Mazda continues to be the third-largest carmaker in Australia, holding a steady spot between Ford and Kia, but unlike its rivals it has yet to truly have a crack at the local EV market.
That is changing this year, not only with the already announced 6e – and electric liftback serving as the spiritual successor to the Mazda 6 – but also with the newly unveiled CX-6e, its SUV counterpart.
The electric duo will effectively serve as Mazda’s rivals to the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, the best-selling EVs in their SUV and sedan classes, respectively.
Called the EZ-60 in China where it is made – and where it was developed as a part of Mazda’s joint venture with Changan – the CX-6e was officially unveiled for Europe over the weekend, and locked in for Australia today, though no more local details have been announced beyond it reaching showrooms this year.
In 2025, Australia’s EV market grew to more than 100,000 deliveries for the first time, off the back of a 13 per cent year-on-year increase in sales, however the Mazda CX-6e will face tough competition from the likes of not only the Model Y but also the BYD Sealion 7, Kia EV5 and Geely EX5.
The design of the CX-6e largely mirrors Mazda’s latest generation models, but the new Nightfall Violet paint colour shown is a standout from the brand’s current palette.
Powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor, the Mazda CX-6e produces 190kW and 290Nm, quite a bit less than the likes of the entry-level Sealion 7’s 230kW/380Nm outputs.
This means its 0-100km claim of 7.9 seconds is much slower than that of the Model Y (5.9 seconds) and the Sealion 7 (6.7 seconds).
In Europe, the CX-6e is fitted with a 78kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, with Mazda claiming it delivers 483km of driving range. That’s more than the base Model Y RWD (466km), and only 1km more than the single-motor Sealion 7.
The Mazda CX-6e can be charged at up to 11kW on an AC charger, or take up to 195kW when DC fast-charging.
Europe and Australia miss out on an extended-range EV version of the EZ-60 which is only sold in China, and uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine to help charge its 31.7kWh battery pack.
Measuring 4850mm long, 1935mm wide and 1620mm tall while riding on a 2902mm wheelbase, the CX-6e is close in size to the petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid Mazda CX-60, which is 90mm shorter, 45mm narrower and sits 55mm lower, while having more than 30mm less distance between the axles.
The CX-6e’s cabin provides arguably the biggest move away from the rest of the Mazda lineup, with a huge 26-inch screen stretching from the middle of the dashboard to the passenger side, raising questions about how well the driver will be able to interact with it.
The driver gets a head-up display but no instrument cluster in direct line of sight. At the rear the boot can hold 468 litres with the rear seats up, or 1434 litres when folded.
Mazda Australia is yet to lock in specifications or pricing for the CX-6e locally, though given the 6e is being targeted to open from less than $55,000, it’s likely the SUV will start from under $60,000 in equivalent trim.
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