Mazda 6e review

Until Mazda thrashes out UK pricing, we can’t fully commit to how recommendable the 6e truly is. It looks good, drives neatly (enough) and appears to come absolutely ram-packed with equipment. Kicking off below £40,000 could swell our score and give it a decent chance in a class not truly awash with quality.

A Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers a good blend of rapid charging, intriguing looks and decent dynamics, but starts nearer £50k. A BMW i4 plays the sharp dynamics card but breaches that same threshold.

The VW ID.7, BYD Seal or Tesla Model 3 feel like closer rivals, but none will inspire enthusiasts like Mazda products typically do and the latter's appeal will surely be tainted by the boss’s antics for some time to come. But then the new Kia EV4 Fastback and Mercedes-Benz CLA, both of which offer headline long-range figures that trump the Mazda’s, are freshly compelling alternatives to the Californian brand.

Which should I buy?

While we’ve only driven the longer-range, bigger-battery 6e, our suspicion is the slightly sharper performance and dramatically quicker charging of its sibling will make it the much more recommendable option. Whether another 40 to 50 miles of travel warrants the extra time you’ll spend at public chargers in the 80kWh car is a call only you can make, and perhaps the finalised UK line-up will take the choice out of our hands anyway.

We achieved an indicated 3.4 miles per kWh on our hour-long test route, one which involved more twisting rural roads (and thus more opportunities for entertainment) than the average commute, suggesting you have a reasonable chance of matching (or even bettering) Mazda’s 3.7mpkWh claims. Beyond that you get a five-star NCAP rating, albeit with a litany of beeps and bongs that helped yield it.