The all-new and all-electric Mazda CX-6e – the Japanese brand’s second EV from its Chinese partnership with Changan – will land in Australia this year with a single battery and drivetrain option and a forecasted starting price that will be quite competitive with direct competition.
Mazda Australia has confirmed that its rival to the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7 and Kia EV5 will lob sometime during the third quarter (July-September) of 2026, boasting a 78kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack feeding a 190kW electric motor driving the rear axle only – ie no all-wheel drive.
This is the same drivetrain and battery combination used in the related Mazda 6e liftback for the Australian market.
Further to the battery energy capacity and e-motor power output, Mazda’s local arm has indicated a driving range of “more than 450km” on the WLTP cycle, while a 30-80 per cent recharge on a DC fast charger should take “as little as 15 minutes”.
Further details will be confirmed closer to launch, but the brand’s local product comms boss also noted “this car will be introduced with an MLP that’s in the mid-$50,000s”.
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The European-market CX-6e, for reference, uses a 78kWh LFP battery, offering electric range of up to 483km on the WLTP cycle and a maximum DC charge rate of 195kW and an AC charge rate of 11kW – which aligns nicely with the Australian top-line details.
It’s worth noting that similar preliminary details were communicated for the Mazda 6e last year, and the mid-$50,000 starting point ended up being a sub-$50,000 base price.
CarExpert and other Australian media were shown a European left-hand drive vehicle in Melbourne recently, confirming much of the design and tech elements of the Chinese-market EZ-60 – the name of the CX-6e back home – will be available Down Under.
One of those features is a massive 26.45-inch central display which extends into the passenger side of the cabin and, also in a trend first set by Tesla, driving information is shown on a sidebar.
Unlike a Tesla Model Y, a head-up display projects information like a digital speedometer ahead in the driver’s line of sight.
Beyond that, there’s not much else in terms of official information, other than that the Chinese market’s digital side mirrors will almost certainly be available at the upper end of the range.
Previewed by the 2024 Mazda Arata Concept shown at the Beijing motor show of that year, the Mazda CX-6e is the international export version of the EZ-60 that’s already on sale in China.
While referred to as a ‘mid-size’, the Chinese-market EZ-60 measures 4850mm long and 1935mm wide, on a 2902mm wheelbase – which is bordering on large SUV territory.
There’s 468L of space in the CX-6e’s boot, expanding to 1434L with the second row of seats folded flat.
The CX-6e/EZ-60 was developed by the Changan Mazda joint venture in China, and is based on the same platform and running gear as the Deepal S07 which is also on sale in Australia.
There’s no dual-motor all-wheel drive variant, yet, while an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain – with a smaller 31.73kWh battery and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine – remains exclusive to China for now.
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