Electric Mazda 6 successor drawing new buyers to the brand

Mazda is luring new buyers to the brand with the new 6e, its first mid-size passenger car since the Mazda 6.

Developed and built by the Changan Mazda joint venture in China, the five-door electric 6e liftback sedan (which Mazda is calling a hatch) has attracted a total of 715 pre-orders ahead of its local release next month, more than half of which (54 per cent) are from buyers outside Mazda's existing customer base.

Nearly two thirds (453) of the orders taken so far have been for the flagship Atenza variant – priced at $52,990 before on-road costs – although that's not necessarily a true reflection of the demand for each variant as the first 300 customers to pre-order a Mazda 6e GT ($49,990 excluding ORCs) were offered a free upgrade to the Atenza.

After deliveries commence in July, Mazda Australia forecasts upwards of 300 monthly sales for the 6e, a projection that would see it emerge as one of the best-selling mid-size passenger cars in the country, behind only the Toyota Camry, Tesla Model 3, and BYD Seal.

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The first battery-electric vehicle (EV) to be offered by the Japanese brand in Australia since the MX-30 Electric small SUV, the Mazda 6e liftback is solely available in single-motor, rear-wheel drive form.

It produces 190kW of power and 290Nm of torque, and draws power from a 78kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery good for 560km of WLTP-tested range.

At 4921mm long, 1890mm wide and 1485mm tall, the 6e is 56mm longer, 50mm narrower, and 35mm taller than the now-defunct Mazda 6 sedan. It is also Mazda’s first new mid-size car in over a decade.

Changan has taken care of battery development and much of the 6e’s cabin hardware and technology, while Mazda developed its own exterior and interior, shaped the operating system, and tuned the suspension and steering specifically for European and Western markets like Australia and New Zealand.

The base GT undercuts the entry-level Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD by $4910, and is only $800 more expensive than the old turbocharged four-cylinder Mazda 6 GT. Likewise, the range-topping Atenza costs only a few hundred dollars more than the old G35 Atenza.

Other direct rivals for the 6e include the Kia EV4 released earlier this year, as well as the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and MG IM5. The Skoda Octavia, Hyundai Sonata, and MG7 are likewise alternatives, albeit not electric.

Later this year, Mazda Australia will expand its EV offering to include the CX-6e, a mid-size SUV sister model to the 6e.

Both are related to the S07 sold here under Changan’s Deepal brand, but benefit from being available through Mazda’s much wider dealership network.

MORE: Explore the Mazda 6e showroom