home or workplace charging, it also supports 11 kW AC charging.

Power goes to the rear wheels, courtesy of a rear-mounted electric motor producing 255 horsepower (190 kilowatts) and 214 pound-feet of torque. That setup should be good for a 0-62 miles per hour sprint in about 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 115 mph. Nothing to brag about here, but that should be plenty for the target audience.

Moving on, the minimalist design on the outside bleeds into the cabin too. The center console appears free of physical buttons and is dominated instead by a massive 26-inch screen that serves as both the main infotainment display and an entertainment screen for the passenger. Mazda says the system includes a built-in voice assistant that supports nine languages, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

For now, though, none of this helps Mazda’s U.S. lineup. The brand’s electrification strategy stateside currently leans heavily on plug-in hybrids like the CX-70 and CX-90. There’s no dedicated battery-electric Mazda on sale today in the U.S. The MX-30 electric crossover was quietly discontinued in 2023 after an extremely limited run.

Mazda has been spotted testing a U.S.-specific EV in California, but details on that model remain scant. There’s still no clear timeline for when, or if, something like the CX-6e might make the trip across the Atlantic.

Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com